Irene Longman


Irene Maud Longman was a politician in Queensland, Australia. She was the first woman to stand and be elected as a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.

Early life

Irene Bailey was born in Franklin, Tasmania, and educated in Sydney. She trained as a kindergarten teacher and taught at Sydney Girls' Grammar School and Rockhampton Girls' Grammar School. In 1904, she married Heber Longman and the couple chose to live in Queensland. She served as president of the National Council of Women of Queensland from 1920 to 1924.

Politics

Irene Longman's parliamentary career began in the 1929 election. Representing the Country and Progressive National Party, she was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the electorate of Bulimba, a safe ALP seat, which she held for one term. While in Parliament, she was responsible for the first appointment of a Queensland woman police officer, and spoke about the welfare of children. Being a woman, she was never allowed to use the parliamentary dining room and had to eat her meals on the verandah. As well, there were no female toilets in the parliament building. Longman lost her seat in the 1932 election and did not re-contest it.
Longman had two brothers who were also members of the Queensland Parliament: Percy Bayley represented Pittsworth from 1915 to 1920, and James Bayley was the member for Wynnum from 1933 to 1935.
The federal electorate of Longman, created in 1996, is named after Irene, as is Longman Street in the Canberra suburb of Chisholm.

Later life

Irene Longman died on 29 July 1964 in St. Andrew's Hospital in Brisbane and was privately cremated.