Jeannette McHugh

Jeannette McHugh (née Goffet; born 18 December 1934) is a former Australian politician who was the first woman from New South Wales elected to federal parliament. She served in the House of Representatives from 1983 to 1996, representing the Australian Labor Party (ALP), and was Minister for Consumer Affairs in the Keating Government from 1992 to 1996. She was a schoolteacher and political activist prior to entering parliament.

The Honourable Jeannette McHugh
McHugh in 2014
Minister for Consumer Affairs
In office 27 May 1992 – 11 March 1996
Prime Minister	Paul Keating
Preceded by	Michael Tate
Succeeded by	Geoff Prosser
Member of the Australian Parliament for Grayndler
In office 13 March 1993 – 29 January 1996
Preceded by	Leo McLeay
Succeeded by	Anthony Albanese
Member of the Australian Parliament for Phillip
In office 5 March 1983 – 13 March 1993
Preceded by	Jack Birney
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	Jeannette Goffet 18 December 1934 Kandos, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Michael McHugh ​ (m. 1960)​
Alma mater	University of Sydney
Occupation	Teacher

Early life and education

Born in Kandos, New South Wales, McHugh was educated at the University of Sydney, where she resided at the Women's College.[1]

Career

Early career

She worked as a languages teacher and on social justice issues for many years through her involvement in housing, environment, anti-nuclear, peace and women's organisations before gaining ALP pre-selection for the Division of Phillip, a seat she won at the 1983 Australian federal election, making her the first woman from New South Wales to sit in the federal parliament.

Parliamentary career

She was made Minister for Consumer Affairs in 1992, making her the first female federal minister from New South Wales. When the Division of Phillip was abolished after an electoral redistribution, it was arranged for McHugh (as a minister) to move to the Division of Grayndler (the sitting member Leo McLeay agreed to move to the new neighbouring electorate of Watson).[2]

McHugh announced her retirement from parliament, to be effective at the time of the 1996 Australian federal election, at which the ALP lost government. Anthony Albanese won pre-selection for Grayndler, and retained the seat for Labor at the election.

Post-parliamentary career

McHugh is Chair of the Jessie Street Trust, and was Secretary of the Evatt Foundation until November 2006.[3]

Personal life

Jeannette McHugh is married to former High Court of Australia justice Michael McHugh.[4]

Her parents were Charles Richard "Charlie" Goffet (1909–91) and Neta Jean Goffet (née Walsh) (1909–83).[5][6]

References

1. Ian Glachan: Women's College Amendment Bill, Legislative Assembly Hansard, Parliament of New South Wales, 6 May 1997.
2. Electorate Profile: Grayndler, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 8 November 2004.
3. Jeannette McHugh: Member of the Executive Committee Archived 22 June 2005 at the Wayback Machine, Evatt Foundation.
4. Michael Pelly: A higher justice, The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 October 2005.
5. "Newcastle's idiosyncratic educator", Newcastle Herald, 11 November 1991. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
6. Charles Goffet, myheritage.com. Retrieved 8 January 2021.