Spouse(s) Robert Darling Occupation Teacher | Nationality Australian Name Elaine Darling Children Vicky Darling Role Australian Politician | |
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Born 6 June 1936 (age 87) Brisbane, Queensland ( 1936-06-06 ) | ||
Elaine Elizabeth Darling (née Melloy; born 6 June 1936) is an Australian retired politician.
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Early life
Born in Brisbane, she attended the University of Queensland before becoming a teacher, eventually rising to an assistant to the Director of the Brisbane Kindergarten Training College.
Politics
In 1980, she was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Lilley, defeating the sitting Liberal MP Kevin Cairns. She was the fifth woman elected to the House of Representatives, and the second female Labor member of that House (the first was Joan Child). She held Lilley until her retirement in 1993.
From 2000 to 2004, she was a council member of the City of Caloundra.
Family political connections
Her father Jack Melloy was a long serving member of the Australian Labor Party and member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland. Her daughter, Vicky Darling, was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2006 to 2012.