Irene Longman

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Irene Maud Longman (April 24, 1877 - July 29, 1964) was the first woman to stand and be elected to the Queensland Parliament.

Irene was born in Franklin, Tasmania and educated in Sydney. She trained as a kindergarten teacher and taught at Sydney Girls' Grammar School and Rockhampton Girls' Grammar School. In 1904 she married Herber Longman and the couple chose to live in Queensland.

She served as president of the National Council of Women of Queensland from 1920 to 1924. And began her parliamentary career in 1929 representing the Country and Progressive National Party in the seat of Bulimba. While she was in parliament, she was responsible for the first appointment of a Queensland women police officer. She was never allowed to use the Parliamentary dining room and had to eat her meals on the verandah. During her time in parliament there were no female toilets in the building. She lost her seat in 1932.

[edit] References

• Fallon, P. T. (2002). So Hard the Conquering: A Life of Irene Longman