Tributes have flowed at a state funeral in Melbourne for Joan Child, Australia's first female speaker of the House of Representatives.
Ms Child became the first female Labor member of the House of Representatives when she won the east Melbourne seat of Henty in 1974.
She was the fourth woman ever elected to the House of Representatives.
Amanda Cavill reports.
In the late 1960s, Joan Child was a young widow in Melbourne with five sons, trying to raise them on a pension.
Her husband, Hal Child, had died suddenly in the mid-1960s leaving her with the children, aged seven to 17, and with 57 pounds in the bank.
The widow's pension then was less than 20 dollars a week and inadequate for five growing boys.
Her friend Dally Messenger says the determination which saw Joan Child rise to the top in politics also saw her work long and hard to support her family.
"In true Joan style, she seized the challenge, taught herself to drive, and taught herself to do the home repairs normally done by the man of the house. She augmented her pension with cleaning and other jobs and still made sure she was there for her sons when they came home from school."
Joan Child's election in 1974 made her the first female Australian Labor Party member of the federal House of Representatives.
In 1986 she was elected as Speaker of the House.
Ms Child remained the nation's only female speaker until Anna Burke took over from independent MP Peter Slipper in October last year.
Prime MinisterJulia Gillard paid tribute to Joan Child at her funeral in Melbourne.
Ms Gillard says Ms Child stood up for the elderly, the unemployed, and ordinary workers during her whole life.
"Women like Joan didn't have a guide book. Instead, they wrote it. That is why we can say today that Joan left us many gifts. Most importantly at all Joan gave us her example: the example of a smart, confident woman succeeding in the public sphere. Not only succeeding against the odds but resetting those odds for those that came in her footsteps."
Governor-General Quentin Bryce read a poem in honour of Ms Child.
Ms Bryce says Australians take pride in their heroines. .
"Joan Child was one. Her star shines brightly. A true pioneer: feisty, visionary, gutsy, a first many times over. Her life signifies values and principles we Australians admire and hold dear."
Peter Child says his mother transcended the political boundaries.
He says one of his favorite memories is when a slightly tipsy Labor MP had to be removed from the House of Representatives after sitting on the front bench dressed in a chicken suit.
"She set up a card game in the old parliament house on Thursday nights. And one particular night, the Leader of the House at the time, Mick Young, burst into the room and said, 'Madam Speaker there's a chook in the house, a chicken.' You've got to picture this: a glass of scotch, a fan of cards, a cigarette. She looked up and said, 'Mick get rid of it. You're the leader of the House.' As he turned to leave Mick looked around [the room] and said 'He's a Liberal! And he's National Party!' 'Yes, Mick' she said, 'they're friends of mine. We play cards'."
In 1990, Joan Child was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
She was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001, named a Paul Harris fellow with Rotary, and awarded a 40-year badge with the ALP.
Joan Child is survived by her sons Peter, Andrew, Geoff, Gary and Roger and their families.
