Forty years ago politics in Australia was turned on its head.

Because forty years ago, on 14th December 1977, South Australian Premier Don Dunstan appointed
Janine Haines to fill the casual vacancy created by the resignation from the Senate of Steele Hall,
who was intending to run for a lower house seat.

Steele Hall had been elected to the Senate representing the Liberal Movement, but that party no
longer existed. The number two candidate had subsequently been elected to a state seat.

Which left Janine Haines as the number three on the ticket. With the demise of the Liberal
Movement Janine had joined The New LM and subsequently the Australian Democrats. She accepted
Don Dunstans offer.

Janine left her secondary school teaching job and represented South Australia in the Senate for the
remainder of Steele Halls term until the end of June 1978. Having found that short period of service
to be very fulfilling, she decided to actively and successfully pursue re-election as a Democrat
candidate in 1979.

Assuming Federal leadership of the party in 1986 following the resignation of Don Chipp, Janine
Haines became the first female leader of a political party at Federal level in Australia. She carved out
a high profile for the Australian Democrats.

National President of the Australian Democrats, Elisa Resce, says that, forty years on, Janines
heritage is one that should be honoured by politically aware Australians.

Janine presented a powerful role model for women and girls considering a career in politics, making
it no longer unusual for a woman to show strength and leadership.

Janine also made acceptable the idea of casting a first-preference vote for a minor party which has
presaged the relative success of parties such as The Greens, Katters Australian Party, the Nick
Xenophon Team and the Palmer United Party. Indeed many voters now deliberately choose a party
to govern in the lower houses of parliament while opting to put a watchdog in the upper house to
keep them honest.

Tomorrow is a special anniversary, and the Australian Democrats salute the memory and heritage of
Janine Haines.