Judith Anne Adams (néeBird; 11 April 1943 – 31 March 2012) was a New Zealand-bornAustralian politician, midwife, nurse, and farmer, who served as a member of theAustralian Senate between 2005 and 2012, representing thestate ofWestern Australia.
Judith Adams | |
|---|---|
| Senator forWestern Australia | |
| In office 1 July 2005 – 31 March 2012 | |
| Succeeded by | Dean Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Judith Anne Bird (1943-04-11)11 April 1943 Picton,New Zealand |
| Died | 31 March 2012(2012-03-31) (aged 68) Kalamunda,Western Australia,Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse(s) | Gordon Adams (m 1970–2008) (his death) |
| Children | Stuart Adams, Robert Adams |
| Occupation | Nurse, farmer, midwife |
Biography
editAdams was born inPicton,New Zealand, and was a trained nurse and midwife experienced in health care policy, with a diploma in Operating Theatre Nursing. She joined the New Zealand Territorial Army as a nursing sister in 1963, and was later posted to Vietnam as a civilian nurse under theColombo Plan during theVietnam War.[1] Adams emigrated to Australia in 1968, and was employed by the Medical Department of Western Australia as a member of the Emergency Nursing Service, which involved postings to regionalWestern Australian towns.[2]
She met her future husband, Gordon Adams, a pilot for theRoyal Flying Doctor Service, while serving inMeekatharra, whom she married in 1970. The couple leased a farm atQuindanning before purchasing a farm atKojonup in 1972.[3] While inWestern Australia, she served as a councillor of the Healthcare Association of Western Australia, the Australian Healthcare Association, and the National Rural Health Alliance, and was a member of the Rural Health Reference Group. She was also a member of the State Executive of theLiberal Party of Australia between 2000 and 2004. Gordon died in 2008.
At the2001 Western Australian state election, Adams was acandidate for theseat of Wagin, but was defeated byTerry Waldron.[4] Adams was elected to theSenate at the2004 federal election, with her term commencing on 1 July 2005, becoming the second-oldest woman to enter Australian parliament. During her period in parliament, she served as deputy oppositionwhip, and was involved in securing changes to wheat laws and defence force policy.[5] Adams had been diagnosed with first-stagebreast cancer in 1998, and secondary breast cancer in 2008.[6] She died from the disease at Kalamunda Hospital in March 2012, aged 68.[citation needed]
TheParliament of Western Australia appointedDean Smith on 2 May 2012 to Adams' Senate vacancy.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^About Judith – Senator Judith Adams. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^Senator Judith Adams – Q&A. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^Liberal Senator Judith Adams loses cancer battle –The Australian online. Published 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^WA State election - Judith Adams –Wagin Argus. Published 24 January 2001. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^Spagnolo, Joe (2012).Liberal senator loses breast cancer battle – PerthNow. Published 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^A passionate advocate for womenArchived 20 March 2012 at theWayback Machine – Breast Cancer Network of Australia. Retrieved 31 March 2012.