Kathryn Jean Martin Sullivan AM (born 8 March 1942) is an Australian former politician. A member of the Liberal Party, she was a Senator for Queensland from 1974 to 1984 and a member of the House of Representatives from 1984 to 2001, holding the seat of Moncrieff. She broke Dorothy Tangney's record for the longest period of service in federal parliament by a woman, which was later surpassed by Bronwyn Bishop. She was the first woman to have served in both houses of parliament.
Early life
Sullivan was born Kathryn Jean Martin on 8 March 1942 in Brisbane, Queensland. She was the second of two daughters born to Edna (née Sproul) and Ian Martin. Her mother was a nurse and post office worker and her father was a bank officer. She grew up in country Queensland, attending primary schools in Mount Morgan, Kingaroy, Humpybong, and Camp Hill. Her secondary education was completed at Somerville House in Brisbane. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) degree in political science at the University of Queensland.
Politics
Martin joined the Young Liberals in 1960 during her first year at university. She served as state secretary in 1961 and vice-president in 1963, and had received life membership by the time she graduated.
In April 1975, Martin was chosen as the Liberal Party's assistant whip in the Senate. She was "a linchpin in keeping the Opposition senators in line" during the 1975 constitutional crisis, and retained the position after the Coalition won the 1975 federal election. She resigned as assistant whip in February 1977 after crossing the floor with nine other Liberal senators to oppose a procedural motion to expedite the government's constitutional amendment bills. Martin subsequently led the "No" campaign in Queensland against the simultaneous elections amendment, which was the only one of four not to pass. Her relationship with Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser deteriorated as a result and "destroyed her prospects for promotion while he remained party leader". She returned to her former position as a deputy whip later in 1994, holding the position until the 1996 election. Sullivan hoped to become Speaker of the House of Representatives when the Coalition won the 1996 federal election, but was defeated by Bob Halverson in an internal ballot. She was instead elected to the speaker's panel. Following a ministerial reshuffle, Sullivan was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in October 1997. She held the position until February 2000 when she announced her decision not to re-contest her seat at the 2001 federal election.
Recognition
In 2003, Sullivan was made a Member of the Order of Australia, for service to the Parliament of Australia and to the community, particularly as an advocate for improved services and conditions affecting women.
According to a study by the Parliamentary Library, Sullivan crossed the floor 20 times during her career, the most out of any woman during the period from 1950 to 2019. Each of those occasions occurred during her service in the Senate.
Personal life
From 1965 to 1969, Sullivan was married to Donald Maher.
Sullivan re-married in 1975 to Jim Gray, continuing to use her maiden name in parliament. They divorced in 1978 and in 1983 she married Bob Sullivan, a former U.S. Marine. She was widowed in 2008.