Hon. Kerry Finch, MLC, (left) pictured with the President of the Legislative Council in Tasmania, Hon. Sue Smith, MLC, (right).
The Tasmanian Women's Suffrage Association was formed in1903 by Jessie Rooke. It changed its name to the Tasmanian Women's Political Association as the upper House had assented to vote for women. Tasmanian women gained the vote finally in 1903 after women had won the vote federally. In 1904 all Tasmanian women became eligible to vote in House of Assembly elections after 1903 Constitution Act changed the eligibility term from "man" to "person". The franchise for the Legislative Council for owners of freehold of 10 pounds annual value or leasehold of 30 pounds was extended to women. South Australia was the first in Australia to give women the vote (1896), followed by Western Australia in 1900 and New South Wales in 1902. In the Australasian region, New Zealand was the leader by providing votes for women in 1893. All of these jurisdictions were small communities and this may have been a factor in achieving this outcome.
A model for social change A good way to understand the level
of influence and effort that was required to achieve major social change is by examining the role of one of the main figures at this time, Jessie Rooke In 1896 she set out on a votes- for-women tour of Tasmania with the suffrage superintendent for the colony, Georgina Kermode. Not even the onslaught of severe winter weather could deter them from the 200-mile journey by draughty train and rickety coach. They addressed large public gatherings, collected campaign funds and distributed leaflets, gaining thousands of signatures for their petition which was presented to Parliament at the end of 1896. The House of Assembly agreed but the Legislative Council frustrated the reform.
Jessie undertook a second tour
in 1898 and collected more signatures. She became the Tasmanian president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in 1898 and was the most prominent Tasmanian suffragette. In 1903 she formed the
Tasmanian Women's Suffrage Association to mobilize women to vote in the coming federal election as the Commonwealth of Australia
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Franchise Act had been enacted in 1902. Apparently to avoid anomalies, the Tasmanian Legislative Council suddenly agreed the vote for white women in state elections. However, women did not become eligible to stand for election to either Tasmanian House until 1921.
Jessie Rooke became Australasian president of the WCTU until her death in 1906 and so was one of the first Tasmanian women to gain prominence outside the state. Ironically, she died before she could exercise her state voting rights.
The community welfare link As would be expected in the late 1800s and early 1900s the majority of the women prominent in Tasmania were particularly interested in matters of children and welfare. Many of the women who were active in politics also had community activities as their primary focus including Edith Waterworth, OBE. Her case study illustrates the interlinked strands of community and politics. Edith Waterworth is best known for working to improve the welfare of women and children. She
belonged to several organizations which campaigned to influence government health, welfare and justice policies for women and children. In 1937 she convened a state-
wide conference to co-ordinate efforts directed towards women and children which led to the formation of the Tasmanian Council for Mother and Child. She stood unsuccessfully for the Tasmanian Parliament in 1922, 1925 and 1943. Her achievements were recognized in 1935 when an Order of the British Empire was awarded to her.
Women enter Tasmania’s Parliament
Although women were given the vote in 1904 and were able to stand for the state Parliament from 1921, it took a considerable time and the bravery and perseverance of many women in Tasmania to achieve election to office. In 1921, Alicia O'Shea-Petersen and Edith Waterworth stood for election and Annette Youl also stood in 1922, all unsuccessfully. After this time there was considerable political engagement by women. A number of women