1900 to 1939
1900
to secure for women sivil and political rights equal to those of men;
the general emanciptation and advancement of women;
the right for women to enter architectural courses and proposed State
Agricultural Colleges.
General reforms included prison and factory legislation, health,
and the establishment of Children's Courts. They ran discussion
courses on cookery, literature and health, and also conducted house
to house canvassing, deputations, petitioning and public meetings and
also established suffrage literature.
The League was a branch of the United Council for Woman Suffrage but
independent of it.
By December there were 32 societies making up the League.
There were strong connections with the labour movement and the socialists.
page 14
1901
The four original affiliates were:
The Australian Salon of Music, Literature and the Arts;
Jewish Women's Guild;
Young Women's Christian Association and the
Women's Christian Temperance Association.
Its aim was to form a link between various societies so that they had
an arena for co-operation on specific objectives, these being children's
courts and playgrounds and a successful compaign for the establishment
of police matrons.
They reported on the conditions of women in prisons and participated
in a number of deputations urging that woman suffrage be made a government
measure.
It had an all-woman executive and 28 affiliated in 1902 then 32 affiliates
in 1904. page 14
1902
Its aims were: to organise women politically around all questions of
social reform and matters affecting women in the home and at work; public
lavatories for women; Infant Life Protection Act amendments.
They also took on charity projects.
There were strong connections with the labour movement. page 14-15
-
Women won the vote in New South Wales.
- Victorian Constitution Reform Bill section 25 - ''Women may vote at Assembly Elections'. page 52
- Commonwealth Franchise Act (now the Commonwealth Electoral Act) gave women the right to vote and stand for office in federal parliamentary elections. page 15
1903
This was the first federal election in which women were eligible to
vote and become a candidate.
She received 50,000 votes in a statewide contest in which the highest
vote was 110,000. page 15
'Provided that the clauses relating to Women's Franchise eliminated
by the Legislative Council be reinstated'. page 53
Its aim was to educate and to organise women to use the vote in federal
elections.
It ran mock elections and parliaments to educate women politically.
Its political work included petitions for federal marriage and divorce
law reform, deputations and test questions to parliamentary candidates.
The association also worked for Vida Goldstein's campaign as an independent
candidate.
Vida Goldstein was strongly feminist, advocating sexual loyalty and
exclusive women's interest.
She reorganised the Melbourne Women's Political League into the Melbourne
Women's Political Association. page 15
1904
Its aim was to promote the social side of political life.
It was the first women's political club in Australia. page 16
It was formed by men, notably, the Victorian Employers' Federation.
In 1905 they formed an anti-socialist alliance with the Farmers' League.
In 1907 they held the first Pan-Australian Conference of Anti-Socialist
Women;s Organisations (25 October 1907).
In September 1905 there were 10,000 members and 83 branches.
Its aim was to elect men of character to politics.
It espoused patriotism and the sanctity of the home. It was anti socialist
in character.
It supported suffrage and higher education but did not favour widespread
emancipation. page 16
1905
1906
1907
A basic wage based on the concept of a man, wife and three children
was set by Judge Higgins.
This decision was to influence applications for equal pay until the
introduction of the total wage in 1967. page 60
1908
All the above attempts met with failure, most being passed by the lower
house and rejected by the upper house. page 53
Women won the vote. page 17
1909
It was the organ of the Women's Political Association in Victoria and
became the organ of the Women's Peace Army in 1916. page 17
It also opened a school for mothers which was the forerunner of Baby
Health Centres. page 17
1910
Board for the Protection of Aborigines with statutory authority
to claim Reserve lands for Aborigines,
to assume custody of Aboriginal children,
to oversee terms of employment contracts and
to redistribute government funding.
The Protection Board now had the discretion to give 'help' to those
of 'mixed' blood. page 75
1912
1914
1915
The Women's Peace Army Women's Labour Bureau worked to find employment
for women.
This was an early attempt at self help for women as opposed to charity.
Involved in the establishment of a Women's farm, the Women's Rural Industries
Co. at Mordialloc was formed to help train unemployed women.
Initially they received government help but they were vigorously opposed
by the media and conservative women's organisations. page 17
The name was changed in 1919. Its commitments and aims were:
Abolition of the causes of war;
to work for a constructive peace; and
non-violent social transformation to ensure equality without discrimination.
page 17
1916
The claim was rejected. page 18
1917
1918
Victorian Lady Teachers Association and the
6th Class Women's Association.
In 1920 they combined with the Victorian State School Teachers Association
on the condition that the council would have equal numbers of women
and men.
The proportion was not maintained due to a predominant number of men
in country branches. page 18
1919
Equal pay to a few where considered men could be driven out of employment.
page 60
1920
1921
Margaret Wearne was the editor and General Secretary. page 19
1922
1923
1924
'Act to enable women to become candidates at Parliamentary elections'.
page 53
1925
It was one of the earliest organisations to assert the right of women
to work.
It also made submissions to the Arbitration Commission on Equal Pay.
page 19
She later withdrew in deference to opinions of church warders and vestry
of the Parish. page 53
1926
1927
Cost of living of female workers.
Rejection of equal pay claim.
Set women's pay at 55% of male basic wage. page 60
The High Court upheld the government's right under the Constitution
of Australia s.51 (vii) to set up the Board page 61
1928
The women wrote letter to the Board pleading to be allowed to stay at
Lake Condah (western district) which had been broken up for soldier
settlement.
Grannie Carter, Grannie Lovett and Grannie King decided to buy their
own land when they were forced to leave Lake Condah. They bought six
acres for twenty pounds and their families grew up there.
Mrs Maude Pepper has told of how hard the young girls had to work to
get food - hunting rabbits and working for a pittance on other farms.
page 75-6
It was organised by the Sydney Militant Women's Group - made up mainly
of Communist Party and other left oriented women. page 19
1929
It worked for women's rights and social security and was influential
in winning Commonwealth Child Endowment (1941). page 19
1930
Twenty one centres were set up in Melbourne and large country towns.
They received government funding for payment of small amounts to women
for sewing.
This was stopped when the Nationalist Party was returned to Government
in 1932. page 19
1931
1932
The women in Melbourne were very active in this and Mrs Brown and others
who came from the western district centred their activities around the
League, and the collection of 1814 signatures on a petition presented
to Prime Minister Lyons in 1937 seeking direct representation in Australia'
parliament. page 76
In NSW married women had been exempted in 1902 from the restrictions
to married women in the Public Service, which applied to Commonwealth
and other states. page 20
1933
1934
1937
It activated the union movement and was instrumental in organising the
first International Conference on Equal Pay held in Sydney in May 1938.
page 20
1938
A conference of Australian Aboriginal organisations passed resolutions
condemning inaction, demanding citizenship rights etc. page 76
1939
Women and children were campled on the Murray in Victoria living in
deplorable conditions.
Mrs Tucker became a by-word, speaking whenever she could: in private
homes; to unions and at the Yarra Bank open-air forum for political
and social causes. All the women were talented musically - they sang
and played to raise money for their cause.
Mrs Hyllus Walker maintained that Aborigines should have their
own land. page 76