Trailblazer female politician remembered for her heart
A trailblazer for Queensland women in politics, Elaine Darling, has died at the age of 83. Her family pays tribute.
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A TRAILBLAZER for Queensland women in politics, Elaine Darling, has died at the age of 83.
She was the first woman from Queensland to be elected to the House of Representatives when she was elected Federal Member for Lilley in 1980.
She died on Friday, August 30 surrounded by her three children Mark, Russell and Vicky who pay tribute to a loving mother who opened her heart and her home to everyone she met.
The family provided the following statement:
Elaine was a loving mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to so many.
Mark, Russell and Vicky recall a house full of activity, of extended family and friends, all welcome at all hours. Mostly it was a house full of love and Elaine’s was a life lived in the pursuit of the health and happiness of others.
Elaine Darling is credited with a list of “firsts” as a pioneer for women in politics in Australia.
She first stood for the federal seat of Lilley at the 1977 election, having been endorsed after the election date had been called, and achieved a swing towards Labor but did not wrest the seat from the sitting Liberal member.
She continued to campaign for the next three years, meeting with local community groups and visiting people in their homes, particularly giving a voice to female voters about the issues of concern to them.
On October 18, 1980 Elaine was elected as Member for Lilley, the first woman from Queensland to be elected to the House of Representatives and one of only three women members — all Labor — of the House of Representatives.
Elaine was very well respected on both sides of the chamber, and also became the first woman to chair a House of Representatives committee.
She continued to lead the way in reforms on representing her constituency, the first of the Brisbane-based MPs to move to an office in the middle of her electorate, the first to use a “mobile office” to better connect to the people (a Hiace van with table and chairs in the back) and the first to produce Pensioner Information Kits and Family Information Kits following federal budgets to clearly explain the rights and benefits for recipients of government support.
Following a devastating hailstorm that hit the suburb of Brighton shortly after she was elected, she set up community response services at a local primary school and stayed until she was sure that everyone needing assistance had a tarp on their roof, a bed to sleep in and money to buy food.
She knocked on every single door with a damaged home.
Her home phone number was publicly listed until the day she retired from politics and her default setting was to serve the constituents of her electorate.
Her public achievements are many and the era of her service and her humble attitude means that many of these may not be on the public record.
Elaine was driven to give voice to the publicly voiceless and advocated strongly for, and won reforms for, people with disability, seniors and pensioners.
She campaigned against apartheid and stood up against Australia’s decision to enter the first Gulf War. She worked alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and fought to ensure young people had access to apprenticeships and jobs.
She is credited with many reforms in transport and road safety and published a book on the role of women in the Aboriginal rights movement in Brisbane during the 1950s and 60s — They Spoke Out Pretty Good.
Elaine was born in Brisbane on June 6, 1936 and was raised in a close-knit family, one of seven children. Her father was Jack Melloy, the State Member for Nudgee from 1960 until his retirement in 1977.
Many of her siblings and at least one of her nieces were also politically active and ran as candidates at various times.
She was an inspiration to many female candidates. Her daughter Vicky later served as the state Member for Sandgate.
Elaine married the love of her life Bob Darling in 1958, clocking up 57 years of marriage before his death in 2016.
They moved to Nudgee in 1963 and to the Sunshine Coast after her retirement from politics in 1993.
Seeing the need for improvements for families and pensioners in Caloundra, she served on the Caloundra City Council for a term, achieving major reforms and discounts for pensioner ratepayers, as well as walkways, parks, and disability services for the local community.
Elaine leaves behind three children and six grandchildren, and their families and friends. She also leaves a gap that will never be filled.
A service to celebrate Elaine’s life will be held at 1pm on Thursday, September 5 at Gregson and Weight Maroochydore Chapel, 139-159 Wises Rd, Buderim.
The family requests no flowers, but instead a donation to Alzheimers Australia, Lifehouse (Buderim) or a favourite charity.
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