THE FIRST ever female premier of Victoria was “a wonderful woman”, according to a former Swan Hill councillor who was close to her.
Joan Kirner, who served as premier for two years between 1990 and 1992, passed away at the age of 76 on Monday after a long battle with esophageal cancer and will be farewelled at 10am today with a state funeral.
Former Swan Hill councillor Yvonne Jennings said she knew Ms Kirner well, as she had a history of attending Women on Farms gatherings and showing support for rural women.
“She was a great supporter of rural women and making sure that rural women had a voice in State Government,” Ms Jennings said.
“And, of course, she travelled the state as president of the [Victorian Federation of State School Parents’ Club]… so she used to come up by train and catch up — I didn’t know her in those days but I know that that was her history.”
Ms Kirner was also one of the first people to congratulate Ms Jennings when she was inducted to the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll in 2012, she recalled.
Ms Jennings remembered her as being inclusive and having “a huge sense of social justice and great generosity of spirit”.
“She was a very modest person, and you always felt that she was keenly, keenly interested in what other people were doing,” Ms Jennings said.
“She was like a bull terrier with an issue, if there was an issue she cared about she wouldn’t back off, no worries of that.”
For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (June 5).
