[1] During her childhood Keay's family moved around the country as her father pursued various contracts, living for periods in Adelaide, Brisbane, and Sydney.

On 1 July 1903, she married journalist Robert Robertson, the editor of the Western Mail; the marriage bar in place at the time required her to give up teaching.

She served on the executive of the Western Australian Teachers' Union (including as vice-president for a period), and was a member of an appeals tribunal for pay disputes.

[1] Robertson was a devout Presbyterian, teaching Bible studies at the Ross Memorial Church and becoming one of the first women to serve as a lay preacher.

She co-founded the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union, and in 1937 represented Western Australia at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh.

[1] Through her volunteer work, Robertson became acquainted with social campaigner Bessie Rischbieth and state MP Florence Cardell-Oliver, who encouraged her to seek public office.

[1] When pressed on the issue, Prime Minister Robert Menzies confirmed that Robertson's age was the primary factor in her exclusion – she would be 73 at the time of the election, which was thought to be too old.

[b] Robertson mounted a vigorous 40-day campaign targeted at women voters, making a tour of rural areas and giving a series of radio broadcasts.

[10] She was firmly anti-communist, speaking in favour of the Communist Party Dissolution Bill in 1950, and advocated closer relations with Southeast Asia as a defence against the domino effect.

[1] With several of her Liberal colleagues, Robertson lobbied for the removal of the marriage bar in the Commonwealth Public Service; this was not achieved until 1966[11] Another pet topic was the conservation of historic buildings.