Pauline Toner
Encyclopedia
Pauline Toner was the first female cabinet minister in the Parliament of Victoria
. A member of the Australian Labor Party
, she was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
in 1977 and was Minister for Community Welfare Services from 1982 to 1985. She resigned from Parliament in 1989 and died on 3 March 1989.
, the third child of William and Madge Hoare. After attending Brigidine Convent Horsham, she trained as a primary school teacher, then attended university, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (University of Melbourne
) and a Bachelor of Education (La Trobe University
). In 1962 she married architect Brian Toner (d. 2008) and they had five children: Jane, Madeline, Rachel, Lucy and Denis. Illness forced her resignation from parliament and she died of cancer in 1989.
(ALP) in 1968 and was elected to the Diamond Valley Shire Council in 1973, becoming shire president in 1977.
She was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in a by-election in 1977, winning the seat of Greensborough
for the ALP, and became the opposition spokeswoman on community services and women's affairs. When the ALP formed government in 1982, Pauline became the Minister for Community Welfare Services, and the first woman to hold a ministerial position in the Victorian Parliament. She held this office until 1985 and continued to serve as a backbencher
until her resignation in 1989.
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
. A member of the Australian Labor Party
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 was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
in 1977 and was Minister for Community Welfare Services from 1982 to 1985. She resigned from Parliament in 1989 and died on 3 March 1989.
Biography
Pauline was born in Horsham, VictoriaHorsham, Victoria
Horsham is the largest city by population and regional centre of the Wimmera region of Victoria, Australia and is approximately north-west of Melbourne via the Western Highway. At the 2006 census, Horsham had a population of 14,125. Horsham is in the federal Division of Mallee...
, the third child of William and Madge Hoare. After attending Brigidine Convent Horsham, she trained as a primary school teacher, then attended university, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
) and a Bachelor of Education (La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
). In 1962 she married architect Brian Toner (d. 2008) and they had five children: Jane, Madeline, Rachel, Lucy and Denis. Illness forced her resignation from parliament and she died of cancer in 1989.
Career
Following her early teaching career, Pauline became a lecturer at the State College of Victoria. She joined the Australian Labor PartyAustralian 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...
(ALP) in 1968 and was elected to the Diamond Valley Shire Council in 1973, becoming shire president in 1977.
She was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in a by-election in 1977, winning the seat of Greensborough
Electoral district of Greensborough
Electoral district of Greensborough was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria.-Members for Greensborough:-External links:...
for the ALP, and became the opposition spokeswoman on community services and women's affairs. When the ALP formed government in 1982, Pauline became the Minister for Community Welfare Services, and the first woman to hold a ministerial position in the Victorian Parliament. She held this office until 1985 and continued to serve as a backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
until her resignation in 1989.