Women in the New South Wales Legislative Council

There have been 50 women in the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...

since its establishment in 1856. Women have had the right to stand as a candidate since 1918; the Council introduced direct election in 1978.

The first women appointed to the Legislative Council were Catherine Green

Catherine Green (Australian politician)

Catherine Elizabeth Green was an Australian politician.Born in Curban in New South Wales to farmer Daniel Diggs and Catherine Kain, she was educated at the Curban public school until the family moved to Dubbo when Catherine was fourteen. She was a domestic in a hotel before moving to Sydney around...

and Ellen Webster

Ellen Webster

Ellen Webster was an Australian politician.Born in Tenterfield in New South Wales to Irish immigrant parents , she was raised on the family property and educated at home...

in 1931, both appointed directly by the premier, Jack Lang

Jack Lang (Australian politician)

John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...

. Green departed in 1932; after Webster's departure in 1934 women were absent from the Council until 1952, when Gertrude Melville

Gertrude Melville

Gertrude Mary Melville née Day was the first woman elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1952.-References:...

became the first woman elected by the New South Wales Parliament to serve. Since then women have been continuously represented in the Legislative Council. The first Liberal

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...

woman to serve in the Legislative Council was Eileen Furley

Eileen Furley

Mabel Eileen Furley OBE, née Llewelyn was the first woman to represent the Liberal Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council....

in 1962. The first National Party

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...

woman was Judy Jakins

Judy Jakins

Judith Helen "Judy" Jakins, née Penzer is a former Australian politician. She was a National Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1984 to 1991....

in 1984. The first minor-party woman was Democrat

Australian Democrats

The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...

Elisabeth Kirkby

Elisabeth "Liz" Kirkby was an Australia-based theatre and television actress and politician known as a long time member of the New South Wales Legislative Council....

, elected in 1981. The first Call to Australia/Christian Democrat woman was Marie Bignold

Marie Bignold

Marie May Bignold is a former Australian politician. Born in Kiama, the daughter of solicitor Owen James Thomas and Sylvia May Reid, she studied law at the University of Sydney before being admitted as a solicitor in 1950...

in 1984; the first Greens

Australian Greens

The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...

woman was Lee Rhiannon

Lee Rhiannon

Lee Rhiannon , an Australian politician, is a Senator for New South Wales, elected at the 2010 federal election, representing the Australian Greens...

in 1999. No female MLCs have been elected as independents, although Anne Press, Marie Bignold, Beryl Evans, Franca Arena

Franca Arena

Franca Arena is an Australian politician and activist. She was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1981, first for the Australian Labor Party then as an Independent from 1997 until she left the Council in 1999...

and Helen Sham-Ho

Helen Sham-Ho

Helen Wai-Har Sham-Ho is a former Australian politician. Born in Hong Kong, she migrated to Australia in 1961. She studied law at the University of Sydney and Macquarie University. Her first marriage produced two daughters; her second marriage was to Robert Ho on 15 December 1987...

all left their parties and continued to sit as independents.

The first female minister in the Legislative Council was Virginia Chadwick

Virginia Chadwick

Virginia Anne Chadwick AO was a Liberal Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1978 to 1999...

, who was appointed Minister for Family and Community Services in 1988 by Premier Nick Greiner

Nick Greiner

Nicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...

. Deirdre Grusovin

Deirdre Grusovin

Deirdre Mary Grusovin was a member of the New South Wales Parliament for twenty five years.Grusovin was born Deirdre Mary Brereton in Sydney, and is the sister of influential former politician Laurie Brereton....

and Carmel Tebbutt

Carmel Tebbutt

Carmel Mary Tebbutt is an Australian politician. She is the Australian Labor Party Member for Marrickville in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 2008 to 2011. She was also Minister for Health in the Keneally Government...

held ministerial positions in Labor governments before transferring to the Legislative Assembly.

List of women in the New South Wales Legislative Council

Names in bold type indicate ministers and parliamentary secretaries. Names in italics are of women who entered the parliament through by-election or appointment. Names marked with an asterisk (*) also served in the Legislative Assembly

New South Wales Legislative Assembly

The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...

. Where no closing date is shown, the MLC’s term of service is unexpired.

Name	Party	Period of service
Catherine Green Catherine Green (Australian politician) Catherine Elizabeth Green was an Australian politician.Born in Curban in New South Wales to farmer Daniel Diggs and Catherine Kain, she was educated at the Curban public school until the family moved to Dubbo when Catherine was fourteen. She was a domestic in a hotel before moving to Sydney around...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	24 November 1931 – 7 September 1932
Ellen Webster Ellen Webster Ellen Webster was an Australian politician.Born in Tenterfield in New South Wales to Irish immigrant parents , she was raised on the family property and educated at home...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	26 November 1931 – 22 April 1934
Gertrude Melville Gertrude Melville Gertrude Mary Melville née Day was the first woman elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1952.-References:...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	10 September 1952 – 22 April 1958
Edna Roper	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	23 April 1958 – 5 November 1978
Anne Press	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... /Ind Labor Independent Labor Group The Independent Labor Group was a minor Australian political grouping in the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1959 to 1977. The group emerged when a number of Labor Party MLCs were expelled from the party for voting against the abolition of the Legislative Council, which was then party... /Liberal 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...	22 October 1959 – 5 November 1978
Amelia Rygate	Ind Labor Independent Labor Group The Independent Labor Group was a minor Australian political grouping in the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1959 to 1977. The group emerged when a number of Labor Party MLCs were expelled from the party for voting against the abolition of the Legislative Council, which was then party... /Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	7 September 1961 – 5 November 1978
Eileen Furley Eileen Furley Mabel Eileen Furley OBE, née Llewelyn was the first woman to represent the Liberal Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council....	Liberal 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...	14 November 1962 – 22 April 1964
Evelyn Barron Evelyn Barron Evelyn Barron, née Bock , an Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1963 to 1976 representing the Labor Party....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	21 November 1963 – 22 April 1976
Margaret Davis Margaret Davis Margaret Alayne Elizabeth Davis, née Alexander is a former Australian politician. She was a Liberal member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1967 to 1978....	Liberal 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...	23 April 1967 – 15 September 1978
Kath Anderson Kath Anderson Kathleen Harris "Kath" Anderson AM, née Hough was an Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1973 to 1981...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	23 April 1973 – 28 August 1981
Violet Lloyd Violet Lloyd Florence Violet Lloyd OBE is a former Australian politician. She was a Liberal member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1973 to 1981....	Liberal 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...	23 April 1973 – 28 August 1981
Delcia Kite Delcia Kite Delcia Ivy Kite, née Smith is a former Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1976 to 1995....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	23 April 1976 – 3 March 1995
Marie Fisher Marie Fisher Marie Claire Fisher was an Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1978 to 1988....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	7 October 1978 – 22 February 1988
Virginia Chadwick Virginia Chadwick Virginia Anne Chadwick AO was a Liberal Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1978 to 1999...	Liberal 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...	6 November 1978 – 5 March 1999
Deirdre Grusovin Deirdre Grusovin Deirdre Mary Grusovin was a member of the New South Wales Parliament for twenty five years.Grusovin was born Deirdre Mary Brereton in Sydney, and is the sister of influential former politician Laurie Brereton.... *	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	6 November 1978 – 31 May 1990
Dorothy Isaksen Dorothy Isaksen Dorothy Isaksen, née Shepherd is a former Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1978 to 1988 and from 1990 to 1999....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	6 November 1978 – 22 February 1988 4 July 1990 – 5 March 1999
Franca Arena Franca Arena Franca Arena is an Australian politician and activist. She was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1981, first for the Australian Labor Party then as an Independent from 1997 until she left the Council in 1999...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... /Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	27 October 1981 – 5 March 1999
Elisabeth Kirkby Elisabeth Kirkby Elisabeth "Liz" Kirkby was an Australia-based theatre and television actress and politician known as a long time member of the New South Wales Legislative Council....	Democrats Australian Democrats The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...	27 October 1981 – 25 June 1998
Ann Symonds Ann Symonds Elizabeth Ann Symonds, née Burley is a former Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1982 to 1998....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	8 September 1982 – 30 April 1998
Beryl Evans	Liberal 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... /Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	30 April 1984 – 3 March 1995
Judy Jakins Judy Jakins Judith Helen "Judy" Jakins, née Penzer is a former Australian politician. She was a National Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1984 to 1991....	National 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...	30 April 1984 – 1 July 1991
Marie Bignold Marie Bignold Marie May Bignold is a former Australian politician. Born in Kiama, the daughter of solicitor Owen James Thomas and Sylvia May Reid, she studied law at the University of Sydney before being admitted as a solicitor in 1950...	Call to Australia Christian Democratic Party (Australia) The Christian Democratic Party is a right-wing political party in Australia. Its leader is Fred Nile, a Congregational Church minister and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.-Formation:... /Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	5 December 1984 – 1 July 1991
Judith Walker Judith Walker Judith Mary Walker was an Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1984 to 1995.-Biography:...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	5 December 1984 – 3 March 1995
Marlene Goldsmith Marlene Goldsmith Marlene Mary Herbert Goldsmith was an Australian politician. She was a Liberal member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, upper house from 1988 to 1999. Marlene Goldsmith crossed the political 'floor' on several issues as she believed more in policies and truth than aligning with a party...	Liberal 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...	19 March 1988 – 5 March 1999
Elaine Nile Elaine Nile Elaine Blanche Nile was an Australian politician who represented the Christian Democratic Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1998 and 2002...	Call to Australia/CDP Christian Democratic Party (Australia) The Christian Democratic Party is a right-wing political party in Australia. Its leader is Fred Nile, a Congregational Church minister and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.-Formation:...	19 March 1988 – 27 August 2002
Helen Sham-Ho Helen Sham-Ho Helen Wai-Har Sham-Ho is a former Australian politician. Born in Hong Kong, she migrated to Australia in 1961. She studied law at the University of Sydney and Macquarie University. Her first marriage produced two daughters; her second marriage was to Robert Ho on 15 December 1987...	Liberal 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... /Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	19 March 1988 – 28 February 2003
Meredith Burgmann Meredith Burgmann Meredith Anne Burgmann is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member and a former President of the New South Wales Legislative Council.-Early years:...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	25 May 1991 – 23 March 2007
Jan Burnswoods Jan Burnswoods Janice Carolyn "Jan" Burnswoods is a former Australian politician. She received a Bachelor of Arts in a Diploma of Education from the University of Melbourne, and was later employed at the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales and the history unit of the New South Wales...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	25 May 1991 – 23 March 2007
Patricia Forsythe Patricia Forsythe Patricia Forsythe is the Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber and a former Liberal member of the NSW Legislative Council. Born in Newcastle, New South Wales, she received a Bachelor of Arts Patricia Forsythe is the Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber and a former Liberal...	Liberal 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...	25 May 1991 – 22 September 2006
Jenny Gardiner Jenny Gardiner Jennifer Ann Gardiner is an Australian politician and National Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Gardiner has been a member of the Council since 25 May 1991 and is serving her third term in that Council...	National 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...	25 May 1991 –
Janelle Saffin Janelle Saffin Janelle Anne Saffin is an Australian politician. She has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since November 2007, representing the electorate of Page. She previously served as a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1995 to...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	25 March 1995 – 28 February 2003
Patricia Staunton Patricia Staunton Patricia Jane Staunton, AO is an Australian magistrate and former politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1995 to 1997....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	25 March 1995 – 2 September 1997
Carmel Tebbutt Carmel Tebbutt Carmel Mary Tebbutt is an Australian politician. She is the Australian Labor Party Member for Marrickville in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 2008 to 2011. She was also Minister for Health in the Keneally Government... *	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	30 April 1998 – 26 August 2005
Lee Rhiannon Lee Rhiannon Lee Rhiannon , an Australian politician, is a Senator for New South Wales, elected at the 2010 federal election, representing the Australian Greens...	Greens Australian Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...	27 March 1999 – 19 July 2010
Amanda Fazio Amanda Fazio Amanda Ruth Fazio MLC, an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council representing the Australian Labor Party...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	30 August 2000 –
Melinda Pavey Melinda Pavey Melinda Jane Pavey MLC is an Australian politician. She has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 2002, representing the National Party of Australia. A former party staffer, the Coffs Harbour businesswoman attracted attention when she became the party's youngest New South...	National 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...	3 September 2002 –
Catherine Cusack Catherine Cusack (politician) Catherine Eileen Cusack is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, representing the Liberal Party. She was first elected as an opposition member on 22 March 2003 and was re-elected in 2011 when her party won government. Her term is due to expire on 1 March 2019. She is married to...	Liberal 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...	22 March 2003 –
Kayee Griffin Kayee Griffin Kayee Frances Griffin is an Australian politician and former Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, serving from 2003 until her retirement in 2011....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	22 March 2003 – 4 March 2011
Sylvia Hale Sylvia Hale Sylvia Phyllis Hale is a social justice, community and environmental campaigner, and a former Australian politician. She was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 2003 to 2010 for the Greens....	Greens Australian Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...	22 March 2003 – 6 September 2010
Robyn Parker Robyn Parker Robyn Mary Parker MP , an Australian politician, is the New South Wales Minister for Environment and Minister for Heritage in the O'Farrell-Stoner Liberal/National coalitition government... *	Liberal 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...	22 March 2003 – 4 March 2011
Christine Robertson Christine Robertson Christine Mary Robertson is an Australian politician and former Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, serving from 2003 until her retirement in 2011....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	22 March 2003 – 4 March 2011
Penny Sharpe Penny Sharpe Penelope Gail Sharpe is an Australian politician. She has been an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since October 2005, when she filled a casual vacancy caused by the decision of Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt to move to the Legislative Assembly...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	11 October 2005 –
Marie Ficarra Marie Ficarra Marie Ann Ficarra MLC is an Australian politician who has been a Liberal Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 24 March 2007. She was previously a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Electoral District of Georges River, but was defeated... *	Liberal 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...	24 March 2007 –
Lynda Voltz Lynda Voltz Lynda Voltz is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Voltz has been a member of the Council since March 2007....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	24 March 2007 –
Helen Westwood Helen Westwood Helen Westwood is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Westwood has been a member of the Council since 24 March 2007.-Personal and early life:...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	24 March 2007 –
Sophie Cotsis Sophie Cotsis Sophie Cotsis MLC, is an Australian politician. She is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 7 September 2010, representing the Australian Labor Party....	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	7 September 2010 –
Cate Faehrmann Cate Faehrmann Cate Faehrmann is a Greens Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, environmental activist and former director of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW. She was also a board member of the progressive political organisation GetUp and the public interest environmental law firm, the...	Greens Australian Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...	7 September 2010 –
Jan Barham Jan Barham Jan Barham is an Australian politician. She has been a Greens member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since the 2011 state election.As of 2011, Jan Barham's portfolio responsibilities within the Greens include: Family and Community Services, Aging, Disability Services, Aboriginal Affairs,...	Greens Australian Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...	26 March 2011 –
Natasha Maclaren-Jones Natasha Maclaren-Jones Natasha Maclaren-Jones is an Australian politician. She has been a Liberal Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since March 2011. Before Parliament, Natasha was a senior advisor to Helen Coonan and Bronwyn Bishop and was the State Liberal Party President that...	Liberal 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...	26 March 2011 –
Sarah Mitchell Sarah Mitchell Sarah Mitchell is an Australian politician. She has been a National Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since March 2011....	National 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...	26 March 2011 –

List of women in the New South Wales Legislative Council

See also