Margaret Reid (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Margaret Reid AO
Reid in 2021
President of the Australian Senate
In office 20 August 1996 – 18 August 2002
Preceded by	Michael Beahan
Succeeded by	Paul Calvert
Senator for Australian Capital Territory
In office 5 May 1981 – 14 February 2003
Preceded by	John Knight
Succeeded by	Gary Humphries
Personal details
Born	Margaret Elizabeth McLachlan (1935-05-28) 28 May 1935 (age 90) Crystal Brook, South Australia
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Tom Reid ​ ​ (m. 1967; died 2010)​
Alma mater	University of Adelaide
Profession	Barrister

Margaret Elizabeth Reid was born Margaret Elizabeth McLachlan on 28 May 1935. She is an Australian former politician. She served as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) from 1981 to 2003. She represented the Liberal Party.

Margaret Reid held her position for almost 22 years. She won eight elections in a row. She made history as the first woman to become President of the Senate.

Early Life and Education

Margaret McLachlan was born in Crystal Brook, South Australia. She went to Balaklava Primary School. Later, she attended Methodist Ladies' College in Adelaide. She then studied at the University of Adelaide.

At university, she was the president of the debating society. She became interested in politics after hearing speeches by Prime Minister Robert Menzies. In 1954, she joined the Liberal Party. She led the Liberal clubs at her university and for young people in South Australia. She earned a law degree in 1959.

Legal Career

In 1960, Margaret Reid became a lawyer in South Australia. She worked in Adelaide, focusing on family law.

In 1961, she ran for election as a Liberal candidate. She tried to win a seat in the Division of Bonython. This area was a strong hold for the Labor Party. She did not win, but her campaign improved the Liberal Party's vote.

In 1965, Margaret Reid moved to Canberra. She joined a law firm there. She worked on cases about workers' compensation and other legal issues. Later, she returned to working in family law. She continued to work at the firm until 1981.

Political Career

Joining the Senate

Margaret Reid was very active in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Liberal Party. She held important roles, including party president in 1976. While still working as a lawyer, she also worked for Senator John Knight. He was the first senator for the ACT.

In March 1981, Senator Knight passed away. Margaret Reid was one of ten people who wanted to fill his Senate seat. The ACT Liberal Party chose her to replace him. On 5 May 1981, she was appointed to the Senate by the Parliament of Australia.

During her first time in the Senate, she led a committee on the ACT. She also asked the prime minister to create a special committee for the ACT. She was chosen as Deputy Whip in the Senate. She chose this role because it allowed her more time to work with people in her electorate. This helped her chances for re-election.

Years in Opposition

The Liberal–National Coalition government lost the election in 1983. The Labor Party won instead. Margaret Reid kept her Senate seat through three more elections. She served as Deputy Whip and then as Opposition Whip from 1987 to 1995.

She continued to work on committees. These committees looked at family law, Senate spending, and transport. She also took part in international meetings. These included events with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

In July 1995, she became Deputy President of the Senate. She took this role after Noel Crichton-Browne resigned. She was then seen as a good choice to become Senate President.

President of the Senate

Margaret Reid served as President of the Senate from 1996 to 2002. In this role, she often led committees. She also represented the parliament at international events. She led parliamentary groups to other countries.

She was also president of the CPA. She worked to help new democracies grow. She worked on committees that looked at how parliament sessions were broadcast. She also worked on rules for parliament and the parliamentary library. During her time as Senate President, she was re-elected twice. Her toughest election was in 1998. The federal Liberal Party was not very popular in the ACT then. She won with a small margin of votes.

In 2002, Margaret Reid lost party support to stay as Senate President. Paul Calvert was chosen to take her place. Margaret Reid retired from politics on 14 February 2003. She had served 22 years as a senator for the ACT.

Personal Life

Margaret Reid met Tom Reid in Canberra. They married in 1967. Margaret adopted and helped raise his four children. By 2001, they had seven grandchildren. Tom Reid passed away in 2010.

Awards and Recognition

Margaret Reid received several awards for her service:

• 1977 Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (Australia)
• 1987 Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland)
• 1996 Honorary Life Membership of the Returned and Services League of Australia
• 2003 Centenary Medal
• 2004 Officer of the Order of Australia for her service to the Australian Parliament and community.
• 2006 Honorary doctorate, Charles Sturt University
• Liberal Party Distinguished Service Award