• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE0161

Reid, Margaret Elizabeth

  • The Honourable, AO
(1935 – ) Margaret Reid
  • Born 28 May 1935, Crystal Brook, South Australia, Australia
  • Occupation Barrister, Lawyer, Parliamentarian, Solicitor

Summary

Margaret Reid is the first woman to have been elected President of the Senate. She held this position for six years, from 20 August 1996 to 18 August 2002. In 2004 she was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for her service to the Australian Parliament and the community.

Details

Margaret Reid obtained her Bachelor of Laws from Adelaide University and worked as a barrister and solicitor before entering Federal Parliament. She was Deputy Government Whip in the Senate from 18 November 1982 to 4 February 1983, Deputy Opposition Whip from 21 April 1983 to 14 September 1987 and Opposition Whip from 14 September 1987 to 9 May 1995. On 9 May 1995, Reid became Deputy President of the Senate and Chair of Committees and President of the Senate in August 1996.

Reid was awarded the Queen Elizabeth 11 Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 and the Order of Polonia Restituta in 1987. She is married with two sons and two daughters.

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Events

  • 2001

    Inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women

Archival resources

  • National Library of Australia, Manuscript Collection
    • Papers of Margaret Reid relating to Andrew Fisher, 2001 [manuscript]
    • Papers of Margaret Reid, 1969-2003 [manuscript]
  • National Library of Australia, Oral History and Folklore Collection
    • Margaret Reid interviewed by Barry York in the Old Parliament House political and parliamentary oral history project [sound recording]
  • National Library of Australia
    • [Biographical cuttings on Margaret Reid, politician, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]
  • ACT Heritage Library
    • Liberal Party Policy on ACT Self-Government

Digital resources

Published resources

Related entries


  • Related Exhibitions
    • Women in the making of Canberra
  • Related Concepts
    • Women in Politics: Liberal Party of Australia