Women in the South Australian House of Assembly

There have been 51 women in the South Australian House of Assembly since its establishment in 1857. Women have had the right to vote and the right to stand as candidates since 1894.

In 1895, South Australian women became the first state 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 at the 1896 election, the first women in Australia voted. Ironically, South Australia was the last state to elect a female representative, at the 1959 election, when Jessie Cooper and Joyce Steele were elected to the Parliament of South Australia for the Liberal and Country League (LCL). Molly Byrne was the first Labor woman in the House at the 1965 election.

Women have been continuously represented in the House since. Steele would also become the first female minister in 1968. Only two women have represented minor parties, these being Heather Southcott for the Democrats in 1982, and Karlene Maywald for the Nationals from 1997 to 2010. Liberal Isobel Redmond in 2009 became the first and only woman to lead a major party in South Australia when she became Leader of the Opposition. Labor's Lyn Breuer from 2010 to 2013 was the first and only female Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly. South Australia has not had a female Premier or Treasurer.

List of women in the South Australian House of Assembly

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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 by-election. An asterisk (*) indicates that the member also served in the Legislative Council.

# Name Party Electoral Division Period of service
1 Joyce Steele LCL Burnside
Davenport
7 March 1959 – 30 May 1970
30 May 1970 – 9 March 1973 (retired)
2 Molly Byrne Labor Barossa
Tea Tree Gully
Todd
6 March 1965 – 30 May 1970
30 May 1970 – 17 September 1977
17 September 1977 – 14 September 1979 (defeated)
3 Jennifer Cashmore Liberal Coles 17 September 1977 – 10 December 1993 (retired)
4 Heather Southcott Democrats Mitcham 8 May 1982 – 5 November 1982 (defeated)
5 June Appleby Labor Brighton
Hayward
6 November 1982 – 7 December 1985
7 December 1985 – 24 November 1989 (defeated)
Susan Lenehan Labor Mawson 6 November 1982 – 11 December 1993 (defeated)
7 Di Gayler Labor Newland 7 December 1985 – 24 November 1989 (defeated)
8 Colleen Hutchison Labor Stuart 25 November 1989 – 11 December 1993 (defeated)
Dorothy Kotz Liberal Newland 25 November 1989 – 17 March 2006 (retired)
10 Julie Greig Liberal Reynell 11 December 1993 – 11 October 1997 (defeated)
Joan Hall Liberal Coles
Morialta
11 December 1993 – 9 February 2002
9 February 2002 – 17 March 2006 (defeated)
Annette Hurley Labor Napier 11 December 1993 – 9 February 2002 (defeated)
Liz Penfold Liberal Flinders 11 December 1993 – 20 March 2010 (retired)
Lorraine Rosenberg Liberal Kaurna 11 December 1993 – 11 October 1997 (defeated)
15 Lea Stevens Labor Elizabeth
Little Para
9 April 1994 – 18 March 2006
18 March 2006 – 20 March 2010 (retired)
16 Robyn Geraghty Labor Torrens 7 May 1994 – 15 March 2014 (retired)
17 Trish White Labor Taylor 5 November 1994 – 20 March 2010 (retired)
18 Frances Bedford Labor/Independent Florey 11 October 1997 – 19 March 2022 (defeated)
Lyn Breuer Labor Giles 11 October 1997 – 15 March 2014 (retired)
Vini Ciccarello Labor Norwood 11 October 1997 – 20 March 2010 (defeated)
Steph Key Labor Hanson
Ashford
11 October 1997 – 9 February 2002
9 February 2002 – 17 March 2018 (retired)
Karlene Maywald National Chaffey 11 October 1997 – 20 March 2010 (defeated)
Jennifer Rankine Labor Wright 11 October 1997 – 17 March 2018 (retired)
Gay Thompson Labor Reynell 11 October 1997 – 15 March 2014 (retired)
25 Vickie Chapman Liberal Bragg 9 February 2002 – 31 May 2022 (resigned)
Jane Lomax-Smith Labor Adelaide 9 February 2002 – 20 March 2010 (defeated)
Isobel Redmond Liberal Heysen 9 February 2002 – 17 March 2018 (retired)
28 Chloë Fox Labor Bright 18 March 2006 – 15 March 2014 (defeated)
Grace Portolesi Labor Hartley 18 March 2006 – 15 March 2014 (defeated)
Lindsay Simmons Labor Morialta 18 March 2006 – 20 March 2010 (defeated)
31 Rachel Sanderson Liberal Adelaide 20 March 2010 – 19 March 2022 (defeated)
Leesa Vlahos Labor Taylor 20 March 2010 – 17 March 2018 (retired)
33 Zoe Bettison Labor Ramsay 11 February 2012 –
Susan Close Labor Port Adelaide 11 February 2012 –
35 Annabel Digance Labor Elder 15 March 2014 – 17 March 2018 (defeated)
Katrine Hildyard Labor Reynell 15 March 2014 –
Dana Wortley Labor Torrens 15 March 2014 –
38 Nat Cook Labor Fisher
Hurtle Vale
6 December 2014 – 17 March 2018
17 March 2018 –
39 Paula Luethen Liberal King 17 March 2018 – 19 March 2022 (defeated)
Carolyn Power Liberal Elder 17 March 2018 – 19 March 2022 (defeated)
Jayne Stinson Labor Badcoe 17 March 2018 –
42 Andrea Michaels Labor Enfield 9 February 2019 –
43 Sarah Andrews Labor Gibson 19 March 2022 –
Nadia Clancy Labor Elder 19 March 2022 –
Lucy Hood Labor Adelaide 19 March 2022 –
Ashton Hurn Liberal Schubert 19 March 2022 –
Catherine Hutchesson Labor Waite 19 March 2022 –
Rhiannon Pearce Labor King 19 March 2022 –
Penny Pratt Liberal Frome 19 March 2022 –
Olivia Savvas Labor Newland 19 March 2022 –
Erin Thompson Labor Davenport 19 March 2022 –

Timeline

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Erin Thompson (politician)Olivia SavvasPenny PrattRhiannon PearceCatherine HutchessonAshton HurnLucy Hood (politician)Nadia ClancySarah Andrews (politician)Andrea MichaelsJayne StinsonCarolyn PowerPaula LuethenNat CookDana WortleyKatrine HildyardAnnabel DiganceSusan CloseZoe BettisonLeesa VlahosRachel SandersonLindsay SimmonsGrace PortolesiChloë FoxIsobel RedmondJane Lomax-SmithVickie ChapmanGay ThompsonJennifer RankineKarlene MaywaldSteph KeyVini CiccarelloLyn BreuerFrances BedfordTrish WhiteRobyn GeraghtyLea StevensLorraine RosenbergLiz PenfoldAnnette HurleyJoan HallJulie GreigDorothy KotzColleen HutchisonDi GaylerSusan LenehanJune ApplebyHeather SouthcottJennifer CashmoreMolly ByrneJoyce Steele

See also

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