Florence Cardell-Oliver
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Dame Florence Cardell-Oliver DBE |
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|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Subiaco |
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In office 15 February 1936 – 7 April 1956 |
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| Preceded by | John Moloney |
| Succeeded by | Percival Potter |
| Minister for Health | |
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In office 7 October 1949 – 7 January 1953 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Abbott |
| Succeeded by | Emil Nulsen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Annie Florence Gillies Wilson 11 May 1876 Stawell, Victoria |
| Died | 12 January 1965 (aged 88) Subiaco, Perth, Western Australia |
| Resting place | St Columb Minor Church, Cornwall, England |
| Political party |
Nationalist Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse(s) | David Sykes Boydan (1895–1902; his death) Arthur Cardell-Oliver (1902–1929; his death); 2 sons |
Dame Annie Florence Gillies Cardell-Oliver, DBE (née Wilson; 11 May 1876 — 12 January 1965) was a Western Australian politician and political activist, often known publicly as simply Florence Cardell-Oliver.
She was the longest-serving female State Parliamentarian in Western Australia, serving in parliament from 15 February 1936 to 7 April 1956, until her record was broken in September 2011 by Liz Constable.
Born Annie Florence Gillies Wilson to Johnston Wilson and Annie Thompson, she married, firstly, David Sykes Boydan. They travelled to England, where David Boydan died on 5 September 1902. Later she remarried, to Arthur Cardell-Oliver and they had two sons. The family migrated to Western Australia and Arthur Cardell-Oliver registered as a doctor in 1912. During the First World War she spoke at recruitment meetings for the armed services.
Her husband, an honorary captain in the Army Medical Corps Reserve, joined the Australian Imperial Force, and served in England before requesting his appointment be terminated. He then set up a medical practice in South Melbourne and retired in 1924 due to ill health. The family travelled to England where he died on 15 September 1929. She was buried beside Arthur in St Columb Minor churchyard, Newquay, Cornwall.
Florence was the first woman to get a full Cabinet rank in Australian parliament, and was thoroughly involved in conservative women’s organisations. Through this she made certain acts where she sponsored legislations connecting to the public health of women and children. In 1935, an invite given by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, was present at a congress in Istanbul of the International Suffrage Alliance of Women that represented the women in the Australian Federation of Women Voters. Cardell-Oliver was also the first woman to be suspended from the Legislative Assembly, which happened in 1942.
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