Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Female Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia (female suffrage 1902)  

Also see Australia Ministers

Assistant Vice-Presidents of the Senate have the title Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate

Assistant Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives have got the title Member of the Speaker’s Panel

1961-71 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Dame Ivy Wedgwood
Senator 1950-71.

1976-87 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Ruth Coleman
Senator 1974-87.

1980 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen
1985-93 Temporary Chairperson 
Senator 1980-93 and 1985-93 Deputy Leader of the Australian National Party in The Senate.

1976-87 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Ruth Coleman
Senator 1974-87.

1981-83 Deputy President of the Senate, Chair of Committees Kathryn Sullivan
1990-93 Deputy Chairperson of Committees (Second Deputy Speaker) of the House of Representatives
1996-97 Member of Speaker’s Panel of the House
From 1997 Parliamentary Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

1981-86 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Janie Haines
Between 1986-89 Leader of the Australian Democrats.

1983-91 Deputy Chair of Committees (Second Deputy Speaker) Elaine E. Darling

1983-84 Deputy Chair of Committees (Second Deputy Speaker) of the House of Representatives 
1984-86 Chair of Committees (Deputy Speaker)
1986-89 Speaker of the House of Representatives Joan Child (The Rt. Hon)

1985-93 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Patricia Giles
Between 1983-85 Vice-President of Labour.

1987-88 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Janet Powell

1990/92-99 Temporary Chair of Committees of the Senate Margaret Reynolds
Between 1987-90 Minister of Local Government etc.

1990-93 and 1996-2002 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Rosemary Crowley
Between 1993-96 Federal Minister.

1991-93 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Amanda Vastone
In 1996-97 Minister of Employment, 1997-Minister of Justice

1995-96 Deputy President and Chairperson of the Senate Margaret Reid
1996-2002 President of the Senate
Between 1982-87 Deputy Chief Whip of Liberal Party in government and opposition, Opposition Whip 1987-95.  

1993-97 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Suzanne West
1997-2002 Deputy President and Chairperson of Committees of the Senate

1996-98 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Jay Patterson
Parliamentary Secretary in the Government since 1998

1996-2006 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Susan Knowles
Between 1987-93 Deputy Opposition Whip (Liberal)

1996-2002 Member of the Speaker’s Panel of the House of Representatives Janice Crosio
Between 1984-88 Minister in New South Wales, 1993-96 Parliamentary Secretary in the Federal Government. Chief Opposition Whip (Labour) 2002-06.

1997-2002 Member of the Speaker’s Panel of the House of Representatives De-Anne M. Kelly
From 2003 Parliamentary Secretary of the Leader and the Deputy Leader of the National Party

1998-2002 Member of the Speaker’s Panel of the House of Representatives Joanna Gash
Government Whip 2002-06. (Born 1944 in Groningen, The Netherlands)

2002 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Jacinta Collins

2002-06 Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Jan Elizabeth McLucas

2002-04 Member of the Speaker’s Panel of the House of Representatives Ann Kathleen Corcoran

2002-04 Member of the Speaker’s Panel of the House of Representatives Teresa Gambaro
From 2004 Parliamentary Secretary of Defence.

2004-07 Member of the Speaker's Panel of the House of Representatives Browyn Bishop
President of Liberal Party of New South Wales 1985-87, Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel 1996-98 and Minister for Aged Care 1998-2001. In 2005 she lost her party's internal electon for the government-nominee for the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives to a man who never held any important political office in his 22 years as an MP. From 2006 there were 11 male Members of the Panel.

Ca. 2004- Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate Andrea Griffiths
Helen Donaldson was Deputy Usher of the Black Rod around 2004.

2006- Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Patricia Crossin

2006- Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Linda Jean Kirk
Also Opposition Deputy Whips in the Senate from 2006.

2006- Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Claire Moore

2006- Temporary Chairperson of Committees of the Senate Judith Troeth
President of the Liberal Party of Victoria 1982-92, Country Vice-President 1989-92, Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs-Defence and Trade Committee of the Senate 1996-97, Parliamentary Secretary of Primary Industries and Energy 1997-98, Parliamentary Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 1998-2004. (b. 1940-)

2008- Deputy Speaker Anna Burke
Labour MP from 1998. (b. 1966-).

Last update 15.02.08