Dorothy Tagney On Graduation

Dorothy Margaret Tangney was born in North Perth on the 13th March 1907. Daughter of Eugene Tangney (an Irish born engine driver and staunch unionist) and Ellen (nee Shanahan).

Tagney won a Secondary School scholarship and in 1921 completed her Leaving Certificate.

Tangney became a passionate social justice advocate and was an active member of the Australian Labour Party. She graduated from Claremont Teachers College and then taught at Claremont Central School from 1934 (History, Poetry, Literature, Geography, Civics, English).

Tangney completed her Diploma of Education in the late 1930's where she played an active role in student politics and affairs, including debating.

In 1936 and 1939 Tangney was endorsed as the Labour candidate for Nedlands in the State Elections and she was unsuccessful on both occasions.

In 1943, Tangney became Australia's first female Senator and represented WA in Canberra. Senator Tangney made history by being the first woman to join a Federal Parliamentary Committee on being elected a member of the Joint Committee on Social Security, where she was able to implement her passion for social justice (health reform, unemployment benefits, working conditions) where she played a part in the establishment of the Australian National University, in the Peace Treaty with Japan, in overseas conferences representing Australia, in the United Nations General Assembly as an observer.

Tangy headed the Western Australian Senate ticket in 1946, 1951, 1955 and 1961, but was defeated in 1967

Tangney was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1968.

Dame Dorothy never married and died, aged 78, on 3 June 1985 at Wembley, Perth. She was buried in the Catholic section of Karrakatta cemetery.