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Giles, Patricia Jessie (Pat) (1928 - )

The Honourable, BA, DUniv

Born
16 November 1928
Minlaton, South Australia, Australia
Occupation
Nurse, Political activist and Politician
Alternative Names
  • White, Pat (maiden name, 1928 - 1953)

Summary

Pat Giles commenced her working life as a nurse. After completing a Bachelor of Arts as a mature age student, she was an Organiser with the Hospital Employees Union of Western Australia from 1974 until 1981. In that year Giles was elected as an Australian Labor Party (ALP) Senator for Western Australia, and held the position for twelve years. During this time she was directly involved in the United Nations Decade for Women meetings, leading the government delegation to Nairobi in 1985.

Giles was a founding member and inaugural convenor of the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) WA in 1973 and was the first woman on the executive of the West Australian Trades and Labour Council. She was a member, later Chairperson, of the first Australian Council of Trade Unions Women's Committee. In 2004 Giles, who has continued to be a strong activist for women both within Australia and internationally, will complete her third and final term as President of the International Alliance of Women.

Details

Events

1950
Obtained Certificate in General Nursing
1951
Obtained Certificate in Midwifery
1952
Obtained Certificate in Infant Welfare
1953
Married Keith Giles (FFARCS, FFAARCS) (diss. 1976), they had four daughters
1971 - 1974
Vice-president of the WA Council of State School Organizations
1971 - 1981
Executive member of the Health Education Council of WA
1973 -
Inaugural convenor and member of WEL Perth
1974
Graduated with a BA from the University of Western Australia
1974
First woman to chair a committee on Discrimination in Employment & Occupation
1974 - 1981
Organiser of the Hospital Employees' Union WA
1975
First woman elected to the executive of the WA Trades & Labour Council
1975 - 1980
Service industries representative on the WA Trades & Labour Council
1975 - 1981
Member of the Homeless Persons Advisory Committee in WA
1976 - 1979
Member of the Administrative Committee for the ALP (WA)
1978
Member of the first ACTU Women's Committee
1978 - 1981
Member of the Review Committee for the WA Legal Aid Commission
1979
First woman to argue an important general issue before the WA State Industrial Commission (Maternity Leave which was granted to women in private employment, January 1980)
1979 - 1981
ACTU representative member of the first tripartite committee on women's employment in Australia (sub-committee of the National Labour Consultative Committee on Women's Employment)
1979 - 1981
Member of the Community Advisory Committee in Industrial Relations for the University of WA
1981
Western Australian delegate to the ALP National Conference
1981 - 1993
Sentator (ALP) for Western Australia
1983 - 1985
Junior Vice-President of the ALP
1986
Temporary Chairman of Committees
1995 - 1996
Chaired the World Health Organisations's Global Commission on Women's Helath
7 May 2004
Speaker at the 19th Mary Owen Dinner

Sources used to compile this entry: Grahame, Emma, 'Giles, Pat', in Caine, Barbara (ed.), Australian feminism : a companion, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1998, p. 426; Lofthouse, Andrea (ed.), Who's who of Australian women, Methuen Australia, North Ryde (NSW), 1982, 504 pp.

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Anne Heywood

Comments

Wondering whether Senator Patricia Giles is still alive, I heard that she has cancer. I know Patricia Giles is retired from W.A. Parliament. She helped me a lot through W.A. Parliament. I have great admiration for Patricia. Please get back to me on this. Is Patricia still alive ?

Lori - 10 June 2010, 12:05 PM EST

Unfortunately we cannot conduct the research for you to answer the questions. We simply don't have the time or resources. Perhaps someone in our on-line community of women knows. Othersie, I would suggest you contact the WA Parliamentary Librarian

AWAP Administrator - 10 June 2010, 3:48 PM EST

My name is Patricia D. Giles and for some reason my name was highlighted tonight while I was forwarding an email to a company that I desire to do business with and when I click on my name I learned about the famous Patricia J. Giles and began to read her information. I would like to meet her if I can. We share the same name and to my surprise even our goals are simular.If there is any information I can receive regarding her or her family please let me know or I would be more then happy to provide mines so they could reach out to me if possible. Thank you.

Patricia Giles - 22 July 2010, 2:37 PM EST

I am happy to help people out regarding information about my mother. You can contact me on anngiles@optusnet.com.au

She is still alive, she doesn't have cancer, although she is becoming frail. A biography of her was completed last year, and is available in bookshops and from the publisher - Fremantle Press. Titled Among the Chosen, was written by Lekkie Hopkins and Lynne Roarty.

Anne Giles - 25 February 2011, 5:17 PM EST

Dear Anne, many thanks for your helpful repsonse.

AWAP Administrator - 28 February 2011, 11:33 AM EST

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