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Member Details

The Hon. Elisabeth KIRKBY, OAM

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 26/01/1921
Place of Birth: Bolton, United Kingdom, England
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 25 May 1991 25 Jun 1998 7 years 1 month 1 day Granted retention of title of "Honourable" for life.
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 27 Oct 1981 03 May 1991 9 years 6 months 7 days A Member of the directly elected Legislative Council. Date of Election 19 September 1981 and 25 May 1991.
Political Party Activity
Australian Democrats 1977. State Parliamentary Leader 1981 - 1998. Ex-officio Member National Executive and State Executive.
Community Activity
Past President Society for Australian Film and Television Arts and Sciences. Past Vice-President of Australian Actors Equity. Past Member of the Hunter Regional Planning Committee; 1975-1979. Member: International Alliance of Women, Womens Electoral Lobby, Womens International League of Peace and Freedom, National Trust, Society for International Development (New South Wales Chapter), Women and Management, International Commission of Jurists New South Wales Chapter Vice-President Amnesty International (New South Wales Parliament), President International Association of Women in Radio and Television. Council Member Worldview International Foundation.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Actress, script writer, radio public affairs commentator, grazier. Educated at Nottingham Girls High School, England. Manchester Repertory Theatre 1939 - 1942. Birmingham Repertory Theatre 1946 - 1947. Liverpool Repertory Theatre 1947 - 1948. Radio Malaya/Malaysia 1951 - 1965. Australian Broadcasting Commission 1965 - 1972. Before entering Parliament would have been best known for her role as Lucy Sutcliffe in the television series "Number 96". Heavily involved in the industry with executive roles in the Society for Australian Film and Television Arts and Sciences, Australian Actors Equity and the International Association of Women in Radio and Television. Resigned from Parliament in 1998. Member of New South Wales Judicial Commission. Member of Administrative Decisions Tribunal (Legal Services Division). Recreational interests include swimming, gardening, trekking.
Military Service
Auxiliary Territorial Service 1942-1945.
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Councillor of Temora Shire Council 1999 - 2004
Personal
Daughter of James Burton Kirkby and Frances Robinson. Married and had issue, 1 daughter and 2 sons. Divorced.
Additional Information
Member of Former Members of NSW Parliament Association. Ken Turner and Michael Hogan (editors), The Worldly Art of Politics, Sydney, Federation Press, 2006 (Chapter 13: "Elizabeth Kirkby: Attention to parliamentary review", by Ken Turner, page 141)

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.