The Australian Women's Register

Elizabeth Cham worked with Philanthropy Australia for ten years, officially retiring as National Director in 2006. She was a Fellow at the Institute of Postcolonial Studies in Melbourne where she researched the early history of philanthropy in Australia.

In 2017, Cham completed a PhD undertaken at the University of Technology in Sydney (UTS) on Australian grant-making philanthropic foundations that are administered by trustee companies. Dr Cham is an Associate Fellow of the UTS Business School.

Cham was active in the establishment of the National Roundtable of Non-Profit Organisations, an independent, non-partisan group representing more than 20,000 NFP organisations across Australia, to facilitate consideration of regulatory, taxation and sustainable financing issues and coordinate engagement with the Australian community and public policy processes.

Marguerite Baptiste-Rooke left her home in the Seychelles and arrived in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, in 1989 with her husband and three children. She began volunteer work at the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) of Central Australia assisting new migrants with the settlement process. She went on to serve as president of the MRC for seven years.

In 1970, Jean Mitchell became the first woman elected to the Uralla Shire Council. The following year she unsuccessfully stood as an Independent candidate in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly election for Armidale. She was nominated by a group of independents to stand again the sitting MLA, Davis Hughes, when the ALP failed to stand a candidate. Her campaign was directed by Peter Wright, who was then the President of the New State Movement. She said her candidature was a result of an economic crisis brought about by the instability of the coalition government.

Jean was a qualified nursing sister and had been an acting Hospital Matron. She had been a member of the Council of the Armidale Presbyterian Ladies’ College and was well known in the area for community and welfare work and for her service as a show judge. She was married to Wendell James Mitchell, with whom she had one son Hugh.

Born in 1944 in Kampong Cham province, about 120km from the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, Piphal Engly arrived in Australia in 1977 with no money and very little English.

A trail blazer for women in the National Country Party, Susan Mitchell contested the New South Wales Legislative Assembly election for Monaro in 1981. She was a former legal secretary and Mothercraft Nurse, but by the time of her candidacy, she had been for 10 years, the office manager and secretary for her husband Dugald’s insurance agency. She and her husband have 5 children.

Susan Mitchell joined the National Country Party c.. 1959 and had held the office of Treasurer of the party’s Monaro Council. At the time she ran for election she was a member of the State Central Council of the N.C.P. and was the first woman to run as a N.C.P. candidate for the NSW Legislative Assembly in 30 years. She was active in local Girl Guides and was Chairman of the Abolition of Death Duties seminar held in Cooma in 1976.

A once only candidate whose later career was in private practice of the law, Claire Newton joined the Lismore branch of the ALP in 1982 and was their candidate in the 1984 New South Wales Legislative Assembly elections. At the time of her campaign she had been employed at the Lismore Women’s Refuge for 4 years.

Claire Newton was educated to fourth form at St Bernadette’s Secondary Modern School, Bristol and finished her schooling at Fairfield Girls’ High School, after arriving in Australia in 1972 and moving to Lismore in 1977. In the 1990s, Claire Newton completed an associate diploma in law and worked for some time as a paralegal. She then returned to study and finished a law degree (LL.B.) at the Southern Cross University. She is married, with two daughters and works with a firm of solicitors in Ballina.

A committed and vocal Christian, Marjorie Moffitt stood for the Christian Democrat Party in the 2003 elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Manly. She was inspired to nominate after hearing Rev. Nile and Rev. Gordon Moyes speak on behalf of the CDP. She had been actively involved in her local community of Manly for over 40 years and described herself as a dedicated housewife and the mother of two grown children. Marjorie Moffitt had been involved in church-based groups such as the Girls Friendly Society and the Christian Endeavour Brigade, as well as local soup kitchens for the homeless and destitute.

Mary Kalantzis migrated to Australia with her family in 1953. Against the wishes of her husband and parents she continued her formal education in Australia, winning two prestigious scholarships. Today Kalantzis is Dean of the Faculty of Education, Language and Community Services at RMIT University.

A political activist, Kylie Moon contested the New South Wales Legislative Assembly elections for Parramatta in 1999 as a Democratic Socialist Party member. In 2004 she was a Socialist Alliance Party candidate in the New South Wales Senate. Kylie Moon was active in student campaigns against education cuts, university fees, and has helped organise school walkouts against racism. She has also been involved in the organization of International Women’s Day marches. She is the Western Sydney Resistance organiser in 2005.

Sandra Nori, a member of the Australian Labor Party, was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Member for McKell in 1988. That seat was abolished in 1991 and she won the newly established seat of Port Jackson in 1991 and was re-elected in 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003. She held the ministerial portfolios for Tourism and Small Business 1999-2003; for Women 2002-2007; Sport and Recreation 2003-2007.
She retired from the New South Wales Parliament in 2007.

An indefatigable and very successful campaigner, whose support in her community continues to grow. Clover Moore was Alderman of the South Sydney City Council from 1980-81 and Alderman of the Council of the City of Sydney 1981-87. She was elected Lord Mayor of Sydney 2003. Clover was also elected as an Independent to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Bligh in 1988, 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003. In 2007 she was elected to the new seat of Sydney and relinquished it in 2012.

In the 1990s Clover Moore held the balance of power in the Legislative Assembly, with two other independents. She is renowned for her hard work and her community attachments. She continues to hold the position of Lord Mayor of Sydney.

Denise Morgan joined ALP in c. 1974 and has been a delegate to State electorate council and the Labor Women’s Conference. In 1984 she was the ALP candidate in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly election for Pittwater. At the time of her campaign she was a student at Macquarie University studying politics and sociology. Denise has worked in television and radio advertising, property management and public relations.

A once only candidate in an unwinnable seat, Lee Morthorpe stood for the ALP in the 1995 elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Davidson. She was born in Gundagai in country NSW and educated at Gundagai High School, the Australian National University (BA) and Charles Sturt University (DipEd). While at university, Lee was involved in student politics and was a member of the ANU Student Representative Council in 1988. She represented the ACT at the national Fencing Championships in 1988.
Lee joined the ALP in 1993 and has held office in her local branch. She is married to an officer of the RAN, and has two children.

Sharon Mullin was briefly a political activist who contested the New South Wales Legislative Assembly election for Bathurst in 1995 and for the House of Representatives seat of Calare in 1996. She ran for the Greens because of her belief in the need to balance social and economic needs with environmental protection, and because she deplored the lack of women in political life. At the time of the campaign, Sharon Mullin was studying architecture, having previously been a secondary school teacher.

An activist, particularly in regard to women’s issues, Judith Mundey represented the Communist Party of Australia in the 1967 and 1968 elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Phillip and in the 1980 House of Representatives election for Sydney. She became the first woman President of the Communist Party of Australia 1979-82, having been Secretary of the Sydney District Committee of the party 1973-79. She was also one of a group of women who established the Women’s Liberation Movement in Australia in 1969.

Judy Mundey was born in Sydney and educated at Eastlakes and Mascot Public Schools, and at St George Girls’ High School. She later completed an Arts degree and a Law degree at Macquarie University. In 1965 she married Jack Mundey, of BLF and Green Bans fame, and they had one son.

Janice (Jan) Murray represented the ALP in the 1978 elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Eastwood. Receiving no party help or funding, she nevertheless achieved a significant swing of 13.5%

Before entering party political life, Jan Murray’s activism gave meaning to the feminist truth that ‘the personal is political’. In 1972, Jan fought a very public fight for the right to use her own name, rather than that of her husband, eventually changing back to Murray from Brown by deed poll. While many conservative women were appalled by her actions, and told her so in no uncertain terms, other women supported her and were grateful to her for opening up the possibility to them of keeping their own names after marriage.

Dr Hurriyet Babacan was born in Turkey and migrated to Australia at the age of ten. A long and distinguished career has seen her work as an academic, social worker, policy officer, senior public servant, researcher, author and trainer.

Heather Meers was born and bred in Waverley and taught at Dover Heights High School before her marriage to John Meers, with whom she has two children. She later worked as a primary school teacher/librarian and was active in local community groups. At the time of her campaigns, she was the Secretary of the management committee of a local neighbourhood centre, where she conducted a conversation group for migrants. In 1984 and 1988 she stood as an Australian Democrats candidate in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly elections for Waverley. Her election leaflet committed her to fight for cleaner beaches, reduction of public housing waiting lists, improved psychiatric care for the mentally ill and more community and youth centres.

A community activist, Gabi Martinez was an Australian Greens party candidate in the 2003 New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Baulkham Hills. She works in the community service sector and has been involved with youth work, education and community development. She is an advocate for accessible housing, a multicultural and tolerant society, and sustainable development at local, state and global levels. Gabi Martinez is a long term member of the Australian Services Union. Gabi Martinez was born in Uruguay and migrated to Australia as a child in 1970.

Mary Meillon won the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Murray after the death of her father, the sitting member, J.A. Lawson, who had held the seat from 1932 to his death in August 1973. As a Liberal candidate she was elected to the seat in 1973, 1976 and 1978 and held the seat of Murray until her death in 1980. She was the first woman in the Legislative Assembly in 20 years, and one of the first Liberal Party candidates to win a country electorate. She married first, Mr Meillon, and later Mr Keith Herber and had two daughters. Mary Meillon spent 17 years bringing up her daughters and then went to work as a secretary at Parliament House, Sydney.

May Matthews was a prominent figure in the labor movement over a generation. She represented Federal Labor in the 1932 elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Ryde.

Julia Melland was a long-time community activist in her local area. She contested the 2003 elections for the seat of Lismore in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly on behalf of the Australian Democrats. Her main policy interest was public education and at the time of her campaign she had lived in Lismore for ten years. Julia has two children.

A political activist, Helen McAuliffe contested the 1998 House of Representatives elections for Mitchell and the 1999 elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of The Hills. In both cases Helen represented the Australian Democrats.

After graduating as an Electrical engineer from the University of New South Wales, Helen worked in the electricity supply and the information technology industries, before completing her MBA. She is interested in environmental issues, particularly in relation to greenhouse gas emissions and solar energy.

A tireless worker for the rights of women, children and ‘the little people’, Gertrude Melville became known as the ‘grand old lady of the Labor Party’. She was their candidate in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Elections for the Eastern Suburbs in 1925 and for Hurstville in 1932 (Federal Labor party). Gertrude Melville was finally elected to parliament as a Member Legislative Council in 1952 to 1958. Prior to her attempts to enter parliament, she was Alderman in the Cabramatta-Canley Vale Municipal Council from 1944 to 1948, including a period as Mayor (1945-48).

A once only candidate, Joanne Mccafferty represented the Liberal Party at the 2003 election for the seat of Georges River in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. She was born and educated in the Georges River area and later completed a B.A., LL.B, at the University of Sydney and a M.Com. at the University of New South Wales. She has worked as a lawyer, and as a senior manager in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She also spent several years working with Australian companies in China.

A student activist who ran once for election to the Legislative Assembly. That was in 1999 as a Liberal Party candidate for the seat of Wentworthville. Rachel was active in student affairs while at Macquarie University where she obtained a B.A. (Psychology) and Graduate Certificate (Human Resources). She was a delegate to the National Union of Students 1995-6 and President of the Macquarie University Liberal Club. Rachel Merton was also a delegate to State Council 1995 and on the Convention Committee 1995-6.

A follower of Lyndon LaRouche’s economic theories, Jean McClung was a Citizens Electoral Council candidate in the following elections:
House of Representatives, Hume, 1998
House of Representatives, Gilmore, 2001, 2004
New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Southern Highlands, 2003

Jean McLung, who had previously owned and run a small farm in the Gunning area, moved to Bowral in the late 1990s to care for her elderly mother. She believed passionately that Australian society had degenerated and there was despair and apathy amongst all age groups which had to be eradicated. This belief and her opposition to privatisation and deregulation led her to the policies of Lyndon LaRouche, the American founder of the Citizens Electoral Council. She was also in favour of Australia becoming a republic.