Endorsement
In 1949, Mr RA Hartley, secretary of the metropolitan council of the ALP, announced the Hon Ruby Hutchison’s endorsement as the ALP candidate for the Suburban Province of the Legislative Council. She had won a pre-selection ballot defeating Mr A Tippett by 237 votes. Ruby contested Suburban Province in the Legislative Council for the ALP in 1950 at the age of 58 and at a by-election in 1953 but was unsuccessful. In June 1953 a few days prior to the by-election her letter box on Victoria Avenue was blown up. Two youths were seen running from the scene before the explosion.
Campaign
In the early 1950s, Ruby had regular “how to vote” advertisements in the Perth newspapers such as the Mirror and the Sunday Times with the slogans: “A Woman’s Voice is needed in the Upper House” and “Mrs RF Hutchison (Labor) will if elected provide the necessary viewpoint on rising prices, housing, education”. In 1950 she spoke on radio including 6PR on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights and 6KY on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Ruby had a large electorate as a member of the Council, but she worked hard by campaigning through her “street corner and factory gate meetings”. Judyth Watson, former MLA said she “never went anywhere without a pine wood box in the car so that she always had a platform”.
“Ruby on the hustings”
Personal Collection: Mavis Pirola
Election
The Hon Ruby Hutchison was finally elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council on 8 May 1954 and began her term a fortnight later, representing the Suburban Province. Ruby was the first woman elected to an Australian upper house and only the fourth woman elected to the WA Parliament. Premier Hawke informed Ruby of her election win on Mother’s Day. She won the seat by just over 500 votes from Hubert Parker who had sat in the Legislative Council for twenty years. The Federal Opposition Deputy Leader, Arthur Calwell rang to congratulate her. The Perth newspapers in the following days made much of Ruby’s status as a mother and women’s roles as housekeepers, for example “Mrs Hutchison who reared 7 children”; “Suburban Province was a Mother’s Day gift for Mrs. Ruby Hutchison…When occasion calls for it, I have no doubt both will wield a broom with salutary effect in the House” and “The Monday wash lay waiting in a copper”.
"Picture of political member of the Legislative Council for Suburban Province, first woman elected to this house, Honourable Mrs Ruby Florence Hutchison, on the telephone", 4 April 1959
Westpix: WAN-0042541