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Colleen Freeman, Mayoress, Ipswich City Council, Ipswich, 1980
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TitleColleen Freeman, Mayoress, Ipswich City Council, Ipswich, 1980Date Created1980StudioF.A. Whitehead & SonsAcknowledgementWhitehead Family
Location
City & StateIpswich, QueenslandGeo Coordinatesnot specified
Description
DescriptionDescribed in her eighth decade as "a lady to be reckoned with" by the Courier Mail in 2016, Colleen Freeman (nee Bourke) described herself as "born into the Labour Party" at an ALP True Believers meeting where she was recognised for her support of the Australian Labour Party (ALP) for over fifty years with an award presented by Shayne Neumann, Member for Blair. Collen remembered her father's advice to her "to be prepared to stand up and speak out when I saw an injustice, particularly on behalf of somebody less fortunate than myself." She credits this advice as a defining part of her life and a driving factor in her joining the ALP.
Colleen's father was a railway fettler and her mother was a tailor. They lived in Rosewood, Ipswich, where Colleen was born in 1933.
The Bourke family was political, Labour-aligned, and community-minded. Her father was a passionate unionist and a member of the (ALP). Her mother donated her time and skill to donate goods to the Catholic Church and disadvantaged community members. Her grandparents were founding members of the ALP in North Queensland.
Colleen trained as a nurse after working as a bookkeeper. She was employed as a nurse assistant at Ipswich's St Andrew's Hospital. She went on to be employed in Gympie as a midwife before returning home to Rosewood.
In 1955, Colleen married her husband, future mayor of Ipswich, Desmond A. (Des) Freeman. Des was also an entrenched Labour proponent. He, too, was recognised by the ALP True Believers as a member of the ALP of fifty years standing in 2016. Colleen and Des were active members of the North Booval Labour Party branch during the 1950s and 1960s.
Colleen was the first woman elected into the ALP administrative committee in Queensland and was president of Labor Women in Queensland from 1973 to 1979. As President of Labour Women, Colleen was passionate about issues involving community rights to assemble, march, and peacefully protest; supporting women's shelters; and advocating for access and education about family planning. These issues, championed by Colleen, were considered unimportant by the Bjelke-Petersen government of the day.
In 1975, Colleen was the first female candidate for a position in the Queensland State Senate. Mal Colston was the successful candidate at that election.
She became Mayoress of Ipswich in 1979 when Des was elected Mayor. Des was an Ipswich Alderman from 1973 to 1979 and Mayor of Ipswich from 1979 to 1991. During her time as Mayoress, she was proud to create the Mayoress Welfare Committee, which gave grants to people in need, including children from disadvantaged backgrounds to enable them to pursue art, education, and sports programmes.
In her time after being succeeded as mayoress, Collen created the ALP True Believers organisation, the same one which would show appreciation for her, Des, and nine other long-time Labour supporters in the Ipswich community.
Colleen passed away in 2024 and was remembered during an official speech by Shayne Neumann, when he described Colleen as "a trailblazer" and he thanked her for her "service to the party, to Ipswich and to the nation."References (online)ADJOURNMENT : Freeman, Mrs Colleen Margaret - Shayne Neumann - Parliament of Australia - 11 September 2024 - [Accessed 27 September 2024]True believers honoured on 50 years - Jgould - 7 May 2016 - The Courier Mail - [Accessed 27 September 2024]
Colleen's father was a railway fettler and her mother was a tailor. They lived in Rosewood, Ipswich, where Colleen was born in 1933.
The Bourke family was political, Labour-aligned, and community-minded. Her father was a passionate unionist and a member of the (ALP). Her mother donated her time and skill to donate goods to the Catholic Church and disadvantaged community members. Her grandparents were founding members of the ALP in North Queensland.
Colleen trained as a nurse after working as a bookkeeper. She was employed as a nurse assistant at Ipswich's St Andrew's Hospital. She went on to be employed in Gympie as a midwife before returning home to Rosewood.
In 1955, Colleen married her husband, future mayor of Ipswich, Desmond A. (Des) Freeman. Des was also an entrenched Labour proponent. He, too, was recognised by the ALP True Believers as a member of the ALP of fifty years standing in 2016. Colleen and Des were active members of the North Booval Labour Party branch during the 1950s and 1960s.
Colleen was the first woman elected into the ALP administrative committee in Queensland and was president of Labor Women in Queensland from 1973 to 1979. As President of Labour Women, Colleen was passionate about issues involving community rights to assemble, march, and peacefully protest; supporting women's shelters; and advocating for access and education about family planning. These issues, championed by Colleen, were considered unimportant by the Bjelke-Petersen government of the day.
In 1975, Colleen was the first female candidate for a position in the Queensland State Senate. Mal Colston was the successful candidate at that election.
She became Mayoress of Ipswich in 1979 when Des was elected Mayor. Des was an Ipswich Alderman from 1973 to 1979 and Mayor of Ipswich from 1979 to 1991. During her time as Mayoress, she was proud to create the Mayoress Welfare Committee, which gave grants to people in need, including children from disadvantaged backgrounds to enable them to pursue art, education, and sports programmes.
In her time after being succeeded as mayoress, Collen created the ALP True Believers organisation, the same one which would show appreciation for her, Des, and nine other long-time Labour supporters in the Ipswich community.
Colleen passed away in 2024 and was remembered during an official speech by Shayne Neumann, when he described Colleen as "a trailblazer" and he thanked her for her "service to the party, to Ipswich and to the nation."References (online)ADJOURNMENT : Freeman, Mrs Colleen Margaret - Shayne Neumann - Parliament of Australia - 11 September 2024 - [Accessed 27 September 2024]True believers honoured on 50 years - Jgould - 7 May 2016 - The Courier Mail - [Accessed 27 September 2024]
Connections
Government & Non-Government OrganisationsIpswich City CouncilAustralian Labor PartyPeople & FamiliesColleen Margaret Freeman (nee Bourke) (1933 - 2024)Desmond Allan (Des) Freeman (1925-2020)Curated CollectionsWhitehead Studios - The Whitehead CollectionTaxonomy20th Century | 1980s | 1980
Subjects
Asset Details
Reference IDWHD-017-NEG-2255p.jpgAsset TypeImages - JpegPhysical DescriptionNegativeHigher Resolution Available (contact Picture Ipswich)YesCopyright NoticeReproduction rights remain with Whitehead Studios. CopyrightPicture Ipswich Copyright Information
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StudioGovernment & Non-Government OrganisationsPeople & FamiliesCurated Collections
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Colleen Freeman, Mayoress, Ipswich City Council, Ipswich, 1980. Picture Ipswich, accessed 25/03/2025, https://www.pictureipswich.com.au/nodes/view/8102