AustLit

Millicent Preston-Stanley was a politician and feminist. She lived in Sydney all her life, raised by her mother after her father deserted the family.

She was involved in a number of women's organisations, such as the Feminist Club which she was President of from 1919-34 and 1952-55. In 1925 Preston-Stanley became the first female member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the Eastern Suburbs. During this time she campaigned on maternal mortality, reform in child welfare, amendments to the Health Act and better housing. She held her seat until 1927.

She was the Australian delegate to America for the British-American Co-operation Movement in 1936 and undertook a lecture tour of America in 1937-38. In 1947 she was involved in the organisation, United Women Citizens' Movement against Socialisation formed to oppose the Chifley government's attempt to nationalise Australian banking.

She married Crawford Vaughan, company director and former Premier of South Australia, in Sydney in 1934.

Source: Heather Radi, 'Preston Stanley, Millicent Fanny (1883-1955)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/preston-stanley-millicent-fanny-8107/text14153, accessed 22 March 2013.