{{Short description|Australian politician (1943–2012)}} {{redirect|Judith Anne Adams|the American criminal couple|Alvin and Judith Neelley}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Judith Adams | honorific_suffix = | image = | title = Senator for Western Australia | term_start = 1 July 2005 | term_end = 31 March 2012 | successor = Dean Smith | birth_name = Judith Anne Bird | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1943|4|11}} | birth_place = Picton, New Zealand | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2012|3|31|1943|4|11}} | death_place = Kalamunda, Western Australia, Australia | spouse = Gordon Adams (m 1970–2008)<br />(his death) | party = Liberal Party of Australia | relations = | children = Stuart Adams, Robert Adams | alma_mater = | occupation = Nurse, farmer, midwife | profession = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Judith Anne Adams''' (née '''Bird'''; 11 April 1943 – 31 March 2012) was a New Zealand-born Australian politician, midwife, nurse, and farmer, who served as a member of the Australian Senate between 2005 and 2012, representing the state of Western Australia.

==Biography== Adams was born in Picton, New Zealand, and was a trained nurse and midwife experienced in health care policy, with a diploma in Operating Theatre Nursing. She joined the New Zealand Territorial Army as a nursing sister in 1963, and was later posted to Vietnam as a civilian nurse under the Colombo Plan during the Vietnam War.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120514113810/http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/federal/about-judith About Judith] – Senator Judith Adams. Retrieved 31 March 2012.</ref> Adams emigrated to Australia in 1968, and was employed by the Medical Department of Western Australia as a member of the Emergency Nursing Service, which involved postings to regional Western Australian towns.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/senators/adams.htm Senator Judith Adams] – Q&A. Retrieved 31 March 2012.</ref>

She met her future husband, Gordon Adams, a pilot for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, while serving in Meekatharra, whom she married in 1970. The couple leased a farm at Quindanning before purchasing a farm at Kojonup in 1972.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/liberal-senator-judith-adams-loses-cancer-battle/story-e6frg6n6-1226315338449 Liberal Senator Judith Adams loses cancer battle] ''The Australian'' 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.</ref> While in Western Australia, she served as a councillor of the Healthcare Association of Western Australia, the Australian Healthcare Association, and the National Rural Health Alliance, and was a member of the Rural Health Reference Group. She was also a member of the State Executive of the Liberal Party of Australia between 2000 and 2004. Gordon died in 2008.

At the 2001 Western Australian state election, Adams was a candidate for the seat of Wagin, but was defeated by Terry Waldron.<ref>[http://www.waginargus.com.au/news/local/news/politics/wa-state-election-judith-adams/154610.aspx WA State election - Judith Adams] – ''Wagin Argus''. Published 24 January 2001. Retrieved 31 March 2012.</ref> Adams was elected to the Senate at the 2004 federal election, with her term commencing on 1 July 2005, becoming the second-oldest woman to enter Australian parliament. During her period in parliament, she served as deputy opposition whip, and was involved in securing changes to wheat laws and defence force policy.<ref>Spagnolo, Joe (2012). [http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/liberal-senator-loses-breast-cancer-battle/story-e6frg14c-1226315222427 Liberal senator loses breast cancer battle] ''PerthNow'' Published 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.</ref> Adams had been diagnosed with first-stage breast cancer in 1998, and secondary breast cancer in 2008.<ref>[http://www.bcna.org.au/secondary-breast-cancer/living-secondary-breast-cancer/personal-stories-living-secondary-breast-can-1 A passionate advocate for women] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320190231/http://bcna.org.au/secondary-breast-cancer/living-secondary-breast-cancer/personal-stories-living-secondary-breast-can-1 |date=20 March 2012 }} – Breast Cancer Network of Australia. Retrieved 31 March 2012.</ref> She died from the disease at Kalamunda Hospital in March 2012, aged 68.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 April 2012 |title=Tributes pour in for brave and inspiring senator Judith Adams |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/tributes-pour-in-for-brave-and-inspiring-senator-judith-adams-20120401-1w625.html |website=WAtoday}}</ref>

The Parliament of Western Australia appointed Dean Smith on 2 May 2012 to Adams' Senate vacancy.

==See also== * Women in the Australian Senate

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090913013747/http://www.judithadams.com.au/ Judith Adams Homepage] *[https://archive.today/20121127011445/http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/TranslateWIPILink.aspx?Folder=BIOGS&Criteria=NAME_ID:E4Q; Judith Adams, Senate Biography]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Judith}} Category:1943 births Category:2012 deaths Category:20th-century Australian farmers Category:20th-century New Zealand farmers Category:21st-century Australian farmers Category:20th-century New Zealand women farmers Category:Women wartime nurses Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Category:Members of the Australian Senate for Western Australia Category:Members of the Australian Senate Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia Category:Naturalised citizens of Australia Category:New Zealand midwives Category:People from Kojonup, Western Australia Category:People from Picton, New Zealand Category:Women members of the Australian Senate Category:Australian midwives Category:Vietnam War nurses Category:Women in the Vietnam War Category:Australian women nurses Category:New Zealand women nurses Category:21st-century Australian politicians Category:21st-century Australian women politicians Category:21st-century Australian women farmers Category:20th-century Australian women farmers Category:Deaths from breast cancer in Australia Category:Deaths from cancer in Western Australia Category:20th-century New Zealand nurses Category:20th-century Australian nurses