Jessie Cooper
Encyclopedia
Jessie Mary Cooper (191428 December 1993). Elected as a Liberal and Country League
representative to the South Australian Legislative Council
in 1959, she was the first female member of the Parliament of South Australia
, beating Joyce Steele
, who had been elected to the House of Assembly
the same day, by only an hour. She served until her retirement in 1979.
). They had one son who qualified M.B.B.S. and Ph.D. and worked in immunology research before taking his father's seat on the Cooper's board of directors and working as a general medical practitioner.
In 1959, attempts were still being made to prevent women entering Parliament. In an action brought by Frank Chapman and Arthur Cockington, Jessie Cooper and Margaret Scott (the Liberal party and Labor party candidates respectively, running for the Legislative Council in the South Australian election), had to show that they were persons under the Constitution to be eligible to stand. The South Australian Supreme Court found in their favour and Jessie Cooper went on to win a seat in the Legislative Council.
Reporters asked Joyce Steele and Jessie Cooper how they would combine their domestic duties with politics: Steele said that she would have to get a housekeeper to help with the housework, while Cooper replied that "... she would fit in her housework in the same way as a male member fitted in the running of an orchard or an accountants office." (Sydney Morning Herald, 9 March 1959. p. 1)
Liberal and Country League
The Liberal and Country League was a major political party in South Australia throughout its forty year existence. Thirty-four years were spent in government, in part due to the electoral malapportionment known as the Playmander, introduced after coming to power.Created on 9 June 1932 as the...
representative to the South Australian Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
in 1959, she was the first female member of the Parliament of South Australia
Parliament of South Australia
The Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It consists of the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. It follows a Westminster system of parliamentary government....
, beating Joyce Steele
Joyce Steele
Joyce Steele was an Australian politician and one of the first two women elected to the Parliament of South Australia, the other being Jessie Cooper...
, who had been elected to the House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
the same day, by only an hour. She served until her retirement in 1979.
Pre-parliament
Jessie McAndrew was born and grew up in Sydney. She married Geoffrey D T Cooper, who was the youngest appointed Australian Lieutenant Colonel in World War II, commanding officer of the 2/27th, and a fourth generation member of the Adelaide Cooper family (Coopers BreweryCoopers Brewery
Coopers Brewery is an Australian beer company. Its shares are primarily owned by the extended Cooper family, and the company's constitution and classes of shares makes it difficult to sell shares outside the family. Coopers is known for making a variety of high quality beers, the most famous of...
). They had one son who qualified M.B.B.S. and Ph.D. and worked in immunology research before taking his father's seat on the Cooper's board of directors and working as a general medical practitioner.
Entering parliament
In 1895, South Australian women became the first in Australia, and some of the first in the world, to be given the right to vote and stand for election to Parliament. The following year, the first women in Australia voted at the South Australian elections. Ironically, South Australia did not have a female representative until 1959 when Jessie Cooper and Joyce Steele were elected to both Upper and Lower Houses, and it was the last Parliament in Australia to actually have women members.In 1959, attempts were still being made to prevent women entering Parliament. In an action brought by Frank Chapman and Arthur Cockington, Jessie Cooper and Margaret Scott (the Liberal party and Labor party candidates respectively, running for the Legislative Council in the South Australian election), had to show that they were persons under the Constitution to be eligible to stand. The South Australian Supreme Court found in their favour and Jessie Cooper went on to win a seat in the Legislative Council.
Reporters asked Joyce Steele and Jessie Cooper how they would combine their domestic duties with politics: Steele said that she would have to get a housekeeper to help with the housework, while Cooper replied that "... she would fit in her housework in the same way as a male member fitted in the running of an orchard or an accountants office." (Sydney Morning Herald, 9 March 1959. p. 1)
External links
- Jessie Cooper interviewed by Amy McGrath, [sound recording, ca. 43 mins.], 1 May 1980.
- Jessie Cooper Study Grants for Mature Entry Women, Flinders University of South Australia.
- The important supportive role of the League of Women Voters, State Library of South Australia.