Our Centenary of Women’s Suffrage
After that day
‘Women have on the first opportunity available to them shown a keenness of political instinct and a practical alertness in electioneering methods which will go to make this election an epoch-making one in Australian history.’ Daily Telegraph
‘Women voters most certainly took kindly to their new responsibilities, and in the polling booths they discovered none of those contaminating influences which the opponents of the suffrage were so fond of predicting.’ The Age
‘It is pretty certain that the women have voted in considerable numbers. This addition to the voting strength has not led to any radical change, and it was hardly to be expected that it would.’ The Mercury
‘One feature of the women’s enfranchisement which stands out prominently is the almost severe manner in which the candidature of the sex for Parliament has been discouraged. The poor showing made by the ladies who contested seats in NSW ought to completely reassure those apprehensive people who foresaw early petticoat domination in the very House itself. It proves clearly enough that the majority of women do not as yet approve of parliamentary women.’ Daily Telegraph
An alternative explanation was that women ‘showed a regard for discipline that took no account of sectarian feeling or sexual prejudice… the women electors neglected the claims of the two [Senate] candidates of their own sex and voted the freetrade ticket.’ Sydney Morning Herald.
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