The Australian Women's Register

Kathy Fisher worked with the Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Agency in Brisbane for six years before establishing an unofficial Link-Up Service. She left the indigenous child welfare field to pursue a career in the performing arts with Aboriginal theatre groups.

Sandy Miller is an Aboriginal child welfare worker. She worked for the Department of Community Welfare in Adelaide in the early 1980s, endeavouring to change legislation and policies that were detrimental to Aboriginal children. She also tried to encourage Aboriginal people to become foster parents.

Shireen Malamoo is an Aboriginal community worker who advocates a holistic approach to indigenous issues. In the 1970s she worked for the Department of Social Security in Townsville, Queensland. Her involvement with the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care included membership of the Finance Committee. She was a Commissioner of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) from 1991 to 1993.

Michele Clarke has worked with juvenile offenders in the top end of Australia. She has been a Coordinator of the Central Australian Aboriginal Child Care Agency in Alice Springs and held the position of National Secretary of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC).

Caroline Munns was involved with the establishment of the Mt Isa Aboriginal Child Care Agency in Queensland. She later became a Queensland representative for the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC).

Doreen Coller’s involvement in Aboriginal child welfare issues stemmed from caring for children in her own extended family network. Her employment in a Homemaker position with the Child Welfare Department led to her interest in the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Care Agency. She attended meetings of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) in its early days and was a member of the initial Steering Committee.

Jackie Oakley was employed as the first Coordinator of the West Australian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (ACCA), and as a member of its Steering Committee. She was present at the initial meeting of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) in the early 1980s and participated in drawing up its objectives.

In 1993 she participated in the creation of a video magazine, The Indigenous Australians, produced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. She is listed in its credits as Head of the Office of Indigenous Women.

In 1972 Pat Eatock became the first Aboriginal to stand for Federal Parliament in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). She participated in the Aboriginal Embassy and Women’s Liberation in 1972. In 1973 she became the first non-matriculated mature aged student at the Australian National University(ANU), graduating as a Bachelor of Arts in 1977. In 1975 she attended the 1975 Women in Politics Conference and the International Women’s Year World Conference in Mexico City. She has worked as a public servant, university lecturer, and established and managed the Perleeka Aboriginal Television, producing films for community television and training Aboriginal film makers from 1992-96. Pat Eatock passed away on 17 March, 2015 after a long period of ill health.

Marion Lê has advocated on behalf of refugees since the arrival of the first Vietnamese boat people in the mid-1970s. She has received a number of awards for her tireless work over three decades, including the 2003 Human Rights Medal.

A member of the Australian Labor Party from 1972, Kay Setches served as the member for Ringwood in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian Parliament from 1982-92. She held the portfolios of Conservation, Forests and Land from 1988-90, Community Services from 1990-92 and was Minister Responsible for Child Care 1991-92.On the abolition of the seat of Ringwood she unsuccessfully contested the seat of Bayswater at the state election, which was held on 3 October 1992.

A member of the Australian Labor Party from 1965, Jean McLean made her first attempt to gain election to the Victorian parliament in 1973 when she stood as a candidate in the Legislative Council Province of Monash at the state election, which was held on 19 May. She served in the Victorian Parliament as the Australian Labor Party member for Boronia Province in the Legislative Council from 1985-92 and then as the member for Melbourne West Province from 1992 until her retirement in 1999. Before her entry into parliament she was active in her opposition to conscription and the Australian involvement in the Vietnam War as convenor of the Save Our Sons Movement from 1965-73 and as Vice-chairperson of the Vietnam Moratorium Movement.

A member of the Australian Labor Party, Jan Wilson’s political experience encompassed both local and state politics. She served as the member for Dandenong North in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian parliament from 1985 until her retirement in 1999, and was a City of Dandenong Councillor from 1978-86.

A member of the Australian Labor Party, Beth Gleeson served as the member for Thomastown in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian parliament from 1985-89. She died in office in December 1989.

A member of the Australian Labor Party, Maureen Lyster served as the Member for Chelsea province in the Legislative Council of the Victorian parliament from 1985-92. She held a range of portfolios as Minister for Local Government from 1989-91, Minister for the Aged, 1989-90, Minister Assisting the Minister for Education 1990-91 and Minister for health 1991-92.

A member of the Liberal Party of Australia, Rosemary Varty served as the member for Nunawading Province in the Legislative Council of the Victorian Parliament from 1985-1992 and for Silvan from 1992-99. She held the position of Parliamentary Secretary to Cabinet from 1992-99.

Josephine Conway is a feminist activist who has made a difference to the lives of women living in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley District for over thirty years. Best known for her long term involvement in the Right to Choose Abortion Coalition, she remains active in the Women’s Electoral Lobby, the Hunter Valley Home-Birth Group, Women’s Action against Global Violence, the Union of Australian Women, Jobs for Women and the Women’s Action Group. In 2005, as a mark of appreciation and respect for her commitment to the promotion of women’s issues, she was awarded the National Foundation For Australian Women’s Edna Ryan Award for Community Activism.

Valerie Callister served as the Member for Morwell in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian State Parliament from 1981-88. A member of the Australian Labor Party from 1976, she was secretary of the Parliamentary party from 1982 and served on the Privileges Committee of the Victorian Parliament from 1982. Before her election to parliament she had a career as a technical school teacher from 1975-81.

Joan Chambers joined the Mortlake branch of the Liberal Party in 1969 and was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly for the seat of Ballarat South in the Victorian Parliament in 1979. She served on the Subordinate Legislation Committee in 1979 and the Public Review Committee, 1980-82. She suffered defeat at the 1982 election, but was an unsuccessful candidate again in the 1988 election. In 1992 she stood as an Independent candidate in the Legislative Assembly seat of Ballarat West.

Eleanor Jessie (Nellie) Stewart, of Wergaia descent, was born Eleanor Pepper at the Ebenezer Mission in western Victoria. Her family travelled widely, spending some time at Coranderrk before settling at Lake Boga near Swan Hill. There Eleanor learnt housekeeping and cooking skills from the wife of the local baker, A.C. Stone, who was friendly with Aboriginal people.

Nellie married Jackson Stewart, of Wemba Wemba descent, and they lived and worked around the Riverina and raised a large family. Nellie worked as a shearers’ cook, and was able to save enough money to buy a house in Swan Hill. In about 1960 she was visited by Alan Marshall, a well-known author, and they planned to write about the early days in the Wimmera. Eleanor also remembered and recorded in writing some Wergaia words, the lists of which are now deposited with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies in Canberra. The Institute also holds audio-tapes of the stories and vocabulary she recounted for C.J. Ellis and Luise Hercus.

Roberta (Bobbi) Sykes was born and brought up in Townsville, Queensland. She left school at 14 and trained as a nurse. In 1971 she moved to Sydney, and in 1972 helped establish the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra. She worked as Education and Publicity Officer for the newly founded Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern, and began a ten-year career as a freelance journalist. She has written poetry and film reviews, and contributed to contemporary discussions on a wide range of indigenous issues.

From 1975 to 1980 Bobbi Sykes was an adviser on Aboriginal health and education to the New South Wales Health Commission, following which she moved to the United States and completed her doctorate on Aboriginal education at Harvard University. Upon her return to Sydney, she continued writing and lecturing. She has held appointments at Charles Sturt and Macquarie universities and has worked as a consultant.

Thancoupie was born at Napranum in Queensland, on the land traditionally occupied by her ancestors. Her father was killed in war. Thancoupie attended the local school before being sent to Brisbane to train as a preschool teacher. Upon her return to Napranum she established a preschool but was unhappy with the situation and resigned.

Thancoupie began writing down and illustrating (with paintings on bark) stories her grandmother had taught her, and had a number of exhibitions of her work. Her application to study at a Sydney art school was rejected because she lacked formal qualifications, however she came across a pottery school which accepted her as a student. Thancoupie then went to America and Mexico and worked with indigenous potters. This helped her develop her own style, and she has since been creating pots and tile murals at her studio in Cairns where she moved in 1976, after the Comalco mining company refused to allow her a house at Napranum because she had left the community. Thancoupie still visits her hometown on a regular basis.

Veronica Tippett was born in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. Aged four she moved to Darwin with her family, where she later attended St Mary’s convent school and married. She worked as a maid at the government house until 1968, when she moved to Canberra. There she worked as a laboratory assistant in the nuclear physics department of the Australian National University, and spent several years with the Australian Electoral Commission.

Shortly after the formation of the Aboriginal Development Commission in 1980, Tippett became its trainee and later the head of its secretariat. In 1985 she was transferred to the Public Service Board, where she helped develop the Commonwealth Public Service’s equal employment opportunity policy relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In 1987 she became a Cultural Relations Officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, promoting Australia’s indigenous cultures in overseas forums and at international conferences in Canada, the United States and Switzerland.

At the time of her death, Veronica was undertaking a training course in anticipation of embarking on a diplomatic career, and was studying cultural heritage management at the University of Canberra.

Patricia Torres, of Yawuru, Nyikina, Bardi, Punuba and Walmatjarri descent, was born in Broome, Western Australia. She completed a secretarial training course, a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma of Education.

Torres became a health worker with the national Aboriginal trachoma program in Western Australia. In 1978 she became a Legal Aid Field Officer with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, where she designed and conducted a statewide socioeconomic survey of Aboriginal families. She was a Curriculum Development Officer with the state Education Department in Hobart during 1981. Upon her return to Western Australia, she was appointed Secretary to the Kimberley Land Council at Derby. From 1982 to 1989 she worked for the federal Department of Education and Youth Affairs, serving in Broome, Darwin and Canberra.

Since then, Torres has concentrated on writing, art and community work. She has recorded Kimberley oral history, published a couple of bilingual children’s books which she also illustrated, created posters for national events and recordings of stories. She has worked with many Kimberley community organisations, including the Yawuru Aboriginal Corporation, Winarn Aboriginal Arts and Crafts, Magabala Books and the Broome Aboriginal Media Association.

Penny Tripcony was born in Brisbane in 1942 and moved to Melbourne in the mid-1960s. She completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Melbourne in 1975, and a Diploma of Education the following year.

As the administrator of the Aboriginal Cooperative Ltd in Melbourne, she was instrumental in establishing the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria and several other Aboriginal organisations. In the early 1980s she was a Research Officer with the Board before becoming superintendent of Victorian Aboriginal Education Services. She was involved with many community-based Aboriginal organisations in Victoria, and tutored in the Aboriginal Community Organisation course at the Swinburne Institute of Technology.

In 1989, Tripcony returned to Brisbane to become Principal Policy Officer (Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Education) with the state Department of Education. She was also a member of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Project.

A member of the Liberal Party from 1946, Dorothy Goble served as the member for Mitcham in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian Parliament from 1967 until 1976.

A member of the Australian Labor Party from 1969, Judith Dixon served as the member for Boronia in the Legislative Council of the Victorian Parliament from 1982-88.

A member of the Liberal Party of Australia, Jeannette Patrick served as the member for Brighton in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian Parliament from 1976-85. She held the position of secretary of the Parliamentary Liberal Party from 1979-82.