The Australian Women's Register

Jacqueline Fletcher was born in London in 1949 to Charles Fletcher, a waterside worker, and his wife Lillian. She left school early to do secretarial work before emigrating to Australia with husband Ross Watkins. They arrived in February 1971, and would eventually have four children. Jacqueline Watkins joined the Labor Party in 1975, holding various posts at the Wanneroo branch, as well as being involved in numerous educational and community groups. Watkins entered Parliament in 1983 as the member for Joondalup, which she held until 1989, after which she was member for Wanneroo until 1993, when the Labor Government was defeated. In 1984 Watkins married again, to Senator Jim McKiernan.