Gracia Baylor AM

Gracia Baylor was the first woman President of the Shire of Healesville now Yarra Ranges Shire Council and one of the first two women to be elected to the Victorian Legislative Council. She has played a leading role in the Victorian and Australian National Council of Women, helped to establish the Queen Victoria Women's Centre and has been involved with many issues facing women.

Gracia Baylor was born in Brisbane in 1931. During the war her father was in the air force so the family moved to Victoria and they also spent some time in Hobart. In 1950 she completed a Diploma of Fine Arts at the National Gallery Arts School in Melbourne and afterwards did a teacher training course. Gracia taught at secondary schools and after marrying, worked as a law clerk and manager of one of her husband's three law practices.

Gracia developed her interest in local politics from her concern for the need for a kindergarten in Healesville where she lived and worked. She was elected to the Healesville Shire council in 1966 and served as Shire President from 1977-78. At the time she was the first female Shire President in Victoria. From 1973-76, she was President of the Australian Local Government Women's Association and actively supported and encouraged women to stand for local government. In March 1979 she was one of the first two women to be elected to the Victorian Legislative Council as the member for Boronia. Gracia resigned from this seat in 1985 to contest the lower house seat of Warrandyte, but was unsuccessful.

As an MP, Gracia was instrumental in helping to save the main building on the Queen Victoria Hospital site by persuading fellow Upper House colleagues to block legislation to sell this piece of Crown land to developers. The building became the Queen Victoria Women's Centre (QVWC), a focal point of reference for women to access services and facilities. In 1995, she became a Trustee of the QVWC.

For many years, Gracia has been an active leader of women's organisations, including President of the National Council of Women (NCW) of Victoria 1990-93 and President of NCW Australia 1997-2000. She has helped to prepare many submissions to government on issues concerning women's health, migration, education, nutrition and environment. In 1999, Gracia was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of her services to Parliament and women's affairs. She is a member of two Federal Government Advisory Committees. As a mature age student, Gracia went back to study and in 1992 gained a Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University.

Gracia firmly believes that women should have equal status to men. "I've always believed in equality ... that women should have equal opportunity to share in the decision-making processes of the nation at any level, whether it be parliamentary, corporate, or at the local level."