Sue West

Suzanne Margaret West (born 21 September 1947) is a former Australian politician and nurse who was the first woman to serve as a Senator for New South Wales. A member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), she was appointed to the Senate in February 1987 following the resignation of Doug McClelland. She lost her seat at the 1987 federal election but returned at the 1990 election and was re-elected in 1996. She did not seek re-election in 2001 and retired at the expiration of her term in June 2002.

Early life West was born and raised in Cowra, New South Wales, the daughter of Edna (née Bennett) and Tim West. Her father was a grazier and ALP member who stood for state parliament on four occasions without success. She grew up on the family property outside of Cowra, and was educated at Blackfriars Correspondence School, Cowra Public School, and Cowra High School. She then trained as a nurse at Cowra District Hospital before moving to Sydney and completing a certificate in midwifery at King George V Memorial Hospital.

Personal life West married Peter Martin, a retired police officer with four adult children, in March 1987. She was widowed in 1993.