There have been 66 women in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since its establishment in 1890. Women have had the right to vote since 1899 and the right to stand as candidates since 1920.
The first successful female candidate for the Legislative Assembly was Edith Cowan, who was elected as the member for West Perth in 1921 representing the Nationalist Party of Australia. This was the first time a woman had won election anywhere in Australia. Cowan was defeated in 1924 but in 1925 May Holman was elected to the seat of Forrest in a by-election, becoming the first successful Labor woman in Australia. Holman was joined by Florence Cardell-Oliver of the Nationalist Party in 1936, who would become the first female cabinet minister. Cardell-Oliver's retirement in 1956 led to a period of absence for women, until June Craig of the Liberal Party was elected in 1974, since which time women have been continuously represented in the Assembly.
Hilda Turnbull was the first National Party woman elected to the Assembly in 1989, and only two women – Liz Constable (1991–2013) and Janet Woollard (2001–2013) – have been elected as independents. Adele Carles became the first Greens member of the Assembly in 2009, although she later quit the party. Carol Martin was the first Indigenous woman elected to the Assembly in 2001.
List of women in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Names in bold indicate women who have been appointed as Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries during their time in Parliament. Names in italics indicate women who were first elected at a by-election. An asterisk (*) indicates that the member also served in the Legislative Council.
#NamePartyElectoral DivisionPeriod of service1Edith CowanNationalistWest Perth12 March 1921 – 22 March 1924 (defeated)2May HolmanLaborForrest3 April 1925 – 18 March 1939 (died)3Florence Cardell-OliverNationalist/LiberalSubiaco15 February 1936 – 7 April 1956 (retired)4June CraigLiberalWellington30 March 1974 – 19 February 1983 (defeated)5Pam BeggsLaborWhitford19 February 1983 – 6 February 1993 (defeated)Pam BuchananLabor/IndependentPilbara Ashburton19 February 1983 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 3 March 1992 Yvonne HendersonLaborGosnells Thornlie19 February 1983 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 14 December 1996 (retired)Jackie WatkinsLaborJoondalup Wanneroo19 February 1983 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 6 February 1993 (defeated)9Carmen LawrenceLaborSubiaco Glendalough8 February 1986 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 14 February 1994 (resigned to contest HoR)Judyth WatsonLaborCanning Kenwick8 February 1986 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 14 December 1996 (defeated)11Cheryl EdwardesLiberalKingsley4 February 1989 – 26 February 2005 (retired)Hilda TurnbullNationalCollie4 February 1989 – 10 February 2001 (defeated)13Judy EdwardsLaborMaylands26 May 1990 – 6 September 2008 (retired)14Liz ConstableIndependentFloreat Churchlands20 July 1991 – 14 December 1996 14 December 1996 – 9 March 2013 (retired)15Kay Hallahan*LaborArmadale6 February 1993 – 14 December 1996 (retired)June van de KlashorstLiberalSwan Hills6 February 1993 – 10 February 2001 (defeated)Diana WarnockLaborPerth6 February 1993 – 10 February 2001 (retired)18Michelle RobertsLaborGlendalough Midland19 March 1994 – 14 December 1996 14 December 1996 – 8 March 2025 (retired)19Rhonda ParkerLiberalHelena Ballajura10 September 1994 – 14 December 1996 14 December 1996 – 10 February 2001 (defeated)20Megan AnwylLaborKalgoorlie14 December 1996 – 10 February 2001 (defeated)Katie Hodson-ThomasLiberalCarine14 December 1996 – 6 September 2008 (retired)Monica HolmesLiberalSouthern River14 December 1996 – 10 February 2001 (defeated)Alannah MacTiernan*LaborArmadale14 December 1996 – 19 July 2010 (resigned to contest HoR)Sheila McHaleLaborThornlie14 December 1996 – 6 September 2008 (retired)25Dianne GuiseLaborWanneroo10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 (defeated)Carol MartinLaborKimberley10 February 2001 – 9 March 2013 (retired)Margaret QuirkLaborGirrawheenLandsdale10 February 2001 – 13 March 202113 March 2021 – 8 March 2025 (retired)Jaye RadisichLaborSwan Hills10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 (retired)Sue WalkerLiberal/IndependentNedlands10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 (defeated)Janet WoollardIndependentAlfred Cove10 February 2001 – 9 March 2013 (defeated)31Judy HughesLaborKingsley26 February 2005 – 6 September 2008 (defeated)32Lisa BakerLaborMaylands6 September 2008 – 8 March 2025 (retired)Janine FreemanLaborNollamara6 September 2008 – 29 January 2021 (retired)Liza HarveyLiberalScarborough6 September 2008 – 13 March 2021 (defeated)Andrea MitchellLiberalKingsley6 September 2008 – 11 March 2017 (defeated)Rita SaffiotiLaborWest Swan6 September 2008 – 37Adele CarlesGreens/IndependentFremantle16 May 2009 – 9 March 2013 (defeated)38Mia Davies*NationalCentral Wheatbelt9 March 2013 – 8 March 2025 (retired)Wendy Duncan*NationalKalgoorlie9 March 2013 – 11 March 2017 (retired)Eleni EvangelLiberalPerth9 March 2013 – 11 March 2017 (defeated)Josie FarrerLaborKimberley9 March 2013 – 29 January 2021 (retired)Glenys GodfreyLiberalBelmont9 March 2013 – 11 March 2017 (defeated)Simone McGurkLaborFremantle9 March 2013 –44Libby MettamLiberalVasse18 October 2014 –45Robyn ClarkeLaborMurray-Wellington11 March 2017 – 8 March 2025 (defeated)Emily HamiltonLaborJoondalup11 March 2017 – Lisa O'MalleyLaborBicton11 March 2017 – Cassie RoweLaborBelmont11 March 2017 – Amber-Jade Sanderson*LaborMorley11 March 2017 – Jessica ShawLaborSwan Hills11 March 2017 – 8 March 2025 (retired)Jessica StojkovskiLaborKingsley11 March 2017 – Sabine WintonLaborWanneroo11 March 2017 – 53Alyssa Hayden*LiberalDarling Range23 June 2018 – 13 March 2021 (defeated)54Hannah BeazleyLaborVictoria Park13 March 2021 – Caitlin CollinsLaborHillarys13 March 2021 – Lara DaltonLaborGeraldton13 March 2021 – 8 March 2025 (defeated)Divina D'AnnaLaborKimberley13 March 2021 – Kim GiddensLaborBateman13 March 2021 – Meredith HammatLaborMirrabooka13 March 2021 – Jodie HannsLaborCollie-Preston13 March 2021 – Jane KelsbieLaborWarren-Blackwood13 March 2021 – 8 March 2025 (defeated)Ali KentLaborKalgoorlie13 March 2021 – Lisa MundayLaborDawesville13 March 2021 – Rebecca StephensLaborAlbany13 March 2021 – 8 March 2025 (defeated)Katrina StrattonLaborNedlands13 March 2021 – 5 February 2025 (resigned to contest LC)Christine TonkinLaborChurchlands13 March 2021 – 8 March 2025 (defeated)67Merome BeardNational/LiberalNorth West Central17 September 2022 – 8 March 2025 (defeated)68Magenta MarshallLaborRockingham29 July 2023 –69Sandra BrewerLiberalCottesloe8 March 2025 –Lorna ClarkeLaborButler8 March 2025 –Colleen EganLaborThornlie8 March 2025 –Michelle MaynardLaborSwan Hills8 March 2025 –Kirrilee WarrNationalGeraldton8 March 2025 –Sook Yee LaiLaborBibra Lake8 March 2025 –
Timeline
Proportion of women in the Assembly Numbers and proportions are as they were directly after the relevant election and do not take into account by-elections, defections or other changes in membership. The Liberal column also includes that party's predecessors, the Nationalist and United parties and the Liberal and Country League. The National column includes the various National Party splinter groups in the 1920s and 1980s.
TermLaborLiberalNationalOthersTotalWomenTotal%WomenTotal%WomenTotal%WomenTotal%WomenTotal%1921–19240 17 0.0%1 10 10.0%0 16 0.0%0 7 0.0%1 50 2.0%1924–19270 27 0.0%0 9 0.0%0 13 0.0%0 1 0.0%0 50 0.0%1927–19301 27 3.7%0 16 0.0%0 7 0.0%0 0 0.0%1 50 2.0%1930–19331 23 4.3%0 16 0.0%0 10 0.0%0 1 0.0%1 50 2.0%1933–19361 30 3.3%0 8 0.0%0 11 0.0%0 1 0.0%1 50 2.0%1936–19391 26 3.8%1 8 12.5%0 13 0.0%0 3 0.0%2 50 4.0%1939–19431 27 3.7%1 7 14.2%0 12 0.0%0 4 0.0%2 50 4.0%1943–19470 30 0.0%1 7 14.2%0 10 0.0%0 3 0.0%1 50 2.0%1947–19500 23 0.0%1 13 7.7%0 12 0.0%0 1 0.0%1 50 2.0%1950–19530 23 0.0%1 15 6.7%0 9 0.0%0 3 0.0%1 50 2.0%1953–19560 26 0.0%1 15 6.7%0 9 0.0%0 0 0.0%1 50 2.0%1956–19590 29 0.0%0 11 0.0%0 8 0.0%0 2 0.0%0 50 0.0%1959–19620 23 0.0%0 17 0.0%0 8 0.0%0 2 0.0%0 50 0.0%1962–19650 24 0.0%0 18 0.0%0 8 0.0%0 0 0.0%0 50 0.0%1965–19680 21 0.0%0 21 0.0%0 8 0.0%0 0 0.0%0 50 0.0%1968–19710 23 0.0%0 19 0.0%0 9 0.0%0 0 0.0%0 51 0.0%1971–19740 26 0.0%0 17 0.0%0 8 0.0%0 0 0.0%0 51 0.0%1974–19770 22 0.0%1 23 4.3%0 6 0.0%0 0 0.0%1 51 2.0%1977–19800 22 0.0%1 27 3.7%0 6 0.0%0 0 0.0%1 55 1.8%1980–19830 23 0.0%1 26 3.8%0 6 0.0%0 0 0.0%1 55 1.8%1983–19864 32 12.5%0 20 0.0%0 5 0.0%0 0 0.0%4 57 7.0%1986–19896 32 18.8%0 19 0.0%0 6 0.0%0 0 0.0%6 57 10.5%1989–19936 31 19.4%1 20 5.0%1 6 16.7%0 0 0.0%8 57 14.0%1993–19966 24 25.0%2 26 7.7%1 6 16.7%1 1 100.0%10 57 17.5%1996–20016 19 31.6%5 29 17.2%1 6 16.7%1 3 33.3%13 57 22.8%2001–20058 32 25.0%3 16 18.8%0 5 0.0%2 4 50.0%13 57 22.8%2005–20089 32 28.1%2 18 11.1%0 5 0.0%2 2 100.0%13 57 22.8%2008–20137 28 25.0%2 24 8.3%0 4 0.0%2 3 66.7%11 59 18.6%2013–20177 21 33.3%4 31 12.9%2 7 28.6%0 0 0.0%13 59 22.0%2017–202115 41 36.6%2 13 15.4%1 5 20.0%0 0 0.0%18 59 30.5%2021–202526 53 49.0%1 2 50.0%1 4 25.0%0 0 0.0%28 59 47.4%2025–21 46 45.7%2 7 28.6%1 6 16.7%0 0 0.0%24 59 40.7%
See also