The Australian Women's Register

Summary

A member of the Australian Labor Party, Gill James was elected to the House of Assembly in the Tasmanian Parliament in 1976 representing the electorate of Bass. In 1979 she became the first woman to hold the position of Deputy Speaker in the Parliament and in 1980 achieved the distinction of being appointed the first female member of the Cabinet as Minister for Public and Mental Health, Consumer Affairs and Administrative Services. She was defeated in 1986, but was elected again in 1992 and served until her retirement from Parliament in 2002.