Susan Ryan

The Honourable Susan Ryan AO FAICD
Ryan in 2015
Age Discrimination Commissioner
In office 30 July 2011 – 29 July 2016
Appointed by	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Elizabeth Broderick
Succeeded by	Kay Patterson
Special Minister of State
In office 24 July 1987 – 19 January 1988
Prime Minister	Bob Hawke
Preceded by	Michael Tate
Succeeded by	Frank Walker
Minister for Education
In office 11 March 1983 – 24 July 1987
Prime Minister	Bob Hawke
Preceded by	Peter Baume
Succeeded by	John Dawkins
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women
In office 11 March 1983 – 19 January 1988
Prime Minister	Bob Hawke
Preceded by	Office Created
Succeeded by	Margaret Reynolds
Senator for the Australian Capital Territory
In office 13 December 1975 – 29 January 1988
Preceded by	Seat Created
Succeeded by	Bob McMullan
Personal details
Born	Susan Maree Ryan (1942-10-10)10 October 1942 Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
Died	27 September 2020(2020-09-27) (aged 77) Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Labor
Spouse	Richard Butler ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1972)​
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Sydney, Australian National University
Profession	Educator

Susan Maree Ryan AO FAICD (10 October 1942 – 27 September 2020) was an Australian politician and public servant. She was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and held ministerial office in the Hawke government as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women (1983–1988), Minister for Education and Youth Affairs (1983–1984), Minister for Education (1984–1987) and Special Minister of State (1987–1988). She was the first woman from the ALP to serve in cabinet and was notably involved in the creation of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and the Affirmative Action (Equal Opportunities in Employment) Act 1986. Ryan served as a senator for the Australian Capital Territory from 1975 to 1987. After leaving politics she served as the Age Discrimination Commissioner from 2011 to 2016, within the Australian Human Rights Commission.^[1]