Ruth Forrest

Ruth Jane Forrest (born 4 March 1962) is an Australian politician who has been a member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council for the electoral division of Murchison since 2005, as an independent politician. Prior to her tenure in the legislative council she was a registered nurse and midwife.

On 10 August 2025, Tasmanian Labor said that if the party succeeds in government formation, it will appoint Forrest as Treasurer of Tasmania.^[1]

Ruth Jane Forrest was born in Burnie, Tasmania, Australia, on 4 March 1962,^[2] to Margaret and Keith Emmerton. Her family were farmers in North West Tasmania. She attended Riana Area School from 1968 to 1973, Ulverstone High School from 1974 to 1977, and Hellyer College in 1978.^[3]

Forrest was educated at the North Western General Hospital from 14 February 1979 to 25 February 1984, as a general nurse and midwife. From 1982 to 1988, she worked as a registered nurse at North Western General Hospital. From 1988 to 2005, she worked as a registered nurse and midwife in Burnie. She graduated from Flinders University with a Masters Of Midwifery after attending from 2002 to 2010.^[3]

In the 2005 election Forrest won a seat in the Tasmanian Legislative Council for the electoral division of Murchison as an independent politician.^[2] She was the first woman to represent that seat and was reelected in 2011, 2017 and 2023. During her tenure in the legislative council she has served as chair of the Public Accounts and Gender and Equality committees.^[3]

Forrest was named one by the Australian Financial Review as one of its 100 Women of Influence in the category of Public Policy in October 2019.^[4]

Forrest married Rob Woolley, with whom she had four children.^[3]

• Ruth Forrest's maiden speech to parliament