PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND STATE LIBRARY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Transcript of an interview with KAY HALLAHAN 1941 - ACCESS RESEARCH: OPEN PUBLICATION: OPEN STATE LIBRARY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA - ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION DATE OF INTERVIEW: 2011 - 2012 INTERVIEWER: Ronda Jamieson TRANSCRIBER: HANSARDS – PARLIAMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA DURATION: 6 hours and 49 minutes REFERENCE NUMBER: OH3994 COPYRIGHT: Parliament of Western Australia and the State Library of Western Australia NOTE TO READER Readers of this oral history memoir should bear in mind that it is a verbatim transcript of the spoken word and reflects the informal, conversational style that is inherent in such historical sources. The Parliament and the State Library are not responsible for the factual accuracy of the memoir, nor for the views expressed therein; these are for the reader to judge. Bold type face indicates a difference between transcript and recording, as a result of corrections made to the transcript only, usually at the request of the person interviewed. FULL CAPITALS in the text indicate a word or words emphasised by the person interviewed. Square brackets [ ] are used for insertions not in the original tape. INTRODUCTION An interview was conducted with the Hon. Kay Hallahan for the Parliament of Western Australia and the J S Battye Library of West Australian history between August 2011 and May 2012. The interviewer was Ronda Jamieson. Born Elsie Kay Downing in 1941, Kay Hallahan attended Perth Girls High School and then did office work. She joined the Police Force in 1969, but had to leave when she married Pat Hallahan in May 1972. She completed a degree in Social Work at the Western Australian Institute of Technology (later Curtin University) in 1980 and was a part-time real estate salesperson from 1979-1980. From 1981, she was a social worker at the Lockridge Community Health Centre, the Melville Rehabilitation Centre and for the Western Australian Alcohol and Drug Authority. A member of the Labor Party from 1976, Kay Hallahan won South-East Metropolitan Province in the Legislative Council in 1983. In 1986, she became a minister in the government of Brian Burke, joining Pam Beggs as the first Labor female members to do so. This also meant Kay Hallahan was the first female Member of the Legislative Council to hold a ministerial post. Her portfolios were Community Services, the Family, Youth, Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs, and the Aged. She was also the Minister assisting the Premier as Minister for Women's Interests, a position she held until 1990. She served in similar portfolios in the ministry of Peter Dowding, Premier from 1988 until 1990, and was Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council from March 1987 until February 1993. At the 1989 election Kay Hallahan transferred to the East Metropolitan Region and when Carmen Lawrence became Premier in February 1990, became Minister for Planning, Lands and Heritage with the Arts added later that year. From February 1991 her portfolios were Education, Employment (until September 1992), Training and the Arts. Among many achievements in her portfolios was the introduction of the Seniors Card, an initiative that was eventually followed by all other States and Territories. At the 1993 election, Kay Hallahan won the Legislative Assembly seat of Armadale becoming the first woman in Western Australia to serve in both houses. The 1993 election also saw the defeat of the Labor government and she served as Deputy Opposition Leader to Ian Taylor from February until October 1994. She retired from parliament at the 1996 election. In 2004, following the death of a preselected candidate and the resignation of her replacement, Kay Hallahan unsuccessfully stood for the federal seat of Canning. In 2002, Kay Hallahan was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "service to the community, particularly as an advocate for the needs of children, women and the elderly, in matters of social justice, and to the Parliament of Western Australia." She became chairperson of Save The Children Australia in 1998, one of several leadership positions she held in community organisations and as director of a number of not-for-profit boards. She was a member of the Gordon Inquiry into response by government agencies to allegations of family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal Communities and Chairman of the Child Death Review Committee in 2003. That same year she was awarded an Hon. Doctorate by Curtin University and was among the first 100 women inducted into the Western Australia Women’s Hall of Fame in 2011. INTERVIEW KAY HALLAHAN i Contents List Page No Elsie Kay Hallahan was born to Jessie and Eric Stanley on 4 Nov 1941 at St 1 David’s Hospital in Mt Lawley. The family resided at Tullis a small timber mill 13 miles from Boddington. The area has now become part of a gold mine. She recently (2011) re-established contact with her godmother, now 95 years old. Her parents married in 1938. A brother, Rodney, born in 1946 died in 2003 of lung cancer – as did their father, both being heavy smokers. Her mother attended Perth Girls’ High School and then worked in an office at 2 Economic Stores. She believed her father may have lost a farm due to the Great Depression and commenced work in the timber industry with Bunnings for 30 years. She thinks her father was akin to the timber mill manager. Tullis had 8 to 10 small houses and single men’s quarters. When the timber supply was exhausted the family moved to Muchea, then 3 Toodyay Road and later to the Fremantle and West Perth yards. Her father retired when he was ill with lung cancer. She attended a one room school early in order to keep up numbers. Hallahan moved to Muchea Primary School in approximately 1948. After one 4 year at Bullsbrook District High School the family moved to Perth. By registering under her aunt’s Inglewood address she was able to attend the same school as her mother – Perth Girls’ High School. This involved extensive daily travelling on public transport so she was unable to make friends locally. She arrived at this school two weeks before exams . She got low scores in algebra and geometry, subject she had not previously 5 done, and was placed in the general education stream. Her brother’s premature birth and being 4 years younger meant he became family favourite. Subjects such as sex, religion and politics were never discussed but the family voted Labor. Her parents were hospitable people and hosted many functions. Her father had 6 been president of Muchea football club and her mother president of the basketball club and home was a place where people could always drop in. When her father retired he built a beach house at Waikiki. She was not overly interested in sport but did enjoy art and music. She was in the Perth Ladies Highland Pipe Band for a number of years and 7 became drum major. Hallahan had always wanted to be a nurse but interest had waned after getting her Junior Certificate in 1956. Family advised she attend Burroughs to learn office machines such as adding and ledger and attend tech in the afternoon for shorthand and typing. After some temporary jobs she worked as a calculator operator at Midland 8 Junction Abattoir Board for 10 years. She was involved with the Anglican youth fellowship at the Church of Ascension. At 17 or 18 years she attended Holy Communion and taught Sunday School and also attend evensong. She resented the fact that the church being in a working class area had insufficient funds to attract another rector. She became leader of the youth club. Hallahan was eventually appointed as the part time district youth officer which 9 was a paid position. She did a lot of committee organisational work which included liaising with the local Catholic parish. She had only a couple of boyfriends during those years. Lacking qualifications to work in the welfare area Hallahan joined WA Police 10 Force in 1969. Women constables were plain clothed but were required to wear hats, bags and gloves even when chasing absconding girls They liaised with Department for Child Welfare. INTERVIEW KAY HALLAHAN ii Women police were primarily involved in the wellbeing of women and children. 11 This involved considerable liaison with foster parents and care groups although there were no stores of institutional abuse then. On rare reporting of rape cases they would assist CIB. She felt the system in place at the time was not in favour of the victim. Domestic violence was another field of involvement. Hallahan was grateful to have joined at an older age of 27. Training was on the 12 job and after studying statutes and passing exams recruits accompanied senior female officers. Females had to leave on marrying. During her time female police numbered no more than 38. She resigned in 1972 when she left to get married. Hallahan had met her husband Pat when president of the Anglican youth 13 fellowship in Midland. Some students from Governor Stirling High School suggested a teacher, Pat Hallahan, would teach the group debating which he did. The friendship evolved over time. They were together for 8 years. Although from a Liberal background he had strong socialist leanings and expressed his views strongly. Their association helped enhance her political awareness as her husband would 14 discuss politics vigorously and regularly. At 26, and still unmarried, Hallahan made the then “bold” move of moving into a 15 flat on her own. She did this while her parents were at the beach house and it caused great upset in the family.