1. Virginia Anne Chadwick was an Australian politician.
15 Facts About Virginia Chadwick
1. 2.
Virginia Chadwick was a Liberal Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1978 to 1999.
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Virginia Chadwick was the first NSW female Minister for Education; the first female President of the New South Wales Legislative Council; and Chair and CEO of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
4.
Virginia Chadwick served as Opposition Whip and a member of the Opposition front bench before becoming the first female NSW Liberal Minister when the Greiner Government swept into power in 1988.
5.
Virginia Chadwick was a minister of the Greiner-Fahey era, initially serving as Minister for Family and Community Services, Minister for the Hunter and Minister for Women.
6.
In consultation with NSW Parents and Citizens, the New South Wales Teachers Federation, the Board of Studies, the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board and GaLTaS, Virginia Chadwick approved departmental anti-homophobia videos and issued a vetted reading list for school libraries.
7.
In 1998 Virginia Chadwick again made history as the Parliament of New South Wales's first woman Presiding Officer with her election as President of the Legislative Council.
8.
Virginia Chadwick's victory in the ballot for the Presidency was a surprise.
9.
Virginia Chadwick held this position from 29 June 1998 to 5 March 1999, when she retired from politics.
10.
Virginia Chadwick holds the record for the shortest presidency of the Legislative Council, being in office for 250 days.
11.
Virginia Chadwick moved to Townsville with husband Bruce Chadwick and served in this role until her retirement in July 2007.
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Virginia Chadwick led the difficult negotiations with fishermen, farmers, tourist operators, local, state and federal Governments to achieve an increase in highly protected areas on the reef from 4.5 per cent to 33 per cent.
13.
Virginia Chadwick subsequently led an Australian delegation to the United Nations on International Law of the Sea.
14.
Virginia Chadwick died from cancer on 17 September 2009, aged 64, at Toronto.
15.
The unveiling of the marble bust of Mrs Virginia Chadwick was the first time in 107 years a new bust had been added to the historic NSW Legislative Council Chamber.