Judith Adams

Judith Anne Adams (née Bird; 11 April 1943 – 31 March 2012) was a New Zealand-born Australian politician, midwife, nurse, and farmer, who served as a member of the Australian Senate between 2005 and 2012, representing the state of Western Australia.

Adams was born in Picton, New Zealand, and was a trained nurse and midwife experienced in health care policy, with a diploma in Operating Theatre Nursing. She joined the New Zealand Territorial Army as a nursing sister in 1963, and was later posted to Vietnam as a civilian nurse under the Colombo Plan during the Vietnam War.^[1] Adams emigrated to Australia in 1968, and was employed by the Medical Department of Western Australia as a member of the Emergency Nursing Service, which involved postings to regional Western Australian towns.^[2]

She met her future husband, Gordon Adams, a pilot for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, while serving in Meekatharra, whom she married in 1970. The couple leased a farm at Quindanning before purchasing a farm at Kojonup in 1972.^[3] While in Western Australia, she served as a councillor of the Healthcare Association of Western Australia, the Australian Healthcare Association, and the National Rural Health Alliance, and was a member of the Rural Health Reference Group. She was also a member of the State Executive of the Liberal Party of Australia between 2000 and 2004. Gordon died in 2008.

At the 2001 Western Australian state election, Adams was a candidate for the seat of Wagin, but was defeated by Terry Waldron.^[4] Adams was elected to the Senate at the 2004 federal election, with her term commencing on 1 July 2005, becoming the second-oldest woman to enter Australian parliament. During her period in parliament, she served as deputy opposition whip, and was involved in securing changes to wheat laws and defence force policy.^[5] Adams had been diagnosed with first-stage breast cancer in 1998, and secondary breast cancer in 2008.^[6] She died from the disease at Kalamunda Hospital in March 2012, aged 68.^{[citation needed]}

The Parliament of Western Australia appointed Dean Smith on 2 May 2012 to Adams' Senate vacancy.

• Women in the Australian Senate

• Judith Adams Homepage
• Judith Adams, Senate Biography