Member for Badcoe Jayne Stinson has praised the trailblazing achievements of the first female Labor MP in the SA Parliament - Molly Byrne OAM.
Today Molly’s official parliamentary portrait was unveiled – only the third portrait of a woman in the SA Parliament. It is the first portrait of a woman MP in 33 years.
Ms Stinson was inspired to push for more portraits of women in Parliament after an eight year old girl from Black Forest Primary School asked on a school tour if women could be politicians – because she couldn’t see any paintings of women on the walls.
As the Labor representative on the Parliament’s Art Acquisition Committee, Ms Stinson insisted that Molly’s portrait was painted by a female South Australian artist. Highly acclaimed painter Deidre But-Husaim was commissioned. Ms But-Husaim’s work hangs in the Art Gallery of SA and the National Portrait Gallery. She has been a finalist for the Archibald and Sulman Prizes.
Quotes attributed to the Member for Badcoe Jayne Stinson
They say ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. As a woman in politics, I want to make sure that young girls can see portraits of women leaders and feel inspired to lead themselves.
It broke my heart when an eight-year-old girl from my electorate asked me if women could be politicians - because she couldn’t see any female faces on our walls.
The walls of our Parliament need to look a lot more like our current gender representation; and our current Parliament needs to better reflect 51% of our society.
Labor is leading the way with women making up half the Shadow Cabinet and 38% of all state Labor MPs – but that’s not reflected in Parliament’s paintings and sculptures.
It’s my goal to see many more portraits of great women on our walls in coming years. The achievements of women MPs are worthy of celebration - just as much as men.
Molly has also been a personal support to many women throughout their political careers and I have personally appreciated her advice and comfort to me in recent challenging times. At 92, Molly remains a Labor trailblazer and an inspiration to women who aspire to lead and this portrait is one more way we show our appreciation to her.
Summary of Achievements by Molly Byrne OAM
Born 30 November 1928, Molly is now 92.
First female member of the ALP to be elected to the SA Parliament in 1965 (71 years after women were first entitled to stand for election).
The second woman to be elected to the SA House of Assembly.
Molly campaigned for two years to win the marginal must-win seat of Barossa and helped form the incoming Walsh Labor Government in 1965.
Molly held her seat (later known as Tea Tree Gully then Todd) until 1979.
In 1972 Molly held the position of Acting Speaker. It is understood she is the first woman to do so.
Molly was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1985 for services to the community and parliamentary service.
In 1987 Molly became the first woman appointed to the board of the State Bank. Molly had a pre-Parliament career in the trade union movement.
A portrait of Molly hangs in pride of place at the SA Labor headquarters in Adelaide.
Facts about women in SA Parliament
SA Labor has 50% women in Shadow Cabinet. SA Labor has 37% women as elected members. Labor has a target of 50% women MPs in SA Parliament by 2025.
Just 22% of Liberal MPs are women (7 of 31). The Government front bench has 28% women (4 women out of 14 Ministers).
SA Parliament has 29% women (20 of 69 members across both houses). That’s 25% of the House of Assembly and 36% of the Legislative Council.
Labor has nominated three more women for non-held seats at the 2022 election – Lucy Hood (Adelaide), Nadia Clancy (Elder) and Rhiannon Pearce (King).
There are just two other portraits of women in the Parliament. A portrait of the first woman elected to the House of Assembly Joyce Steele hangs in the chamber. A portrait of the first woman President of the Legislative Council Anne Levy hangs in the ground floor hall of the Legislative Council wing.
Further information about the artist can be found at: http://www.but-husaim.id.au/
*With thanks to the Parliamentary Research Library