Agnes Robertson
Encyclopedia
Agnes Robertson Robertson (31 July 1882 – 29 January 1968) was an Australia
n Senator
for Western Australia
.
She was elected to the senate in 1950 as a Liberal Party
representative; in 1955 she switched her allegiance and represented the Country Party (the present day National Party of Australia
) for the remainder of her parliamentary service; for this reason she is regarded as the first woman to represent the National Party in the Parliament of Australia
. She retired in 1962.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Senator
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
for Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
She was elected to the senate in 1950 as a Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
representative; in 1955 she switched her allegiance and represented the Country Party (the present day National Party of Australia
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
) for the remainder of her parliamentary service; for this reason she is regarded as the first woman to represent the National Party in the Parliament of Australia
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
. She retired in 1962.