Benjamin, Phyllis Jean (1907 - 1996)

Phyllis Benjamin was appointed a member of the Order of the British Empire on 31 May 1956 for services as a member of the Legislative Council in Tasmania. On 26 January 1977 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). From 1968 to 1969 Benjamin was leader of the Upper House in Tasmania - the first woman in Australia to be appointed to the position.

Chronology

10 March 1926	Married A H Benjamin
1939 - 1945	Red Cross work
1950 - 1954	Member of the Tasmania Labor Party Executive
1952 - 1953	Federal President of the Federal Association Australian Housewives
1952 - 1962	Tasmanian President of the Federal Association Australian Housewives
1952 - 1975	Member (ALP) of the Tasmanian Legislative Council for the electorate of Hobart
1956 - 1968	Deputy leader of the Upper House
31 May 1956	Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) (MBE)
1967 - 1968	Federal President of the Federal Association Australian Housewives
1968 - 1969	Leader of the Upper House (first woman)
1972 - 1976	Deputy Leader of the Upper House
26 January 1977	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

Membership

• Soroptimist International of the South West Pacific (SISWP)

See also

• Draper, W J (ed.), Who's who in Australia 1980, 23 edn, The Herald and Weekly Times, Melbourne, 1908, 928 pp. [ Details... ]
• Legge, J S (ed.), Who's who in Australia, 1971, 20 edn, The Herald and Weekly Times, Melbourne, 1971, 1024 pp. [ Details... ]