Judith Adams

Judith Adams
Senator for Western Australia
In office
1 July 2005 – 31 March 2012
Succeeded byDean Smith
Personal details
Born
Judith Anne Bird

(1943-04-11)11 April 1943
Picton, New Zealand
Died31 March 2012(2012-03-31) (aged 68)
Kalamunda, Western Australia, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLiberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s)Gordon Adams (m 1970–2008)
(his death)
ChildrenStuart Adams, Robert Adams
OccupationNurse, farmer, midwife

Judith Anne Adams (née Bird; 11 April 1943 – 31 March 2012) was a New Zealand-born Australian politician, midwife, nurse, and farmer, who served as a member of the Australian Senate between 2005 and 2012, representing the state of Western Australia.

Biography

Adams was born in Picton, New Zealand, and was a trained nurse and midwife experienced in health care policy, with a diploma in Operating Theatre Nursing. She joined the New Zealand Territorial Army as a nursing sister in 1963, and was later posted to Vietnam as a civilian nurse under the Colombo Plan during the Vietnam War.[1] Adams emigrated to Australia in 1968, and was employed by the Medical Department of Western Australia as a member of the Emergency Nursing Service, which involved postings to regional Western Australian towns.[2]

She met her future husband, Gordon Adams, a pilot for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, while serving in Meekatharra, whom she married in 1970. The couple leased a farm at Quindanning before purchasing a farm at Kojonup in 1972.[3] While in Western Australia, she served as a councillor of the Healthcare Association of Western Australia, the Australian Healthcare Association, and the National Rural Health Alliance, and was a member of the Rural Health Reference Group. She was also a member of the State Executive of the Liberal Party of Australia between 2000 and 2004. Gordon died in 2008.

At the 2001 Western Australian state election, Adams was a candidate for the seat of Wagin, but was defeated by Terry Waldron.[4] Adams was elected to the Senate at the 2004 federal election, with her term commencing on 1 July 2005, becoming the second-oldest woman to enter Australian parliament. During her period in parliament, she served as deputy opposition whip, and was involved in securing changes to wheat laws and defence force policy.[5] Adams had been diagnosed with first-stage breast cancer in 1998, and secondary breast cancer in 2008.[6] She died from the disease at Kalamunda Hospital in March 2012, aged 68.[citation needed]

The Parliament of Western Australia appointed Dean Smith on 2 May 2012 to Adams' Senate vacancy.

See also

References

  1. ^ About Judith – Senator Judith Adams. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  2. ^ Senator Judith Adams – Q&A. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  3. ^ Liberal Senator Judith Adams loses cancer battle – The Australian online. Published 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  4. ^ WA State election - Judith Adams – Wagin Argus. Published 24 January 2001. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  5. ^ Spagnolo, Joe (2012). Liberal senator loses breast cancer battle – PerthNow. Published 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  6. ^ A passionate advocate for women Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine – Breast Cancer Network of Australia. Retrieved 31 March 2012.