Rita Waters

Henrietta Waters JP, known as Rita Waters, (née Cronin) was an Australian former farmer, and wool classer who in 1994 was the first woman elected Mayor of the City of Wanneroo. Waters was also the first woman elected to the position of Deputy Mayor of the City of Wanneroo in 1989. to May 1996. Waters represented the North Ward, which included the suburbs of Two Rocks, Yanchep, Eglinton, Alkimos, Carabooda and Jindalee.
Biography
Rita Waters was the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the City of Wanneroo when the population consisted of approximately 201,000 people. During this period the City of Wanneroo also represented Joondalup, which would not be established as its own city until 1 July 1998.
Ahead of the 1984 Australia federal election, Rita Waters was preselected by the Liberal Party to contend the federal seat of Moore. Since the establishment of the division of Moore in 1949, Waters 1984 candidacy represented the first time a woman had been preselected by either major party to contend the seat. Moore was held by the Australian Labor Party, and was considered to be a 'fairly safe' Labor seat given it's margin of 7.2%. At the election, Waters secured a 6.4% swing towards the Liberal Party, however she was unsuccessful in winning the seat from Labor incumbent Allen Blanchard. The Liberal Party (led by then Opposition leader Andrew Peacock) recorded a national swing in their favour of 1.4%,
 
< Prev   Next >