Kathy Sullivan (Australian politician)

Kathryn Jean Martin "Kathy" Sullivan AM (born 8 March 1942), Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from 1974 to 1984, representing Queensland, and a member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Moncrieff, Queensland, from 1984 to 2001.^[1] She previously held the record for the longest service in the Australian Parliament for a woman, oustripping the record previously held by Dorothy Tangney. This record has since been surpassed by Bronwyn Bishop.^[2] She was the first woman member of the parliament to have served in both houses.^[3]

Biography

Sullivan was born Kathryn Jean Martin in Brisbane, Queensland, and was educated at the University of Queensland, where she graduated in arts. She was a teacher, administrative officer and part-time lecturer before entering politics.^[1]

She was elected to the Senate at the 1974 election, and sat as Senator Kathy Martin. She resigned from the Senate in 1984 in order to contest the newly created lower house seat of Moncrieff at the 1984 election. Soon after entering the House of Representatives she changed her name to Kathy Sullivan.

Sullivan was the first female Deputy Whip in the House of Representatives. She was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry (1983–84) and (1993–94). She was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (1997–2000).^[1]

She has been a vocal advocate for an increase in the number of women in parliament.^[4]

Recognition

In 2003, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia, for service to the Parliament of Australia and to the community, particularly as an advocate for improved services and conditions affecting women.^[5]

Sullivan was a relatively low-profile MP but in 1993 received national attention when ALP Treasurer John Dawkins taunted her by calling her "sweetheart" in Parliament, which outraged female MPs from Dawkins' own party.

References