Margaret McAleer
Encyclopedia
Margaret McAleer was an Australian politician who served as a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
from 1974 to 1993.
The daughter of former Geraldton
mayor James McAleer, Margaret was born in Perth
, and educated in Geraldton and Perth before studying at the University of Melbourne
, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
. In 1961 she began farming at Arrino
, and was elected to Three Springs Shire Council
in 1967. She became active in the Liberal Party
as a member of the Rural Committee from 1968, President of the Kalgoorlie
Central Division from 1970 and State Vice President in 1973.
McAleer was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council
in 1974, representing Upper West Province
; she was the first non-Labor woman to win a seat in the Council. She was the Government Whip from 1980 and Opposition Whip from 1983 until her retirement in 1993, as well as Shadow Minister for Women's Interests from 1990 to 1992. McAleer died in 1999.
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
from 1974 to 1993.
The daughter of former Geraldton
Geraldton, Western Australia
Geraldton is a city and port in Western Australia located north of Perth in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958...
mayor James McAleer, Margaret was born in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, and educated in Geraldton and Perth before studying at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
. In 1961 she began farming at Arrino
Arrino, Western Australia
Arrino is a small town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. The town is located between Mingenew and Three Springs on the Midlands Road....
, and was elected to Three Springs Shire Council
Shire of Three Springs
The Shire of Three Springs is a Local Government Area in the Mid West region of Western Australia, about north of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Three Springs....
in 1967. She became active in the 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...
as a member of the Rural Committee from 1968, President of the Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Kalgoorlie, known as Kalgoorlie-Boulder, is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, and is located east-northeast of state capital Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway...
Central Division from 1970 and State Vice President in 1973.
McAleer was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
in 1974, representing Upper West Province
Upper West Province
The Upper West Province was a two-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the Mid West region of the state...
; she was the first non-Labor woman to win a seat in the Council. She was the Government Whip from 1980 and Opposition Whip from 1983 until her retirement in 1993, as well as Shadow Minister for Women's Interests from 1990 to 1992. McAleer died in 1999.