Kay Hallahan
Encyclopedia
Elsie Kay Hallahan commonly known as Kay Hallahan, is an Australian politician. A member of the Labor Party
, she served as a minister in the Burke
, Dowding
and Lawrence
ministries in Western Australia, and was the first woman ever to sit in both the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
and the Western Australian Legislative Council
.
She joined the Western Australian Police in 1969 before moving into social work in 1981. At the 1983 election
, she won one of the South-East Metropolitan Province
seats in the Western Australian Legislative Council
. Following the 1986 election
, she became a minister in the Burke Ministry
, with the portfolios of Community Services, the Family, Youth, the Aged and Women's Interests, and served in similar roles in the Dowding Ministry
.
At the 1989 election
, with the transition of the Legislative Council to a proportional system of election, she transferred to the East Metropolitan Region
. With Carmen Lawrence
's rise to premier in February 1990, a significant reshuffle saw Hallahan become Minister for Planning, Lands, Heritage and the Arts. On 5 February 1991 she became Minister for Education
.
At the 1993 election
, she moved to the Legislative Assembly
, successfully contesting the seat of Armadale
and in doing so replacing Bob Pearce
whose career had effectively been ended by the WA Inc
royal commission. She served as Deputy Opposition Leader from February 1993 until October 1994. She retired from parliament at the 1996 election
, being succeeded by Alannah MacTiernan
(who had also succeeded her in the East Metropolitan seat in the Council in 1993).
In 2002, she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "service to the community, particularly as an advocate for the needs of children, women and the elderly, in matters of social justice, and to the Parliament of Western Australia." She also became chairperson of Save The Children Australia. At the 2004 federal election, following the death of one preselected candidate and the resignation of her replacement, Hallahan nominated to run for Liberal-held Division of Canning
, which included Armadale, but was defeated.
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...
, she served as a minister in the Burke
Burke Ministry (Western Australia)
The Burke Ministry was the 29th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, led by Labor Premier Brian Burke and deputy Mal Bryce. It commenced on 25 February 1983, six days after the O'Connor ministry, led by Premier Ray O'Connor of the Liberal Party, was defeated at the 1983 election...
, Dowding
Dowding Ministry
The Dowding Ministry was the 30th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, and was led by Labor Premier Peter Dowding and his deputy, David Parker...
and Lawrence
Lawrence Ministry
The Lawrence Ministry was the 31st Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, and was led by Labor Premier Dr Carmen Lawrence and her deputy Ian Taylor. It succeeded the Dowding Ministry on 18 February 1990, following the resignation of Peter Dowding six days earlier following an open letter...
ministries in Western Australia, and was the first woman ever to sit in both the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
and the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
.
She joined the Western Australian Police in 1969 before moving into social work in 1981. At the 1983 election
Western Australian state election, 1983
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 19 February 1983 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and 18 members to the 34-seat Legislative Council....
, she won one of the South-East Metropolitan Province
South-East Metropolitan Province
The South-East Metropolitan Province was a two-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in metropolitan Perth. It was one of several metropolitan seats created following the enactment of the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1963, and became effective on 22...
seats in the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
. Following the 1986 election
Western Australian state election, 1986
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 8 February 1986 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and 17 members to the 34-seat Legislative Council...
, she became a minister in the Burke Ministry
Burke Ministry (Western Australia)
The Burke Ministry was the 29th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, led by Labor Premier Brian Burke and deputy Mal Bryce. It commenced on 25 February 1983, six days after the O'Connor ministry, led by Premier Ray O'Connor of the Liberal Party, was defeated at the 1983 election...
, with the portfolios of Community Services, the Family, Youth, the Aged and Women's Interests, and served in similar roles in the Dowding Ministry
Dowding Ministry
The Dowding Ministry was the 30th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, and was led by Labor Premier Peter Dowding and his deputy, David Parker...
.
At the 1989 election
Western Australian state election, 1989
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 4 February 1989 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, with the transition of the Legislative Council to a proportional system of election, she transferred to the East Metropolitan Region
Electoral region of East Metropolitan
The electoral region of East Metropolitan is a multi-member electoral region of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the eastern and south-eastern suburbs of Perth. It was created by the Acts Amendment Act 1987, and became effective on 22 May 1989 with five members who had been...
. With Carmen Lawrence
Carmen Lawrence
Carmen Mary Lawrence is a retired Australian politician; a former Premier of Western Australia and the first woman to become Premier of a State of the Commonwealth of Australia....
's rise to premier in February 1990, a significant reshuffle saw Hallahan become Minister for Planning, Lands, Heritage and the Arts. On 5 February 1991 she became Minister for Education
Minister for Education (Western Australia)
The Minister for Education of Western Australia is the member of the Government of Western Australia responsible for maintenance and improvement of Western Australia's system of education, and is answerable to the Parliament for all actions taken by the Department of Education and Training under...
.
At the 1993 election
Western Australian state election, 1993
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 6 February 1993 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, she moved to the Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
, successfully contesting the seat of Armadale
Electoral district of Armadale
The Electoral district of Armadale is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. The district is named for the southeastern Perth suburb of Armadale which falls within its borders.-History:...
and in doing so replacing Bob Pearce
Bob Pearce
Robert John Pearce was an Australian politician, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1977 until 1993 representing the seats of Gosnells and Armadale.-Biography:...
whose career had effectively been ended by the WA Inc
WA Inc
WA Inc was a political scandal in Western Australia. In the 1980s, the state government, which was led for much of the period by premier Brian Burke, engaged in business dealings with several prominent businessmen, including Alan Bond, Laurie Connell and Warren Anderson...
royal commission. She served as Deputy Opposition Leader from February 1993 until October 1994. She retired from parliament at the 1996 election
Western Australian state election, 1996
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 14 December 1996 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, being succeeded by Alannah MacTiernan
Alannah MacTiernan
Alannah Joan Geraldine Cecilia MacTiernan is an Australian politician. She was an ALP member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since 1996, representing the electorate of Armadale until her resignation from the Western Australian Parliament on 19 July 2010...
(who had also succeeded her in the East Metropolitan seat in the Council in 1993).
In 2002, she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "service to the community, particularly as an advocate for the needs of children, women and the elderly, in matters of social justice, and to the Parliament of Western Australia." She also became chairperson of Save The Children Australia. At the 2004 federal election, following the death of one preselected candidate and the resignation of her replacement, Hallahan nominated to run for Liberal-held Division of Canning
Division of Canning
The Division of Canning is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Alfred Canning, the Western Australian government surveyor who surveyed the Canning Stock Route...
, which included Armadale, but was defeated.