Margaret Guilfoyle

Margaret Guilfoyle

Dame Margaret Georgina Constance Guilfoyle, AC, DBE (née McCarthy; born 15 May 1926) was a British-born Australian Senator for the state of Victoria from 1971 to 1987. She was the second woman to receive a federal ministerial portfolio, after Dame Enid Lyons. Following her retirement she has continued to serve the Australian public through numerous boards and directorships.

Guilfoyle was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland as Margaret Georgina Constance McCarthy. Her family migrated to Australia in 1928 and settled in Melbourne. She trained as an accountant, and later studied law at the Australian National University. She married Stanley Guilfoyle. She joined the Young Liberals in 1949, and was active within the party from that point. In 1970, Guilfoyle was elected to the Senate for the Liberal Party in Victoria, her term beginning on 1 July 1971. She served in the governments of Malcolm Fraser between 1975 and 1983, as minister, successively, for Education, Social Security and Finance. She retired from politics at the double dissolution of 5 June 1987.