There have been 24 women in the Tasmanian House of Assembly

Tasmanian House of Assembly

The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...

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

Amelia Best

Amelia Martha Best MBE was one of the first two women elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly.Best was born in Lower Barrington, Tasmania, Australia...

 and Mabel Miller

Mabel Miller

Dame Mabel Flora Miller, DBE was an Australian lawyer and politician. She was the first woman elected to the Hobart City Council and one of the first two women to be elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly....

, both Liberals

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...

, who were elected in 1955. In 1962, Miller (Best had lost election twice, in 1956 and 1959) was joined by the first 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...

 woman, Lynda Heaven

Lynda Heaven

Lynda Agnes Victoria Heaven, MBE was an Australian politician. She was the first female Labor Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, and represented the electorate of Franklin between 1962 and 1964....

. In 1964, both Miller and Heaven left the House, and women were not represented again until 1976, when Labor's Gill James

Gill James

Gillian Hilma "Gill" James AM is a former Australian politician. She was born in Launceston, Tasmania. James was first elected to the Tasmanian Parliament in 1976, when she won a seat in Bass for the Labor Party. She held the seat until she was defeated in 1986, but she returned in 1992 and served...

 was elected. Since then women have been continuously represented in the House.

Christine Milne

Christine Milne

Christine Anne Milne is an Australian Senator and deputy leader of the Australian Greens.Christine Milne first came to public attention for her role in opposing the building of the Wesley Vale pulp mill near Bass Strait in North Western Tasmania on the basis of its allegedly harmful environmental...

 and Di Hollister

Di Hollister

Dianne Lesley "Di" Hollister is a former Australian politician.Born in Devonport, Tasmania, she started her career as a teacher....

 were the first women elected to represent 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...

. To date no women have been elected as 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...

 members, although Mary Willey

Mary Willey

Mary Lindsay Caroline Willey is a former Australian politician. She was born in Warrawee, New South Wales, but later moved to Tasmania. At the 1979 state election, she was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Labor member for Bass. She resigned from the Labor Party in 1981 in protest at...

 left the Labor Party at the end of her term.

Lara Giddings

Lara Giddings

Larissa Tahireh "Lara" Giddings is an Australian politician and the 44th and current Premier of Tasmania since January 2011...

 became the first female Premier of Tasmania on 24 January 2011.

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

Victorian Legislative Council

The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...

.

Name	Party	Electoral Division	Period of service
Amelia Best Amelia Best Amelia Martha Best MBE was one of the first two women elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly.Best was born in Lower Barrington, Tasmania, Australia...	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...	Wilmot	19 February 1955 – 13 October 1956 (defeated) 24 November 1958 – 2 May 1959 (defeated)
Mabel Miller Mabel Miller Dame Mabel Flora Miller, DBE was an Australian lawyer and politician. She was the first woman elected to the Hobart City Council and one of the first two women to be elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly....	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...	Franklin Division of Franklin (state) The Electoral Division of Franklin is one of the five electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir John Franklin, the arctic explorer who was Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1837-43...	19 February 1955 – 2 May 1964 (defeated)
Lynda Heaven Lynda Heaven Lynda Agnes Victoria Heaven, MBE was an Australian politician. She was the first female Labor Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, and represented the electorate of Franklin between 1962 and 1964....	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...	Franklin Division of Franklin (state) The Electoral Division of Franklin is one of the five electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir John Franklin, the arctic explorer who was Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1837-43...	2 March 1962 – 2 May 1964 (defeated)
Gill James Gill James Gillian Hilma "Gill" James AM is a former Australian politician. She was born in Launceston, Tasmania. James was first elected to the Tasmanian Parliament in 1976, when she won a seat in Bass for the Labor Party. She held the seat until she was defeated in 1986, but she returned in 1992 and served...	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...	Bass Division of Bass (state) The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...	11 December 1976 – 8 February 1986 (defeated) 1 February 1992 – 20 July 2002 (retired)
Mary Willey Mary Willey Mary Lindsay Caroline Willey is a former Australian politician. She was born in Warrawee, New South Wales, but later moved to Tasmania. At the 1979 state election, she was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Labor member for Bass. She resigned from the Labor Party in 1981 in protest at...	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...	Bass Division of Bass (state) The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...	28 July 1979 – 27 May 1982 (defeated)
Carmel Holmes	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...	Denison Division of Denison (state) The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...	25 June 1984 – 8 February 1986 (defeated)
Judy Jackson Judy Jackson The Honourable Judith Louise Jackson was an Australian Labor Party politician, in Tasmania from 1986 to 2006. She was the Attorney-General and Minister for Environment in the Tasmanian Government. During her time in parliament she was a member of the Hobart based seat of Denison...	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...	Denison Division of Denison (state) The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...	8 February 1986 – 18 March 2006 (retired)
Fran Bladel Fran Bladel Frances Mary "Fran" Bladel is a former Australian politician. Born in Hobart, Tasmania, she holds a Bachelor of Arts . In 1986, she was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Labor member for Franklin. In 1989 she became a minister, serving until 1992 and again 2001–2002...	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...	Franklin Division of Franklin (state) The Electoral Division of Franklin is one of the five electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir John Franklin, the arctic explorer who was Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1837-43...	8 February 1986 – 9 April 2002 (retired)
Christine Milne Christine Milne Christine Anne Milne is an Australian Senator and deputy leader of the Australian Greens.Christine Milne first came to public attention for her role in opposing the building of the Wesley Vale pulp mill near Bass Strait in North Western Tasmania on the basis of its allegedly harmful environmental...	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...	Lyons Division of Lyons (state) The Electoral Division of Lyons, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, the lower house. The division is named after Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia 1931–39, Premier of Tasmania from 1923–1928 and his wife Dame Enid Lyons, the first woman elected to the...	13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 (defeated)
Di Hollister Di Hollister Dianne Lesley "Di" Hollister is a former Australian politician.Born in Devonport, Tasmania, she started her career as a teacher....	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...	Braddon Division of Braddon (state) The Electoral Division of Braddon, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The constituency takes its name from the former Premier of Tasmania, Sir Edward Braddon. Prior to 1955, the electorate was known as Darwin. The boundaries and name of the electorate are...	13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 (defeated)
Carole Cains Carole Cains Carole Susan Cains is a former Australian politician. She was born in Derby, England. In 1992, she was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly representing Bass for the Liberal Party. She was defeated in 1996, but in 1997 was elected in a countback to replace Roger Groom, who had retired...	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...	Braddon Division of Braddon (state) The Electoral Division of Braddon, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The constituency takes its name from the former Premier of Tasmania, Sir Edward Braddon. Prior to 1955, the electorate was known as Darwin. The boundaries and name of the electorate are...	1 February 1992 – 24 February 1996 (defeated) 17 July 1997 – 29 August 1998 (defeated)
Sue Napier Sue Napier Sue Napier was an Australian politician. She was a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the Division of Bass...	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...	Bass Division of Bass (state) The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...	1 February 1992 – 19 March 2010 (retired)
Peg Putt Peg Putt Margaret Ann Putt is a former Australian politician and parliamentary leader of the Tasmanian Greens. She first entered the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1993 after Bob Brown resigned and votes in the Hobart electorate of Denison were recounted...	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...	Denison Division of Denison (state) The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...	2 March 1992 – 7 July 2008 (resigned)
Denise Swan Denise Swan Denise Elizabeth Swan is a former Australian politician. She holds a Bachelor of Law. On 12 December 1995, she was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in a recount to replace Liberal Lyons MHA and former Premier Robin Gray. She held her seat until her defeat in 2002.-References:...	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...	Lyons Division of Lyons (state) The Electoral Division of Lyons, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, the lower house. The division is named after Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia 1931–39, Premier of Tasmania from 1923–1928 and his wife Dame Enid Lyons, the first woman elected to the...	12 December 1995 – 20 July 2002 (defeated)
Lara Giddings Lara Giddings Larissa Tahireh "Lara" Giddings is an Australian politician and the 44th and current Premier of Tasmania since January 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...	Lyons Division of Lyons (state) The Electoral Division of Lyons, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, the lower house. The division is named after Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia 1931–39, Premier of Tasmania from 1923–1928 and his wife Dame Enid Lyons, the first woman elected to the...   Franklin Division of Franklin (state) The Electoral Division of Franklin is one of the five electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir John Franklin, the arctic explorer who was Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1837-43...	24 February 1996 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) 20 July 2002 –
Paula Wriedt Paula Wriedt Paula Catherine Wriedt is a former Australian politician. She was an Australian Labor Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, representing the outer suburban Hobart seat of Franklin. She was first elected to parliament in the 1996 election...	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...	Franklin Division of Franklin (state) The Electoral Division of Franklin is one of the five electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir John Franklin, the arctic explorer who was Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1837-43...	24 February 1996 – 18 January 2009 (resigned)
Kathryn Hay Kathryn Hay Kathryn Isobel Hay is a Tasmanian Labor politician and former member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly in the electorate of Bass...	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...	Bass Division of Bass (state) The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...	20 July 2002 – 18 March 2006 (retired)
Heather Butler Heather Butler Heather Rose Butler is an Australian politician. Born in Hampton in Melbourne, Victoria, she was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Labor member for Lyons in 2005 in a recount caused by the resignation of Ken Bacon. She was defeated in 2010.-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...	Lyons Division of Lyons The Division of Lyons is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1984 to replace the abolished Division of Wilmot and is named for Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia 1931-39, Member for Wilmot from 1929-39, and his wife Dame Enid Lyons, the first woman...	10 May 2005 – 20 March 2010 (defeated)
Michelle O'Byrne Michelle O'Byrne Michelle Anne O'Byrne is Australian politician for the Australian Labor Party. She was elected in the 2006 state election to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in the division of Bass...	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...	Bass Division of Bass (state) The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...	18 March 2006 –
Lisa Singh Lisa Singh Lisa Maria Singh is an Australian politician. She is currently an Australian Labor Party Senator for Tasmania. From 2006 to 2010, she was a Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, representing the division of Denison....	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...	Denison Division of Denison (state) The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...	18 March 2006 – 20 March 2010 (defeated)
Cassy O'Connor Cassy O'Connor Cassandra Stanwell O'Connor is an Australian politician, who has been a Tasmanian Greens member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly since 2008, representing the electorate of Division of Denison....	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...	Denison Division of Denison (state) The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...	21 July 2008 –
Elise Archer Elise Archer Elise Nicole Archer is an Australian lawyer and politician. She was born in Launceston and educated in Hobart, Tasmania at Fahan School and the University of Tasmania.She was elected to the Hobart City Council in October 2007....	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...	Denison Division of Denison (state) The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...	20 March 2010 –
Jacquie Petrusma Jacquie Petrusma Jacqueline Anne "Jacquie" Petrusma is an Australian politician. She was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and worked as a registered nurse before becoming involved in politics...	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...	Franklin Division of Franklin (state) The Electoral Division of Franklin is one of the five electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir John Franklin, the arctic explorer who was Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1837-43...	20 March 2010 –
Rebecca White Rebecca White Rebecca Peta White is an Australian politician. She grew up in Nugent, and studied Commerce and Arts at the University of Tasmania before working for Labor MP for Denison Duncan Kerr....	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...	Lyons Division of Lyons (state) The Electoral Division of Lyons, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, the lower house. The division is named after Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia 1931–39, Premier of Tasmania from 1923–1928 and his wife Dame Enid Lyons, the first woman elected to the...	20 March 2010 –