Margaret Guilfoyle

This is the first biography of Dame Margaret Guilfoyle, Liberal Senator from Victoria from 1971 to 1987, who quickly rose to become Minister for Social Security and then Minister for Finance in the Fraser Coalition Government. Margaret Guilfoyle had the distinction of being the first woman to hold a cabinet-level ministerial portfolio in Australia. She was regarded as an outstanding minister - highly competent, reformist, and trustworthy. That she served as a senior minister for the duration of the Fraser Government testifies to this. In addition, Margaret Guilfoyle did much to increase women’s participation and representation in Australian politics through her own outstanding example, and active roles in various forums across the political divide.

Anne Henderson is deputy director of the Sydney Institute and has been a major contributor to promoting the study of Australian politics through her many publications. Among her books of note are Enid Lyons: Leading Lady To A Nation; Joseph Lyons - The People’s Prime Minister; Menzies at War (short listed for the 2015 Prime Minister’s Award for Australian History); and Federation’s Man of Letters - Patrick McMahon Glynn.