Rosemary Follett, Australian politician, was the first woman to become the head of government in an Australian state or territory. Follett became the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory in 1989 following her Australian Labor Party's victory in the first ACT election. She was deposed as Chief Minister in 1990, but returned to office in 1991. In 1995 she was defeated by the Liberal Party of Australia under Kate Carnell. Leaving the Assembly that year, Follett is presently the ACT's Sex Discrimination Commissioner.