Elaine Darling Explained
Elaine Elizabeth Darling (née Melloy; 6 June 1936 – 30 August 2019)[1] was an Australian politician. The Labor member for Lilley from 1980 to 1993, she was the first woman from Queensland to be elected to the House of Representatives.[2]
Early life
Born in Brisbane, Darling attended the University of Queensland before becoming a teacher, eventually rising to be an assistant to the director of the Brisbane Kindergarten Training College.[3]
Politics
In 1980, Darling was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor Party member for Lilley, defeating the sitting Liberal Party MP Kevin Cairns. She was the fifth woman elected to the House of Representatives, and the second female Labor member of that house (the first was Joan Child). She held Lilley until her retirement in 1993.[4]
From 2000 to 2004, she was a council member of the City of Caloundra.[5]
Family political connections
Darling’s father, Jack Melloy, was a long serving member of the Australian Labor Party and member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.[6] Her daughter, Vicky Darling, was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2006 to 2012.[7]
Notes and References
- News: 'Trailblazer': Female politician remembered for her fire . 31 August 2019 . Sunshine Coast Daily . 31 August 2019 . subscription . https://web.archive.org/web/20190831041750/https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/trailblazer-female-politician-remembered-for-her-f/3819700/ . 31 August 2019 . live .
- Web site: @SwannyQLD . Very sad to hear that my predecessor and close colleague Elaine Darling passed away today. She was the first woman in House of Reps from Queensland, a trailblazer for women in our party. My thoughts are with her family. . Twitter . 30 August 2019.
- Web site: @AnikaWells . This morning we lost the first Queensland woman elected to the House of Representatives, the former Member for Lilley, Elaine Darling. A giant of the Northside and a warrior for us all - thank you and farewell to a formidable lady who paved the way. #auspol . Twitter . 30 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191023102206/https://twitter.com/AnikaWells/status/1167329803537530880 . 23 October 2019 . live .
- Web site: Farnsworth . Malcolm . Who's Left: Surviving Members Of Every House Of Representatives Since 1949 . AustralianPolitics.com . 30 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190830213727/https://australianpolitics.com/parliament/house/surviving-members . 30 August 2019 . live .
- Web site: Wilson . Janet . Black . David . Women parliamentarians in Australia 1921–2013 . Parliamentary Library . Parliament of Australia . 30 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190830214237/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1314/WomenParl . 30 August 2019 . live .
- Web site: Biography for DARLING, Elaine Elizabeth . ParlInfo . Parliament of Australia . 30 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130429191350/http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22handbook%2Fallmps%2FUD4%22;querytype=;rec=0 . 29 April 2013 . live .
- Web site: Darling, Elaine Elizabeth (1936–2019) . The Australian Women's Register . Australian Women's Archives Program . 25 September 2022.
- Web site: The Melloy Family: a Labor Dynasty. 19 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150227055145/http://melloy.com.au/melgenealogy/Labour%20Times%20-%20Jack%20Melloy.pdf. 27 February 2015. live.
- Web site: Melloy, John (Jack) . Members Biography . Queensland Parliament . 30 August 2019.
- Web site: Darling, Vicky Elizabeth . Members Biography . Queensland Parliament . 30 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180702180125/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=3697526561 . 2 July 2018 . live .
