QUT
History was made last week as three alums from our QUT Pathways to Politics for Women program were sworn into the Queensland parliament, helping Queensland reach a historic milestone – not only its 100th woman in parliament, but its 110th.
Half of the newly elected MPs to take their seat in state parliament last week were women, helping Queensland pass a political milestone more than 100 years in the making.
Before this year’s state election, 98 women had represented their electorates at a state government level since the first Queensland parliament convened in 1860.
This year 12 women were newly elected to parliament, including three QUT Pathways to Politics for Women alums, and all are now part of the milestone cohort that gave Queensland not only its 100th woman in politics but its 110th.
A huge congratulations to our newly elected alums Bree James MP (Barron River – LNP), Natalie Marr MP (Thuringowa – LNP) and Dr Barbara O’Shea MP (South Brisbane – ALP), who are among the 24 new MPs who will work for Queenslanders over the next four years.
We also celebrate all the Pathways to Politics alums who ran in the Queensland election and across the country this year, showcasing incredible dedication, determination, and leadership. All together, 120 alums ran for office at local, state and territory levels in 2024, with 49 successfully elected.
“There are limited opportunities in regional Queensland to learn from other regional women who are leaders, so this program is really important to support women of regional Queensland who want to put their hand up to become a leader.”
– Natalie Marr MP
“My seat wasn’t viewed as a winnable seat so to have the support of a mentor like Dr [Mary] Crawford was invaluable”
– Dr Barbara O’Shea
