Historical information

Dame Ivy Evelyn Annie Wedgwood, as Senator in the Federal Government, presented the Senate with Statistics of visits done by Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS) Trained nurses (Sisters) showing their visits increased threefold in the four years from 1952-1956. She was Honorary Treasurer of the now named Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) for many years.

Significance

Dame Ivy Evelyn Annie Wedgwood trained as an Accountant and worked as a Secretary before joining the Australian Women's National League which led her to be a founding member of the Liberal Party, and the Victorian Liberal Party's women's section. She became the first Victorian woman Senator in the Federal Government in December 1949 and served until mid 1971. She presented the Senate with Statistics of visits done by Melbourne District Nursing Society Sisters showing their visits increased threefold in the four years from 1952-1956, and stating that many patients would have been hospitalized without the visits from the Society. She strongly supported the Home Nursing Subsidy Bill in Parliament which was passed in 1956, and continued to work for health, welfare and disability issues as well as being an advocate for women's interests, including equal pay for equal work, during her time in Parliament.
Over the years she was a specialist magistrate to the Children's Court of Victoria, a Justice of the Peace, served on the National Council of Women, and was president of the Women's Justice Association, as well as Honorary Treasurer of the now named Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) for many years and the first President of the Australian Council of Domiciliary Nursing. In June 1967 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for 'distinguished services to Parliament and the community' and RDNS holds this award in its Archives. Following her retirement from Parliament she became President of the After-Care Hospital in 1972, and on the 24th of July 1975 after chairing a Board meeting she felt unwell and returned to her home in Toorak where she died, aged 78 years, later that evening.

Physical description

Black and white photograph showing Dame Ivy Wedgwood, who has short wavy dark hair; is wearing glasses and has a single string of pearls around her neck. She and is sitting in a light coloured covered chair and part of a cushion is seen. She is wearing a floral dress with mid length sleeves and is sitting in front of a filled bookcase. A smaller filled bookcase is seen to her left as well as some stacked books.