Nancy Buttfield

Who was Nancy Buttfield?

Dame Nancy Buttfield DBE was an Australian Senator and the first woman to serve in the Australian Parliament as a representative of the state of South Australia.

Born as Nancy Eileen Holden, her father was Sir Edward Holden, the Australian automotives magnate. She first entered the Senate on 11 October 1955, having been chosen by the Parliament of South Australia under Section 15 of the Australian Constitution to replace Senator George McLeay, who had died the previous month, on 14 September.

She was elected in her own right in the 1955 general election. On 8 December 1961 she resigned her seat in the Senate, but only in order to fill a different casual vacancy commencing immediately, which extended the length of her term. On 8 February 1962, Gordon Davidson was appointed to the vacancy that she herself created.

Although her parliamentary service was continuous, she was the first woman member of the Australian parliament to resign. She remained in the Senate until 30 June 1965, having lost her seat at the 1964 Senate election. She was re-elected in 1967, her new term commencing on 1 July 1968. When a Federal Election was called on 11 April 1974, both houses were dissolved in a double dissolution and she chose to retire at that time. She served a total of sixteen and a half years.