Woman Child, Gloria Joan

AO

Occupation
Parliamentarian
Alternative Names
  • Liles, Gloria Joan

Written by Caitlin Stone, The University of Melbourne

Joan Child (née Liles) was born in Yackandandah, Victoria in 1921. In 1974, she became the first female member of the Australian Labor Party to be elected to the House of Representatives. She was also the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives (1986 to 1989). When Child died in Melbourne in 2013, Prime Minister Julia Gillard described herself as 'one of the women who walked through the door that Joan so brilliantly opened' (Australian, 6 March 2013).

Published Resources

Newspaper Articles

  • Chadwick, Vince, 'Farewell to a Trailblazer for Labor and Women', The Australian, 6 March 2013, p. 6. Details
  • Veitch, Harriet, 'Speaker of the House knew what it was like to do it tough', The Age, 4 March 2013, p. 54. Details

Online Resources