Interview with Diana Muriel Warnock politician by Criena Fitzgerald. Part 9

Summary

Born on 3 October 1940, the eldest daughter of Duncan Robinson, a farmer at Kookynie, and his wife Muriel. Educated at Helena School, Darlington, St. Hilda's Anglican School, and the University of Western Australia, where she received a BA degree in 1960. After graduation, she worked as a journalist for the West Australian, a research assistant for Professor Gordon Reid, a tutor in Women's Studies at Murdoch University, and a radio presenter on ABC 720WF, Radio 6PR and 6NR. Always interested in politics, before entering State Parliament, she was an activist on behalf of women and minority groups. In 1999, she was awarded the Australian Humanist of the Year for her work in society, paricularly on behalf of women. In 1993, she was elected ALP MLA for Perth. She held several shadow portfolios, was Opposition Whip from May 1996 to January 1997, and President of the Parliamentary Labor Party from 15 January 1997. She retired from Parliament at the 2001 election. In the interview, she talks about her parliamentary career, particularly her work on the abortion legislation and her commitment to the Republican Movement. Influential in her life were her mother Muriel, and her husband Bill Warnock, who died during the interview in 2001.