There have been 45 women in the Tasmanian House of Assembly since its establishment in 1856. Women have had the right to vote since 1903 and the right to stand as candidates since 1921.
The first successful female candidates for the House of Assembly were Amelia Best and Mabel Miller, both Liberals, who were elected in 1955. In 1962, Miller (Best had lost election twice, in 1956 and 1959) was joined by the first Labor woman, Lynda Heaven. In 1964, both Miller and Heaven left the House, and women were not represented again until 1976, when Labor's Gill James was elected. Since then women have been continuously represented in the House.
Christine Milne and Di Hollister were the first women elected to represent the Greens in 1989. Kristie Johnston was the first independent woman elected in 2021, although Mary Willey, Madeleine Ogilvie and Sue Hickey had served as independents after leaving their parties. Kathryn Hay was the first Indigenous woman elected to the Tasmanian parliament in 2002.
Lara Giddings became the first female Premier of Tasmania on 24 January 2011.
With the re-election of Madeleine Ogilvie on 11 September 2019, the House of Assembly became Australia's first state to elect a majority of women members in one house, with 13 of the 25 members being female.
List of women in the Tasmanian House of 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 recount, and * symbolises members that have sat as members in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.
#NamePartyElectoral DivisionPeriod of service1Amelia BestLiberalWilmot19 February 1955 – 13 October 1956 (defeated) 24 November 1958 – 2 May 1959 (defeated)Mabel MillerLiberalFranklin19 February 1955 – 2 May 1964 (defeated)3Lynda HeavenLaborFranklin2 March 1962 – 2 May 1964 (defeated)4Gill JamesLaborBass11 December 1976 – 8 February 1986 (defeated) 1 February 1992 – 20 July 2002 (retired)5Mary WilleyLabor/IndependentBass28 July 1979 – 27 May 1982 (defeated)6Carmel HolmesLiberalDenison25 June 1984 – 8 February 1986 (defeated)7Judy JacksonLaborDenison8 February 1986 – 18 March 2006 (retired)Fran BladelLaborFranklin8 February 1986 – 9 April 2002 (retired)9Christine MilneGreensLyons13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 (defeated)Di HollisterGreensBraddon13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 (defeated)11Carole CainsLiberalBraddon1 February 1992 – 24 February 1996 (defeated) 17 July 1997 – 29 August 1998 (defeated)Sue NapierLiberalBass1 February 1992 – 19 March 2010 (retired)13Peg PuttGreensDenison2 March 1992 – 7 July 2008 (resigned)14Denise SwanLiberalLyons12 December 1995 – 20 July 2002 (defeated)15Lara GiddingsLaborLyons Franklin24 February 1996 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) 20 July 2002 – 3 March 2018 (retired)Paula WriedtLaborFranklin24 February 1996 – 18 January 2009 (resigned)17Kathryn HayLaborBass20 July 2002 – 18 March 2006 (retired)18Heather ButlerLaborLyons10 May 2005 – 20 March 2010 (defeated)19Michelle O'ByrneLaborBass18 March 2006 – 19 July 2025 (retired)Lisa SinghLaborDenison18 March 2006 – 20 March 2010 (defeated)21Cassy O'ConnorGreensDenison/Clark21 July 2008 – 13 July 2023 (resigned)22Elise ArcherLiberalDenison/Clark20 March 2010 – 4 October 2023 (resigned)Jacquie PetrusmaLiberalFranklin20 March 2010 – 25 July 2022 (resigned) 23 March 2024 –Rebecca WhiteLaborLyons20 March 2010 – 12 February 2025 (resigned)25Sarah CourtneyLiberalBass15 March 2014 – 10 February 2022 (resigned)Madeleine OgilvieLabor/Independent/LiberalDenison/Clark15 March 2014 – 3 March 2018 (defeated)13 September 2019 – Joan RylahLiberalBraddon15 March 2014 – 3 March 2018 (defeated) 26 February 2019 – 27 July 2020 (resigned)28Andrea DawkinsGreensBass9 June 2015 – 3 March 2018 (defeated)29Rosalie WoodruffGreensFranklin17 August 2015 – 30Jen ButlerLaborLyons3 March 2018 – Anita DowLaborBraddon3 March 2018 – Ella HaddadLaborDenison/Clark3 March 2018 – Sue HickeyLiberal/IndependentDenison/Clark3 March 2018 – 1 May 2021 (defeated)Jennifer HoustonLaborBass3 March 2018 – 1 May 2021 (defeated)Alison StandenLaborFranklin3 March 2018 – 1 May 2021 (defeated)36Janie FinlayLaborBass1 May 2021 – Kristie JohnstonIndependentClark1 May 2021 – 38Lara AlexanderLiberalBass25 February 2022 – 23 March 2024 (defeated)39Tabatha BadgerGreensLyons23 March 2024 – Miriam BeswickJacqui Lambie NetworkBraddon23 March 2024 – 19 July 2025 (defeated)Meg BrownLaborFranklin23 March 2024 –Helen BurnetGreensClark23 March 2024 –Jane Howlett*LiberalLyons23 March 2024 –Rebekah PentlandJacqui Lambie NetworkBass23 March 2024 – 19 July 2025 (defeated)Cecily RosolGreensBass23 March 2024 –46Bridget ArcherLiberalBass19 July 2025 –Jess GreeneLaborBass19 July 2025 –
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