The Australian Women's Register

The Federated Associations (later Association) of Australian Housewives was formed in 1923 and held its first national conference in 1926. Its purpose was to provide a link between the various state-based Housewives Associations. The first of these was established in Victoria in 1915. New South Wales followed suit in early 1918, South Australian and Western Australia in the 1920s and, after a couple of false starts, Canberra, Tasmania and Queensland in the 1930s. Each of these associations was broadly dedicated to representing the interests of housewives, through political lobbying as well as various efforts to help members keep their household costs down, including domestic advice and member discounts. Although their primary function was always to reduce the cost of living and to control ‘profiteering’, they very quickly proclaimed themselves to be political organisations, though always ‘non-party’. With the wider objective of gaining representation of women at all levels of government and public administration, and influencing public policy in the areas dealing with the home, women and children, their domain of interest rapidly came to include every sphere of public life, national and international.

With a combined membership of 115,000 by 1940-41, it was for a short time the largest women’s organisation in the country.

Travellers Aid Australia (previously the Travellers’ Aid Society of Victoria) is a non-profit, independent organisation, providing a range of services and assistance for travellers, including those with special requirements or in emergency situation. Founded in 1916, it initially offered support and protection for women and girls arriving in Melbourne from overseas, interstate and country Victoria. It was not until the late 1960s that they expanded their work to include men. The Society now assists travellers of either sex.

The National Travellers Aid Society of Australia was also founded in 1944, with Cecilia Downing, a long serving member of the Victorian Society, as its first president. Its purpose was to provide a link between the various state-based Societies. These are/were non-profit, independent organisations, providing a range of services and assistance for travellers, including those with special requirements or in emergency situation.

The first Travellers’ Aid organisation was formed in England in 1885 initially under the auspices of the London Young Women’s Christian Association. It aimed to assist girls arriving alone in London or other towns. The first Australian society was formed in Adelaide in 1887, again under the auspices of the YWCA (while this soon fell into abeyance a new society was formed in 1911). The Travellers Aid Society of Victoria was formed in 1916, the Travellers’ Aid Benevolent Society of Queensland in 1928, the Travellers Aid Society of New South Wales in 1938 and the Travellers Aid Society of Western Australia in 1944.

All of these Societies were initially dedicated to assisting women and girls who were travelling or migrating. It was not until the late 1960s that they expanded their work to include men.

The Travellers’ Aid Society of New South Wales was officially founded in 1938. Its origins, however, reach back to the late 1880s when the Young Women’s Christian Association of New South Wales and the Salvation Army jointly formed a Travellers’ Aid Committee. It is a non-profit, independent organisation, providing a range of services and assistance for travellers, including those with special requirements or in emergency situation. Initially offering support and protection for women and girls arriving in the city from overseas, interstate or the country by the late 1960s they expanded their work to include men. The Society now assists travellers of either sex.

The Housewives Association of New South Wales was founded in 1918 largely due to the efforts of the artist Portia Geach. Influenced by a meeting of a housewives’ association she had attended in New York in 1917, on her return to Sydney she formed and was first president of a similar organisation in her own state. The Association initially aimed to educate women in the principles of proper nutrition and to combat profiteering and rising food prices. It soon broadened its interests, becoming a considerable lobbying force on issues affecting women and children generally.

The Progressive Housewives Association, New South Wales, was formed in 1947 by Portia Geach and other women who had been expelled from the Housewives Progressive Association of New South Wales in 1941. Their expulsion resulted from clashes with the then chairwoman of directors, Eleanor Glencross, and accusations that the association had been working with Meadow-Lea Margarine Company. Geach became foundation president, remaining in this position until 1957. Its main purpose is to act as a lobbying force representing the interests of the homemaker, and women and children more broadly, to government.

The Australian Women’s Guild of Empire was founded in 1928 by Adela Pankhurst Walsh. It was modelled on and affiliated with the London based Women’s Guild of Empire.
The Guild initially raised money for working class women and children hit by the Depression. It also advocated the need for industrial cooperation, and Pankhurst frequently spoke out against strikes. It was a conservative, patriotic organisation which developed strong anti-communist sentiments.

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (Victorian Branch) has its origins with the formation of the Sisterhood of International Peace in Melbourne in 1915. When the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) was founded in Zurich in 1919, the Sisterhood reconstituted itself as the Australian section of this new organisation. The Victorian branch formally separated from the Australian Section in 1920, although considerable overlap continued between these two bodies.

Aside from campaigning for international disarmament and an end to all war, WILPF has taken action on a wide range of social justice issues.

The Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) was formed in Canberra in 1951. A non-party, not for profit organisation, the formation of the Association was inspired by the belief that more women should be involved in local government both as elected members and senior managers.

As of 2008, its aims were:
To assist in furthering knowledge and understanding of the function of local government
To encourage women to participate in local government
To encourage women to make a career in local government
To watch over and protect the interests and rights of women in local government
To take action in relation to any subject or activity affecting local government and local government legislation
To act in an advisory capacity to intending women candidates for local government election.

The Association has branches in all Australian states and the Northern Territory and membership is open to all interested in encouraging and supporting women’s participation in the Local Government sector.

The Business and Professional Women’s Club of Wollongong was formed on 17 March 1953. The Club’s objectives include a commitment to the removal of sex discrimination in the employment and remuneration of women. The Club is affiliated with the Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs and through that body to the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.

The Australian Local Government Women’s Association – New South Wales Branch was formed in Sydney in 1952 with Ald. Marjorie Proposting of Lane Cove Council as first president. Its formation was precipitated by the formation of a national Australian Local Government Women’s Association in Canberra the previous year. A non-party organisation, it was inspired particularly inspired by the belief that more women should be involved in local government partly because this arm of government was especially relevant to housewives and mothers.

Its aims are:
-to assist in furthering women’s knowledge and understanding of the function of local government; to watch over and protect the interests and rights of women in local government; to take action in relation to any subject or activity of particular interest to women affecting local governing bodies or local government legislation; to encourage women to make a career in local government and to act in an advisory capacity to suitable women candidates for local government election.

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissions is an independent statutory authority, accountable to the Victorian Parliament, that promotes equal opportunity and works to eliminate unlawful discrimination in Victoria. It helps people to resolve complaints of discrimination, sexual harassment and racial and religious vilification through a process of conciliation.

In addition to its complaint resolution service, the Commission offers information, education and consultancy services, conducts research and provides legal and policy advice.

The Commission has the power to refer unresolved complaints to the Anti-Discrimination List, which is in the Civil Division of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

One of Australia’s early radio clubs, the 2WG Women’s Club was an important fundraising group as well as an essential communication tool for women in the Wagga Wagga region with its twice daily broadcasts and weekly meetings especially for women.

The Food for Thought Network was founded in 2001 by Varvara Ioannou. It has a development focus and runs quarterly forums on current issue pertaining to women in the areas of work, family, health and wellbeing as well as language and culture.

Although established and coordinated by Greek women, the Food for Thought Network is not exclusive: you don’t have to be Greek or female to attend forums and meetings.

Food for Thought Network aims to:

• create an egalitarian environment where everyone is encouraged to participate and contribute;
• share knowledge and collective experiences in the areas of work, family, language, culture, health and well-being;
• acknowledge and celebrate our cultural heritage and embrace the diversity of other cultures;
• create opportunities for continual learning, self-expression and empowerment;
• provide opportunities for people to meet and support each other;
• acknowledge, celebrate and capitalise the talents of our members;
• advocate on CALD women’s issues.

Seven Writers was a group of Canberra-based women writers who met regularly to debate and critique one another’s work.

This entry was sponsored by a generous donation from Christine Foley.

The Australian Greek Welfare Society (AGWS) was established in Melbourne in 1972 with the aim of lobbying for the rights of migrants and their children, and to improve services in the area of education, health, welfare, child care and language services. It’s continuing purpose is to empower members of the Australian-Greek community to reach their full potential, by undertaking service provision, advocacy, policy development and research in an innovative, culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. The AGWS is not a women’s organisation; nevertheless it has significant female representation in its executive and on its board and has historically advocated on behalf of women and their interests.

The Association of Non-English Speaking Background Women of Australia (ANESBWA) was established in 1987, with the aim of promoting access and equity for the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women of Australia. The founding members argued that women could not rely on the male heads of existing multicultural, ethnic and feminist organisations to represent their interests and that they must speak up for themselves.

As well as networking with women in state and territory Ethnic Community Councils, ANESBWA sought to link up with existing organisations that catered for women, such as social, cultural and political groups. A key feature of the organisation was that it was not ethnically aligned and was therefore in a position to cut across multicultural politics to lobby on behalf of all CALD women.

According to an executive member of the organisation, ANESBWA ceased operating in 1997, due in large part to the federal government of the day removing funding. It was deemed by the Coalition government that migrant women of CALD background should simply function under the auspices of FECCA (the Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia), thus ignoring the women’s need for an autonomous voice. Nowadays, CALD women are represented by the Network of Immigrant and Refugee Women of Australia.

Australian-Polish Community Services (APCS) is a community-based, not for profit and charitable organisation, established in 1983 in response to a perceived need for a welfare organisation assisting Polish people in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria. The organisation provides home-based support services through a variety of programs and conducts research and projects to assist the evolving needs of its clients.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) was a division of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. It was established early in 1987 to advise the Prime Minister directly on issues relating to Australian multicultural society. The purpose of the office was to be that of a ‘bridge-builder’, linking community and government to further the policy of multiculturalism. To that end, it had a liaison and Community Information Branch and a Policy and Research Branch. The focus of the community information program was on building upon research undertaken and evaluating ongoing projects. Although most staff were located in Canberra, there were Regional Coordinators in each State and in the Northern Territory, so there was some attention to decentralised services.

In early 1995 the functions of the OMA were to be transferred to the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. For administration purposes, OMA officially ceased to be part of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on 26 January 1995.

The Australian-Migrant Women’s Association was established by Dorothy Buckland-Fuller in 1974 to bring together immigrant and Australian-born women to discuss matters of common interest. Buckland-Fuller, who had some influence within the Greek community in New South Wales, was concerned that Greek women were often too inward looking. She wanted to expose them to new ideas and open lines of communication between them and other women of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Buckland-Fuller was assisted by International Women’s Year funding in 1975 to promote the initiative. She received a small grant to assist in running a program of monthly meetings as the premises of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales in Sydney. These meetings brought together about one hundred women at a time from different ethnic communities, as well as Buckland-Fuller’s friends from the Women’s Electoral Lobby and academic circles.

The Greek Orthodox Community is one of Australia’s oldest organisations representing Greek migrants. Apart from operating churches, it provides a wide range of migrant related social services, including afternoon Greek schools, kindergartens and aged care hostels. In more recent times, it has taken on board the need to meet its members’ cultural and artistic aspirations. This has involved a shift in emphasis towards promoting and supporting cultural initiatives not only of Greek/Australians of New South Wales but of all Australia.
In the 1970s and 80s the organisations premises were used to host meetings of the Australian-Migrant Women Association, an organisation established by Dorothy Buckland-Fuller with the aim of broadening the horizons of Australian-Greek women.

On June 2, 1976 the newly elected Australian Labor party Premier, Neville Wran, announced his cabinet’s decision to establish an Ethnic Affairs Commission. Under the Ethnic Affairs Act, 1976 ( Act No. 76, 1976) (3) the Ethnic Affairs Commission’s initial work involved the research and investigation of ethnic affairs with special emphasis on promoting the integration of different ethnic groups. The constitution and functions of a Commission to implement policy decisions in this area was also examined.

The Ethnic Affairs Commission interacted with a number of new government bodies all concerned with equal opportunity issues in society. These included the Anti-Discrimination Board which came into operation in June 1977 to address racial discrimination, the Review of New South Wales Government Administration which dealt with recruitment, promotion and equality of opportunity and the Women’s Coordination Unit of the Premier’s Department which had responsibility for creating opportunities for migrant women.

In 1978 the Ethnic Affairs Commission submitted its report, Participation, which outlined a concept of multiculturalism that went beyond preserving cultural heritage to a society where minority groups would achieve total participation in the New South Wales social and political system.

To implement this philosophy of equal opportunity Participation recommended that a Commission should be established as a strong and stable body to ensure that all elements of the New South Wales Government Administration come to regard ethnic affairs as part of their ordinary, day to day attitudes and thinking.

A new Ethnic Affairs Commission was established as a permanent government authority on 1 December 1979. It was established under the terms of the Ethnic Affairs Commission Act, Act No. 23, 1979. (7)

In 1977, when the Galbally review of Post-Arrival Migrant Programs and Services was announced, Senator Margaret Guilfoyle wrote to the Prime Minister advising him of the specific problems and special needs of migrant women. In June of that year, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser asked the Office of Women’s Affairs to set up an Interdepartmental Working Group Taskforce on Migrant Women. Officers from the following department were involved:

• Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
• Social Security
• Employment and Industrial Relations
• Productivity
• Health
• Education
• School’s Commission

Under extremely trying conditions, including endless delays caused by the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations, the taskforce completed its report in November, just making the deadline to be considered by the Galbally Review. Among other things, the report recommended that ‘wherever possible action should be taken to provide services through or in co-operation with ethnic organisations and migrant women’.

The report was regarded as a valuable resource for implementation of Recommendation 43 of the Galbally Report.

The Ethnic Childcare Development Unit was established in 1980, one of many initiatives funded through grant-in-aid programs that emerged in the wake of the Galbally Review of Migrant Post-arrival programs and services. It’s aim was to train immigrant women, many whom had overseas qualifications that were not recognised, to work in child-are centres and introduce multicultural programs.

Immigrant Women’s Speakout Association of New South Wales has been in operation since 1985 and is the peak advocacy, information/referral and research body representing the ideas and issues of immigrant and refugee women in NSW. The Association also undertakes community development projects and provides direct services in the areas of domestic violence and employment, education and training. Speakout is a community-based organisation, managed by women of non-English speaking background.

Immigrant Women’s Speakout Association grew out of a gathering of women in New South Wales that was organised in 1982. The Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Speakout was an occasion that attracted 200 women from around Australia with the aim of encouraging them to discuss pressing issues for women of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Similar occasions were organised in Adelaide and Brisbane the following year.

The Panhellenic Women’s Movement was a broad-based, progressive women’s organisation established in 1977 in order to assist and represent Australian women of Greek heritage.

The first branch of the Ukrainian Women’s Association was formed on September 13th, 1949 in Cowra migrant camp. Mrs. I Polensly was the inaugural president. Ukrainian women were holding meetings in all the migrant centres across Australia, however Cowra is always considered to be the cradle of the U.W.A in Australia