This page provides important current and historical information on women's participation in Australian political life. Please read the documents attached to understand women's experience and an important part of our history as a nation.
South Australia led the world in not only enfranchising women in 1894 but also making them eligible to sit in parliament. Overall, Australia was seen as a pioneer of women's political rights. Unfortunately it had the greatest time lag of all western democratic countries between the time when women were eligible to stand for the national legislature and when they were actually elected - 41 years. For more information on when women won the right to vote and to sit in parliament for each Australian state please read the following document. First Women in Australian Parliaments.
Dr Marian Sawer's article titled Women and Goverment in Australia provides detailed information on the introduction of women's political rights in Australia, the party affiliation of women candidates, and a gender overview of Australian politics. She discusses the impetus for women attaining portfolio positions within parliament, the barriers, and the gender stereotyping associated with these allocations. The article also reviews women in local government as well as on boards and committees. She highlights that for the most part, however, Australian governments remained unconvinced of the need for women's participation in public decision-making until the 1970s and a greater realisation that full advantage needs to be taken of the talent available in the community and for community perspectives to be adequately reflected. Please read the full article attached here. Women and government in Australia - Dr Marian Sawer.
The Australian Parliament House Library has a list of Women in Federal Parliament since 1901. It is part of an extensive pdf document. The relevant pages are pp 670-6 via the following url: http://www.aph.gov.au/library/handbook/41stparl/pdf/PH_05_PART6-section1.pdf
Read Maxine McKew's maiden speech in Federal Parliament, with comments on the position of Australian women: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/firstspeech.asp?id=BP4