The Australian Women's Register

Nancy Burbidge worked at the CSIRO between 1946-1973, rising from systematic botanist to Curator of the Herbarium. From 1973 to 1977 she was scientific leader of the Flora of Australia project. Burbidge published several books on Australian plants.

An amphitheatre located in the eucalypt lawn was erected as a memorial to Dr Burbidge’s contribution to Australian botany.

Lorna Hayter studied agriculture at the University of Sydney. In 1927 she joined the New South Wales Department of Agriculture. During World War II Hayter was a member of the Women’s Australian National Services, and became Assistant Controller with the Australian Army Women’s Service. Later she hosted the Australian Broadcasting Commission weekly national program Farm and Home and became women’s editor of the Land Newspaper. On 31 December 1979, Lorna Hayter was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to agriculture and the community.

Ann Symonds was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1982-1998.

Chris McDiven is a former teacher, now a business woman and State President, New South Wales Division, of the Liberal Party.

Vera Jennings was among the first group of 58 students to graduate in the Arts Honours course at the University of Melbourne in 1920-21.

Jennings then joined the English Department as a tutor (1929-) before becoming an Acting Lecturer (March 1942-), a Lecturer (1947-) and finally a Senior Lecturer (1951-). She retired on 28 February 1965.

A South African by birth, Gaye Tennent received her later education in London and at the University of Melbourne. Early crippled by poliomyelitis, she graduated B.A. (Hons) in 1930 and M.A. in English with a Dip. Ed. In 1934. She became a school teacher and later a tutor at Janet Clarke Hall, Vice-Principal at the Women’s College and tutor and lecturer in the University English Department.

Established in 1922 to co-ordinate social, intellectual and fund-raising activities, the Victorian Women Graduates’ Association was formed as a forum through which University women could express their views and aimed to promote women’s independent research. By 1928, membership of the Association had reached 300. An Endowment Fund was established to assist women students, and the Association held several conferences.

In 2009, in line with resolutions of the affiliated National body, the organisation changed its name to Graduate Women Victoria, Inc.

The Australian Federation of University Women (AFUW) was initiated in 1920, and formally established at the inaugural conference held in Sydney in September 1922. In December 2009 the AFUW changed its name to the Australian Federation of Graduate Women Inc (AFGW) to better represent the broadening of the organisation’s membership parameters.

AFGW is an umbrella organisation for the state-based Federations of Graduate Women and provides a means for national organisation of these bodies working for the advancement and well-being of women and girls through education. As one of the members of the International Federation of University Women (an organisation which holds consultative status with the United Nations and its specialised agencies), AFGW has a voice through IFUW on international matters regarding protection of human rights and the status of women and girls.

Amongst other things, the activities of the AFGW have involved the setting up of committees for special projects; the lobbying of Government departments; the presentation of submissions to Government; and the holding of conferences, originally biennially, later triennially. The AFGW also administers a number of fellowships, which are awarded to further the studies of successful applicants. Over the years, the AFGW has been involved in a number of important issues relating to the education and employment of women. Activities have included campaigns to obtain equal pay and equal employment opportunities for women and to eliminate discrimination against women in both education and the workforce.

The Victorian Women Graduates’ Association, Geelong Branch resolved to disband on 15 September 1981. A belated “coffee party” was announced for 6 May 1982 of the “Geelong Graduates’ Group, ex A.F.U.W. – Geelong” to reminisce, plan for the future and discuss commitment to the Deakin Foundation.

The Mildura Branch of the Victorian Women Graduates’ Association was formed in July 1949 and existed until 7 March 1979.

Vida Goldstein ran for the Australian Senate in 1903. Though she was not elected, she was the first woman to be nominated for the Australian Parliament.

The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union of Victoria was founded in 1887 when the 12 existing local branches in Melbourne suburbs and regional Victoria joined together to form a Colonial Union. It is primarily dedicated to promoting total abstinence from alcohol and other harmful drugs and all members sign a pledge to this effect. Under its broader agenda of ‘home protection’ and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, and in its belief that the dangers of alcohol could not be tackled in isolation, the WCTU has pursued a very wide-ranging reform agenda mostly relating to the welfare of women and children. Importantly, influenced by its sister organisation in the United States, the Union became a major supporter of the campaign for women’s suffrage in Australia as it was believed that power at the ballot box was the only way to achieve their goals. While at its most influential in the years up to WWI, the movement continues today.

Spence ran as a South Australian delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1897, the first woman political candidate in Australia. She was also active in the Women’s Suffrage League and the South Australian National Council of Women.

The Western Australian Association of University Women came into being in 1923, with Dr. Roberta Jull as first president. According to its 1965 constitution the objectives of the Association were: a) to act as an organisation which affords opportunity for the expression of opinion and for concerted action by university women in matters of common interest; b) to co-operate through the Australian Federation of University Women with the International Federation of University Women which exists for the promotion of scholarship, understanding and friendship among the university women of the world without discrimination as to race, colour, religion or political opinion.

Joan Bielski was a long time activist for equality for women in employment, education and public life. A founding member of the Council for Civil Liberties, she was also a foundation member of Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) in 1972 and continued her active involvement throughout her life.

In 1988 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to women and girls education. In 2004 she was awarded the Order of Australia for her services to women in politics and public life.

Joan Bielski was a long time supporter of the National Foundation for Australian Women.

Mervyn Davis commenced A Catalogue of Botanical Collectors and Delineators in 1955. She was elected first individual member and delegate for Australia to the International Federation of Landscape Architects in 1959, a position she held for ten years. Davis was the first woman elected a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Parks and Recreation in 1964, and in 1969 she was elected as the first Fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.

On 14 June 1980, Mervyn Davis was appointed a Member of the British Empire for her work in the public service.

Vivienne Abraham was active in the Australian peace movement for several decades. She was Honorary Secretary of the Peace Pledge Union (1946-52), acting editor and editor of the ‘Peacemaker’ and Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (1982-89).

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom was formed at a congress in Zurich in May 1919. Its genesis stemmed from a joint tour of the USA by British suffragist Emmeline Pethwick-Lawrence and Hungarian feminist Rosika Shwimmer in 1914. In 1915, the Sisterhood for Peace (SIP) was formed in Melbourne, and in 1919 SIP members travelled to attend the conference in Zurich. SIP then reconstituted itself as the Australian section of the WILPF. Its headquarters remained in Victoria when WILPF branches were later established in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. The Australian section was formally separated from the Victorian branch in 1920.

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

Meredith Stokes has been associated with the women’s movement and various organisations for nonviolence activists over many years. She has also been involved in broadcasts for the Canberra community radio station 2XX.

Anna Vroland was an activist and writer who campaigned for Aboriginal rights in the 1940s and 1950s.

The Jessie Street National Women’s Library is a specialist library which aims to promote awareness of the cultural heritage of Australian women. It includes a library and archival collection which focus on issues of importance to women, as well as documenting the lives and experiences of women. Its collection of books was founded by a donation of 500 feminist books. The collection now includes feminist journals, an oral history collection, fiction, posters and archival materials.

The Olive Pink Society was formed in 1988 and works to address issues of race and gender in anthropology. It publishes the Bulletin of the Olive Pink Society.

The federal government replaced the National Women’s Advisory Council with the National Women’s Consultative Council in 1984. The NWCC produced its last report in December 1992 and in late 1993 it was replaced by the Australian Council for Women.

The National Women’s Round Table is an annual meeting convened by the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women. The Round Table was first held in 1994. It replaced the National Women’s Consultative Council as the primary direct mechanism for women’s input into government. For the first three years, the Round Table was held twice each year for one day, with just over 50 organisations represented. Meetings were held in Parliament House during sitting weeks to facilitate participants’ access to Parliamentarians.

In 1997, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women, Jocelyn Newman, changed the arrangements to two day meetings, once each year.

Sources: http://www.capow.org.au/AWOC/story.htm and http://www.nwjc.org.au/pamelaslist.htm

AWOC is a conference for representatives of Australian women’s organisations. It replaced the traditional ‘Pre-Round Tables’ which were generally held on the days preceding the National Women’s Round Table (NWRT). It brings the input of organisations not participating in the NWRT to that forum.

The inaugural AWOC was organised by the National Women’s Justice Coalition, the Nursing Mothers’ Association of Australia, Women’s Electoral Lobby Australia and the YWCA, with program input from representatives of national women’s organisations on Pamela’s List.

Sources: http://www.nwjc.org.au/pamelaslist.htm and http://www.capow.org.au/AWOC/story.htm

The Office for Women (previously the Office of the Status of Women) works to mainstream women’s issues in Australian society and internationally. Its work with governments, the women’s sector, and the broader community is focused on three priority areas:

• Reducing violence against women
• Women’s equal place in society
• Economic Independence.