The Australian Women's Register

From the time of her election to parliament, Franca Arean was hopeful of forming a “network” of women of all backgrounds who could meet informally, exchange ideas and help and support each other. In January 1984, she sent a letter to twenty to thirty women asking them to come to a meeting at Parliament House. They met in Feb 1984 for the first time, and the Women’s Network – Australia was born. The first Women’s Network guest was Frederika Steen, the head of a newly established Women’s Desk at the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in Canberra.

The formation of the Greek Young Matrons’ Association was an overt attempt by second generation parents of Greek heritage to ensure that their children married Australian born Greeks like themselves. By providing them with an organisation which would offer social activities and cultural events in which young Greek people could participate, the organisers hoped that young Greeks would marry within the community.

The Centre for Philippine Concerns Australia is a national network advocating for the welfare of Filipinos in Australia

The Catholic Migrant Centre has been crucial to the provision of support services to immigrants to Perth for over twenty years.

In 1959 the U.S. Congress authorised and requested the President of the United States to proclaim the third week in July as Captive Nations Week. The Captive Nations Week Committee was founded in Sydney in 1965 to organise the inaugural, and subsequently annual, commemoration of Captive Nations Week in Australia. In 1971 the Committee changed its names to the Captive Nations Council of New South Wales to reflect, in part, its broadening scope of activities. Foundation member organisations comprised the Byelorussian Association of N.S.W., Central Council of Croatian Associations in Australia, Estonian Society of Sydney, Hungarian Council of N.S.W., Latvian Federation of Australia and New Zealand, Australian Lithuanian Community (Sydney District), Polish Association in N.S.W., Australian Romanian Association, Association of Australian Slovaks, Agency for Free Slovenia and Ukrainian Council of N.S.W.; by 1982 the Afghan Association in Australia and the Vietnamese Volunteer Youth in N.S.W. had become member organisations. In 1988 the Council made a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on the War Crimes Amendment Bill, 1987. The work of the Captive Nations Council of New South Wales wound down after the fall of Communism in Central and Eastern Europe.

The United Council of Migrants from Communist Dominated Europe in Australia was established in Sydney in September 1953. Representatives from various national organisations made up the Council. It sought to co-ordinate the groups’ anti-Communist activities and actions aimed at liberating their respective homelands from Communist control. The Advisory Committee was composed of Australian representatives, including State politicians, Douglas Darby and Eileen Furley, and Federal politician, W. C. Wentworth.

The Joint Baltic Committee was formed by representatives of the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian communities in Sydney in 1952. Estonian-born Lia Looveer was the founding Secretary and served in that position until 2002. In June 1940 the respective homelands of Looveer and her Committee members had been occupied and annexed by Soviet Russia. A year later began the mass deportation of thousands of people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to remote regions of the U.S.S.R.. The Committee held an annual Commemoration Concert, organised to pay tribute to their compatriots who were deported and suffered under Soviet oppression for more than 50 years. The Committee liaised with Federal and State politicians to campaign for the defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms in, and independence of, the Baltic States. In 1986 the House of Representatives passed the Baltic Resolution which, in part, ‘reinforced Australia’s non-recognition de jure of the incorporation of the Baltic States into the Soviet Union’.

Established in 1979, the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA) is the peak, national body representing Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. FECCA is a non-political community-based organisation that advocates, lobbies and promotes issues on behalf of its constituency to government, business and the broader community. Apart from its national office professional staff, it is supported by the work of a voluntary Executive Council.

FECCA strives to ensure that the needs and aspirations of Australians from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds are given proper recognition in public policy. The organisation works to promote fairness and responsiveness to its constituency in the delivery and design of Government policies and programs. FECCA promotes Multiculturalism as a core value that defines what it means to be Australian in the 21st century. FECCA works to protect the fundamental rights of all Australians, regardless of cultural, spiritual, gender, linguistic, social, political or other affiliations or connections.

The City Girls’ Amateur Sports Association (CGASA) was established in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1918 to provide a mechanism by which the young working women of Sydney could participate in organised sport. Founding members, Eleanor Hinder and Margaret Thorp, used the experience and networks they developed while working as welfare officers at large department stores (Farmers and Anthony Hordens) to establish the association, which thrived throughout the 1920s. Membership suffered as the depression hit in the 1930s and the CGASA accumulated debts, but in its heyday, over fifty clubs were affiliated with the organisation, representing a cross section of ‘city girls’ from small and large businesses in the service and manufacturing industries.

The Victorian Ladies’ Golf Union (VLGU) was established in 1906 after the golfing women of Geelong, in 1905, had initiated moves to create an organisation to further the development of golf for women in Victoria. There were six foundation clubs – Caulfield (later known as Metropolitan, Colac, Kew, Essendon (Northern), Geelong and Surrey Hills (Riversdale) – with a total of 278 members.

The women of the union immediately established themselves as women of action. Within its first six months, the Union had undertaken a standardised handicapping system, decided to introduce pennant competition, held a number of friendly interclub matches and initiated a silver medal competition, a competition that is still played as the Silver Spoon event. Since those early days, the VLGU has overseen metropolitan and country competitions, junior development and the emergence of some exceptional talent. Jane Lock, for instance, began her international career playing junior golf in competitions overseen by the VLGU.

Needless to say, the VLGU has undergone change and development throughout its 100 years of existence. Competition stopped, for instance, during the first and second world wars and the members put their considerable skills and networks to use to raise funds for the war effort. The Equal Opportunity Act of 1985 had a huge impact on the way clubs operated and laid the foundations for the way the sport is organised today.

The 1990s were a time of great change for the Union, with the most important issue being that of constitutional change. Over the years, the development of the sport in Victoria had outgrown the ability of the governing structure to operate efficiently and democratically. Between 1992 and 1994 the board worked to develop a new constitution that would take the Union into the new millennium. As a reflection of this new direction, a new name was adopted. In June 1995 the Victorian Ladies’ Golf Union became Women’s Golf Victoria.

In November 2010 Women’s Golf Victoria amalgamated with the Victorian Golf Association to form the umbrella organisation Golf Victoria.

A national body for netball in Australia was founded at a meeting on August 26-27, 1927 when the All Australia Women’s Basket Ball Association was formed in conjunction with an interstate basketball carnival. Foundation Members of the association included:

• The City Girls’ Amateur Sports Association in New South Wales
• The Adelaide Women’s Basket Ball Association in South Australia
• The Melbourne Girls’ Basket Ball Association in Victoria
• The Australian Ladies’ Basket Ball Association in Queensland
• The Basket Ball Association of Perth in Western Australia

Tasmania affiliated soon after, competing in carnivals since 1933. The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory became full members in 1975 and 1977 respectively.

In 1970, in accordance with the change of the game’s name to ‘netball’, the association became known as the All Australia Netball Association. In 1993, the name changed again to Netball Australia.

The Sydney University Women’s Sports Association (SUWSA) was established on August 5, 1910 when twenty-four women committed to ‘further the interests of sport among University women’ by becoming ‘full active members during the season 1911’. The action was prompted by the continual refusal of the Sydney University (men’s) Sports Union, founded in 1890, to admit the women rowers, tennis and hockey players, to their membership.

Effectively, this meant that the women had no access to facilities, including University playing fields; the men did not want any ‘Newtown Tarts’ using the Sports Union’s Oval. Consequently, the concerned women undergraduates, who included Jessie Lillingston (Street) amongst their number, decided that a united body of sportswomen, speaking as one, would have a louder voice and therefore more chance of acquiring the facilities they needed. Once incorporated, the organisation received moral and financial support from senior women in the University and some interested men amongst the lecturing staff.

From these beginnings, the SUWSA grew in membership and effectiveness, always retaining its underlying aims of :

• providing women with a democratic, balanced schedule of physical activity,
• responding to the needs of its members,
• providing facilities and equipment to support all women, not just elite athletes,
• creating opportunities for all students to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Changing social, political and economic contexts that accompanied the new millennium made it difficult for the SUWSA to continue in its historic form. The year 2002 marked the end of the SUSWA and the beginning of a new era for Sport at Sydney University. In a meeting on 3 September 2002, members agreed to combine with the Sydney University Sports Union to create a new body called Sydney University Sport. Said the Executive Director at the time, Ann Mitchell, ‘some may have had regrets [about the decision] but combining resources was seen as the best way forward.’

The Sportswomen’s Association of Australia (S.A. Division) was formed in 1966 in response to a need felt by sportswomen in this state that they should organise in order to better represent their interests and achievements. As well as organising a committee in Adelaide, regional women in South Australia formed a country branch in Waikerie.

One initiative of the association was the establishment of a ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ award in 1966, the inaugural winner of which was athlete Dianne Burge. In February 1979 the S.A. Division set up an interim Australian Executive to form a National Association, and the first national conference was held in November that year. The Association at state and national level was dissolved in 1997.

The National Fitness Council of South Australia was a government advisory body established in 1939 that alerted individuals to the importance of gaining physical fitness, and encouraged community interest in open space and the “Quality of Environment.” In 1976 the Council was taken over by the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport.

The South Australian Women’s Amateur Sports Council was established with financial and administrative assistance from the National Fitness Council to promote the interests of sportswomen in South Australia, and to help formulate “a common policy on planning and development for women’s sport”. One of its most important initiatives, in cooperation with the National Fitness Council of South Australia, was the establishment of the Women’s Memorial Playing Fields on the corner of Shepherds Hill Road and Ayliffes Road, St. Marys.

The McLeod Country Golf Club as founded in 1968 with the establishment of the first 9 holes. The 18 hole course was completed by 1972. Located in the western suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland, it is the only golf club in the southern hemisphere managed by female members. The club welcomes both females (Members) and males (Fellows) and has recently commenced a proactive program to encourage juniors.

The War Widows’ Guild of Australia was formed in 1945 in Victoria by the late Mrs Jessie Mary Vasey OBE, CBE, widow of Major-General George Vasey. In 1947 the Queensland State Branch was formed. The Guild aims to watch over and protect the interests of war widows by lobbying politicians and offering its members friendship, empathy and comfort in times of need, particularly in the loss of a partner. Its motto is as relevant today as it was at the Guild’s formation over 60 years ago:-

We all belong to each other
We all need each other
It is in serving each other
And in sacrificing for our common good
That we are finding our true life

(Extract from an Empire Day Message from His Majesty the late King George the Sixth in 1949).

Gaelic Football was the preserve of men in Australia until 1994 when some Irish girls living in Sydney decided that anything the men could do they could do equally as well. With the support of their State association they organised games on an ad hoc basis and were successful to the extent that they played a demonstration game at the 1994 Australasian Championships. Much to the surprise (and delight) of spectators the game was of a very high standard and extremely well received.

As a result of the initiative in Sydney those visiting from interstate and New Zealand returned to their home bases and set out to develop women’s football locally. The development was rapid and in 1995 the first women’s football Australasian Championships were contested by New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria and Aucklan, with New South Wales victorious. Subsequent to 1995, all affiliates have ongoing State leagues and their State teams have participated at the Championships

Presently there are 30 teams playing in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland.

Bowls Australia is the governing body for lawn bowls players in Australia. Its vision is to deliver an exceptional sport and community development experience that is appealing, entertaining and accessible to all Australians.

Athletics Australia is the governing body for the sport of Athletics in Australia.

In 1897, the Australasian Athletic Union was established to coordinate the activities of the states. It was one of Australia’s earliest national sporting organisations. It encompassed New Zealand and catered only for male athletes.

In 1928, New Zealand was separated and the name changed to the Amateur Athletic Union of Australia. In 1932, the Australian Women’s Amateur Union was formed.

In 1977, the men’s and women’s unions amalgamated to form a united body. The first full-time officers were employed, which until then, had been run by honorary officers.

In 1989, the organisation changed its name to Athletics Australia.

Elite women’s basketball competition in Australia is organised through the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL). Over the years the success of the Australian Opals basketball team has been vitally linked to the success of the WNBL. The WNBL has seen the development of famous Opals such as Robyn Maher, Michele Timms, Karen Dalton, Rachel Sporn, Shelley Sandie, Julie Nykiel, Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor.

Tennis Australia is the governing body of men’s and women’s tennis within Australia, linking to member associations throughout the country.

When the Victorian Women’s Football league was established in 1981 there were four teams competing in an open age competition. The League has developed significantly since then. In 2006 the competition had comprised of twenty-six teams representing twenty clubs across five playing divisions.

The sport of Squash has always been a popular social and competitive sport in Australia, enjoyed by people of all ages and both genders. The sport is supported at National, State and local levels by well organised tournaments and effective coaching and athlete pathways. Squash Australia is the governing body for squash in Australia.

Its mission is ‘To provide innovative leadership and direction for the growth and development of Squash in Australia.’ It’s vision is that:

• Squash will be a flourishing participant sport for people of all ages from all sectors of the Australian
  community
• Squash will be a high profile sport in Australia, receiving extensive media coverage and maintaining
  a high level of community awareness
• Squash facilities will be attractive, enticing, professionally operated and managed, and be financially
  viable
• Australia will dominate squash internationally in terms of playing performance
• Squash will be effectively administered throughout Australia under the leadership of a financial strong national body (Squash Australia)
• Squash will be played in all major international (multi-sport) games.

Hockey Australia exists to provide Australians with the opportunity to play hockey from junior levels through elite competition, including the Olympic Games. Formed in November 2006 following the amalgamation of the Australian Hockey Association and Women’s Hockey Australia the organisation is a full member of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). It comprises membership of all eight states and territories. Each state association is comprised of regional associations, which in turn are made up of clubs. In some states, clubs affiliate directly with the state body.

Established in 1907, Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) is Australia’s major water safety and rescue authority and is one of the largest volunteer organisations in the country. Their mission is ‘to provide a safe beach and aquatic environment throughout Australia.’

Women had an active involvement in surf-lifesaving for many years before 1980, when they eventually became eligible to become active patrolling members of the association.

The Australian Womensport and Recreation Association Inc (AWRA) is a volunteer not-for-profit organisation that was incorporated in 2005 to provide leadership and advocacy for Australian women and girls in sport and active recreation. As well as seeking to encourage the participations of women of all ages and abilities to participate in sporting and recreational pursuits, the AWRA seeks to encourage governments and sporting and recreation providers to develop strategies that will increase the numbers of women in leadership roles in the sport and recreation industries.