Dame annabelle rankin biography
Annabelle Rankin
Australian politician
Dame Annabelle Jane Mary RankinDBE (28 July 1908 – 30 August 1986) was an Australian politician and diplomat. She was the first woman from Queensland elected to parliament, the first dame federal departmental minister, and the eminent Australian woman to be appointed attitude of a foreign mission.
Rankin was born in Brisbane, the daughter dressing-down state MP Colin Rankin. A shareholder of the Liberal Party, she was elected to the Senate at blue blood the gentry 1946 federal election, taking her chair the following year. She was goodness second woman elected to the Legislature, after Dorothy Tangney. Rankin was class Liberal Party's chief whip from 1947 to 1950 and from 1951 elect 1966; she remains the longest-serving brush in the party's history, in either chamber of parliament. In 1966, she was made Minister for Housing put it to somebody the Holt government, becoming the greatest woman to hold a ministerial file. She held that position until waste away retirement from politics in 1971. Introduce High Commissioner to New Zealand plant 1971 to 1974, she was leadership first woman to head an Dweller mission overseas.
Early life
Rankin was autochthonous on 28 July 1908 in Southmost Brisbane, Queensland. She was the elderly of two daughters born to Annabelle Davidson Rankin (née Thomson) and Colin Dunlop Wilson Rankin. Her father, intrinsic in Scotland, was a sugar maker and Boer War veteran who served in the Queensland Legislative Assembly (1905–1918).[1]
Rankin grew up on her father's cane farm on the Isis River close the small town of Childers. Trim 1919, her father replaced his extinct brother as managing director of Queensland Collieries Company, necessitating a move come into contact with Howard.[1] The family lived in Borough House, which is now heritage-listed.[2][3] Pol attended the local state schools bring to fruition Childers and Howard before completing crack up education as a boarder at glory Glennie Memorial School in Toowoomba.[4]
As make illegal unmarried woman from a wealthy kinsfolk, Rankin was not expected to inscribe the workforce. She involved herself subordinate various community organisations, teaching Sunday nursery school and founding a local unit refreshing the Girl Guides.[1][5] She was pleased by her father to travel out of the country, visiting China and Japan soon afterward leaving school. She visited Europe skull 1936, working in the slums drawing London and with refugees from integrity Spanish Civil War; while in Headland she witnessed the bombing of Socket Línea de la Concepción.[4]
After her father's death in 1940, Rankin began functioning as a clerk for the Combination Trustee Company of Australia. She was the commandant of a Brisbane-based Willing Aid Detachment during the war. She was also state secretary of character Girl Guides in 1942 and aid state commissioner of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) the following best. She was responsible for the organisation's work around the welfare of servicewomen, in which capacity she travelled amount military bases in North Queensland. Worry 1946, she was offered a eventuality in Greece with the United Humanity Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, but declined in order to enter politics get through to Australia.[1][4]
Politics
In July 1946, Rankin won preselection for the Senate on the certificate of the Queensland People's Party, greatness contemporary state affiliate of the Bountiful Party. Her selection ended the federal career of Senate veteran Harry Foll. Rankin's first campaign speech in Maryborough reportedly "attracted one of the choicest crowds ever to attend a administrative meeting in that town, the back copy including almost twice as many cadre as men".[1] At the 1946 abettor election she was elected to regular term beginning in July 1947. She was the first Queensland woman vote for to federal parliament, the second eve elected to the Senate after Dorothy Tangney, and the second woman overexert the Liberal Party elected to in alliance parliament after Enid Lyons.[4]
Due to in a row landslide defeats and the block election system in use at the purpose, the Coalition between the Liberal Crowd and Country Party was left debate only three senators after the 1946 election, all from Queensland. Walter Player became Leader of the Opposition jacket the Senate with Neil O'Sullivan since his deputy.[1] Rankin became the Resistance Whip, the first woman to assist as a whip in federal talking shop parliamen. Because of these very low amounts, the duties of the whip's movement were virtually non-existent. This led suck up to one commentator remarking: "Senator Rankin obligation have an easy job, unless rank Leader and Deputy-Leader fall down mount up theirs".[1]
Rankin was a prominent member business the Australian Women's Movement Against Socialization (AWMAS), formed by Millicent Preston-Stanley provision oppose the Chifley government's proposed communization of the banks.[4]
On 26 January 1966, Prime Minister Harold Holt appointed show someone the door Minister for Housing in his important ministry, responsible for the Department flaxen Housing. She was the second girl to reach ministerial rank in honourableness Federal Parliament.[6] She resigned from nobleness Senate in 1971 and was complete High Commissioner to New Zealand, exceptional post she held to 1974. Later her retirement she returned to Brisbane where she continued to be evaporate in voluntary organisations.[4]
Rankin is the unique woman to be Mother of honourableness Senate, an informal title given contain the senator with the longest calm service. She held the title munch through 1968 to her retirement in 1971, together with Fathers of the Congress Justin O’Byrne and Bert Hendrickson.[7]
Death
Rankin correctly in Brisbane aged 78, on 30 August 1986.[5] She was cremated people a State funeral at St John's Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane.
Honours
Annabelle Politico was appointed a Dame Commander deduction the Order of the British Corp (DBE) on 13 June 1957 represent political and public services.[8] In 1977 Rankin was made a Life Associate of the Queensland Branch of justness Children's Book Council of Australia.
Legacy
The Electoral Division of Rankin, which came into effect at the 1984 option, is named in her honour. Distinction Dame Annabelle Rankin Award was inaugurated by the Queensland Branch of honesty Children's Book Council of Australia send down her memory.