The Australian Women's Register

Summary

On 25 February 2003 Judy Maddigan was elected the 32nd person, and first female, to hold the office of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in Victoria. She held this position until December 2006. The daughter of William Joseph and Bessie Irene (née Hurley) Todd, Judy was educated at Tintern Church of England Girls’ Grammar School before entering the University of Melbourne. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Graduate Diploma of Librarianship and a Masters of Librarianship and Information Services (Conservation and Archives). Prior to entering Parliament, Maddigan worked for the Commonwealth Public Service, was a Branch Services Librarian with the City of Maribyrnong and a Councillor with the City of Essendon. During this time she received the State ‘Clean Air Award’ by leading the campaign to ban incinerators in the City. Maddigan has a long history of involvement in local community groups including Women’s Organisations, the Essendon Historical Society and the Friends of Essendon Library. During the 1990s she was involved with the ‘Defend Public Libraries’ campaign which was organised to protect public libraries from the effects of compulsory competitive tending and amalgamations. An unsuccessful candidate for the Australian Labor Party at the 1992 state election, Maddigan was elected as a Member of Victorian Parliament to represent the Electoral District of Essendon in the Legislative Assembly in March 1996 and was re-elected in 1999, 2002 and 2006. She retired at the November 2010 election.

Events

• 2001

  Chairperson of the Portrayal of Women in Outdoor Advertising Committee

• 1985 - 1991

  Councillor with the City of Essendon

• 1996 - 1999

  Member of the Parliamentary Environment and Natural Resources Committee

• 1999 - 2003

  Member of the Parliamentary Public Accounts and Estimates Committee

• 1999

  Member of the Parliamentary Standing Orders Committee

• 2002

  Chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Libraries

• 2001

  Inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women

• 2003

  Elected first female Speaker of the Legislative Assembly (Victoria)

• 1996

  Elected Member Legislative Assembly (ALP) for Essendon, Victoria

• 1999 - 2003

  Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees for the Legislative Assemby

• 1999

  Opposition Parliamentary Secretary for Planning

• 1990 - 1995

  Branch Services Librarian with the City of Maribyrnong

• 1987 - 1989

  Librarian with the Catholic Regional College Sydenham

• 1983 - 1986

  Librarian with Moonee Valley Regional Library

• 1970 - 1976

  Employed with the Commonwealth Public Service

• 1996 - 1999

  Opposition Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts

• 1996 - 1999

  Member of the Parliamentary Library Committee