Our Inspiration

Joseph is the only person in Australian history to have been prime minister, Premier of a State, and Leader of the Opposition in both the Federal Parliament and a State Parliament. He had earlier served as Premier of Tasmania from 1923 to 1928, and was the first and only prime minister from Tasmania.

Prior to being Tasmanian Premier he served as Treasurer, Minister for Education and Minister for Railways in the Tasmanian government. During this period, he reformed the Education Department, improved teachers’ conditions and pay, and had Tasmania’s first high schools built in Hobart and Launceston. He also championed a number of progressive and popular reforms including free medical treatment and education for children, a state medical scheme, reform of the Legislative Council, aid to farmers, and factory legislation to improve working conditions. Lyons’ major success as Prime Minister was to prudently manage the finances of the country and to restore stability to the government during the Great Depression.

Enid was a high achiever and pioneer being the first woman to be elected to the Australian House of Representatives as well as the first woman appointed to the federal Cabinet. Enid Lyons had a high sense of duty, self-discipline, industriousness and ambition. She was also warm and approachable.

Lyons worked hard in Parliament for women and children. She believed that men and women should be completely equal. In those days women often stayed at home. If they did go out to work, they earned less. Lyons brought in welfare payments for mothers and equal training allowances for women and men. She was made Dame Enid by the King in 1943 and Dame Enid of Australia in 1980.