Tributes flow for Lismore's first female mayor, Dr Ros Irwin, who has died at 82
- Replies 0
A passionate, progressive, smart and indefatigable breaker of boundaries. That is how Lismore community leaders are remembering the northern NSW city's first female mayor, Ros Irwin, who has died at 82 after a short illness.
When Dr Irwin was seconded to develop Lismore City Council's first management plan more than 30 years ago, the 12 elected officials she addressed were all older men.
But that long-running trend would change at the next council election in 1991 when Dr Irwin and Lyn Carson were elected under the slogan "There's room for us all at City Hall" and Diana Roberts won a seat with a sustainability pitch.
"At that time, Lismore had only ever had three women in its [120-year] history," Ms Roberts said.
"So to have three women on the council at once was very confronting to the other councillors and the community in some ways.
"We had to work hard to earn respect … we were referred to as the hairy-legged lesbians."
Trailblazer for women in council
Dr Irwin was elected mayor in 1997, one of five progressives who often locked horns with six conservative councillors.
She was joined in 2004 by Jenny Dowell, who would later become Lismore's second female mayor.
"[Dr Irwin] would debate something passionately and invariably lose the debate, because the progressive side always lost the debate, and she'd be on her feet for the next debate, whereas I was slumped there and thinking, 'What could I have done better?'" Ms Dowell said.
"She just said to me, 'Look, you've got to brush it off and move on', so her ability to move on was astounding. It gave me a great deal of strength.
"Her role-modelling in that position and her help raising the profile of women on council … changed the shape of council."
Diana Roberts said if Dr Irwin found things difficult at times, she didn't show it.
"It's really hard to be a woman on local government because of the price you pay on your family," she said.
"Ros was a single mother at that stage. It asks a lot of women to be there."
Dr Irwin also served on the board of Local Government NSW, the NSW Arts Advisory Council and completed her PhD on women in local government.
Community, conservation and koalas
When she stepped down from council after 17 years, Dr Irwin lectured in arts and social sciences at Southern Cross University.
She also became a patron and, eventually, president of Friends of the Koala (FOK).
Another former FOK President, Lorraine Vass, said Dr Irwin's contribution was "enormous over a long period of time".
"When she was mayor, she did get up the first professional study of Lismore's koalas," Ms Vass said.
"Ros was president through the horrendous 2019-20 bushfires, which presented a lot of challenges for Friends of the Koala as an organisation."
Cancer and comradeship
Jenny Dowell said she and Dr Irwin had been in close contact after a chance meeting at a radiology clinic last month.
She said the tenacity Dr Irwin showed on council and after her cancer diagnosis was her greatest strength.
"She was a force of nature in many ways and a great intellect," Ms Dowell said.
Diana Roberts also remained friends with Dr Irwin for 35 years and remembered her as a "highly ethical, very principled, passionate person".
Dr Roslyn Irwin is survived by partner Bill Sheaffe, daughter Nicole, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Written by Joanne Shoebridge and Bruce MacKenzie, ABC News.
When Dr Irwin was seconded to develop Lismore City Council's first management plan more than 30 years ago, the 12 elected officials she addressed were all older men.
But that long-running trend would change at the next council election in 1991 when Dr Irwin and Lyn Carson were elected under the slogan "There's room for us all at City Hall" and Diana Roberts won a seat with a sustainability pitch.
Lismore's first female mayor, Dr Roslyn Irwin, is remembered as an energetic and committed role model. (Supplied.)
"At that time, Lismore had only ever had three women in its [120-year] history," Ms Roberts said.
"So to have three women on the council at once was very confronting to the other councillors and the community in some ways.
"We had to work hard to earn respect … we were referred to as the hairy-legged lesbians."
Dr Irwin was elected mayor of Lismore in 1997 — the city's first woman to don the robe and chain. (Supplied: Bill Sheaff)
Trailblazer for women in council
Dr Irwin was elected mayor in 1997, one of five progressives who often locked horns with six conservative councillors.
She was joined in 2004 by Jenny Dowell, who would later become Lismore's second female mayor.
"[Dr Irwin] would debate something passionately and invariably lose the debate, because the progressive side always lost the debate, and she'd be on her feet for the next debate, whereas I was slumped there and thinking, 'What could I have done better?'" Ms Dowell said.
Ros Irwin (right) and Lyn Carson campaigned as independents at the 1991 council election. (Supplied: Diana Roberts)
"She just said to me, 'Look, you've got to brush it off and move on', so her ability to move on was astounding. It gave me a great deal of strength.
"Her role-modelling in that position and her help raising the profile of women on council … changed the shape of council."
Dr Irwin (fourth from left) and two other female independents changed the male-dominated Lismore City Council forever. (Supplied: Diana Roberts)
Diana Roberts said if Dr Irwin found things difficult at times, she didn't show it.
"It's really hard to be a woman on local government because of the price you pay on your family," she said.
"Ros was a single mother at that stage. It asks a lot of women to be there."
Dr Irwin also served on the board of Local Government NSW, the NSW Arts Advisory Council and completed her PhD on women in local government.
Dr Irwin (right) with other former Lismore mayors Jenny Dowell (left) and Vanessa Ekins. (Supplied: Peter Derrett)
Community, conservation and koalas
When she stepped down from council after 17 years, Dr Irwin lectured in arts and social sciences at Southern Cross University.
She also became a patron and, eventually, president of Friends of the Koala (FOK).
Another former FOK President, Lorraine Vass, said Dr Irwin's contribution was "enormous over a long period of time".
"When she was mayor, she did get up the first professional study of Lismore's koalas," Ms Vass said.
"Ros was president through the horrendous 2019-20 bushfires, which presented a lot of challenges for Friends of the Koala as an organisation."
Jenny Dowell said she and Dr Irwin had been in close contact after a chance meeting at a radiology clinic last month.
She said the tenacity Dr Irwin showed on council and after her cancer diagnosis was her greatest strength.
"She was a force of nature in many ways and a great intellect," Ms Dowell said.
Dr Irwin is being remembered for her tenacity in her public and private lives. (Supplied)
Diana Roberts also remained friends with Dr Irwin for 35 years and remembered her as a "highly ethical, very principled, passionate person".
Dr Roslyn Irwin is survived by partner Bill Sheaffe, daughter Nicole, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Written by Joanne Shoebridge and Bruce MacKenzie, ABC News.
