Australian Women's National League
Encyclopedia
The Australian Women’s National League (AWNL) was an Australian political lobby group federation first established in 1904. It acted in many ways like a political party, with an extensive branch network and the capability to run its own candidates. It was a conservative
organisation with four key declared objectives:
Leading Melbourne establishment figure Lady Janet Clarke held a meeting at her home in August 1903 to discuss the formation of such a conservative women's movement. Months later in March 1904, Lady Clarke's sister Eva Hughes organised a meeting at the Melbourne Town Hall
. It elected a provisional committee and elected Lady Clarke as its inaugural president
On 25 October 1907 the League conducted the first Pan-Australian Conference of Anti-Socialist Women's Organisations. The League played an important role in achieving women's suffrage
(right to vote) throughout Australia. By 1908, it had 10,000 members in Victoria alone, and helped convince the male conservative Members of Parliament that women voters would not necessarily be left-wing in disposition. In 1909, Lady Clarke died and was succeeded as President by her sister Eva who stayed in charge until 1922.
The Liberal prime minister Alfred Deakin
in 1912 described the lobby group as "fierce and unceasing" in their political demands. He continued "So far - singlehanded - I have beat them and kept them at bay, but how long can this last?"
It was a very active organisation with many suburban and rural branches. It published a monthly journal The Woman. It ran many campaigns, including for greater education in "domestic science." It organised Empire Day festivities in Melbourne for forty years and especially during World War I
organised thousands of women to contribute to the war effort. In 1918 it launched "Baby Week" as an education campaign for families. It also conducted political education and training courses for its members to make them more effective campaigners.
, the AWNL had 500 registered branches and more than 54,000 members across Australia. Using its massive membership base as a platform for achieving its objectives, it was very active in electoral politics, initially supporting male candidates and forming an important part of conservative political efforts across Australia. They employed women as paid political organisers, raised large amounts of funds and actively supported candidates that sometimes had to go through a preselection process to attract the League's support.
Some years after women had obtained the right to vote and to run for office, most of the first women candidates in Western Australia
, New South Wales
, Queensland
and Victoria were members of the League. While they generally worked with conservative political parties, on occasion they did not. On one occasion when one of their favoured candidates in Queensland was not endorsed as they had demanded, they ran their own candidate, Irene Longman
who became the first female member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
in 1929.
Actions such as these, the vast size of the League and its highly skilled political operatives made it one of the most effective and feared political organisations in Australian politics at the time. Male journalists at the time complained about the power of the group "Political godmothers rule UAP (United Australia Party
) with haughty mien... the political fate of the electorate was controlled by women."
and merged with it in 1945. The League's leaders at the time, Dame Elizabeth Couchman
, Ivy Wedgwood
(later a Senator) and Edith Haynes negotiated a tough deal with Sir Robert Menzies
which ensured that women were equally represented at throughout the structures of the Liberal Party, long before the era of affirmative action
. It was agreed that the Liberal Party's would reserve certain positions for women, that there would be a Woman Vice-President of the Party and also a Federal Women’s Committee
, whose president would also sit on the Party’s Federal Executive.
Menzies regarded Couchman very highly and described "She would have been the best cabinet minister I could have wished for."
Some argue that the League had a major impact on the Liberal Party's direction leading up to the election in 1949, which they won convincingly. In a highly usual move at the time Liberal advertising specifically made reference to women and women's issues. Images of men and women (and in some cases of women alone) were used in political advertising for the first time on a major scale. Their opponents in the Australian Labor Party
were largely silent on women's issues.
While the organisation formally resolved to merge with the Liberal Party, some preferred to retain an autonomous group which continued with considerably reduced members and activity for a time.
In 2004 the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard
, spoke at a function commemorating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the League, and paid tribute to its important role in the history of the Liberal Party and Australia.
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
organisation with four key declared objectives:
- Loyalty to the Throne;
- To counteract Socialist tendencies;
- To educate the Women of Victoria to realise their political responsibilities; and
- To Safeguard the Interests of the Home, Women and Children.
Foundation
The AWNL was supported in its foundation by the Victorian Employers' Federation and by employer bodies in other states, but it quickly became independent from those male dominated groups, and formed an anti-socialist alliance with the Farmer's League in 1905. The group aimed to espouse anti-socialist ideas to Australian women who had been given the right to vote in Australian federal elections in 1902.Leading Melbourne establishment figure Lady Janet Clarke held a meeting at her home in August 1903 to discuss the formation of such a conservative women's movement. Months later in March 1904, Lady Clarke's sister Eva Hughes organised a meeting at the Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall is the central municipal building of the City of Melbourne, Australia, in the State of Victoria. It is located on the northeast corner of Swanston and Collins Streets, in the central business district. It is the seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Melbourne...
. It elected a provisional committee and elected Lady Clarke as its inaugural president
On 25 October 1907 the League conducted the first Pan-Australian Conference of Anti-Socialist Women's Organisations. The League played an important role in achieving women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
(right to vote) throughout Australia. By 1908, it had 10,000 members in Victoria alone, and helped convince the male conservative Members of Parliament that women voters would not necessarily be left-wing in disposition. In 1909, Lady Clarke died and was succeeded as President by her sister Eva who stayed in charge until 1922.
The Liberal prime minister Alfred Deakin
Alfred Deakin
Alfred Deakin , Australian politician, was a leader of the movement for Australian federation and later the second Prime Minister of Australia. In the last quarter of the 19th century, Deakin was a major contributor to the establishment of liberal reforms in the colony of Victoria, including the...
in 1912 described the lobby group as "fierce and unceasing" in their political demands. He continued "So far - singlehanded - I have beat them and kept them at bay, but how long can this last?"
It was a very active organisation with many suburban and rural branches. It published a monthly journal The Woman. It ran many campaigns, including for greater education in "domestic science." It organised Empire Day festivities in Melbourne for forty years and especially during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
organised thousands of women to contribute to the war effort. In 1918 it launched "Baby Week" as an education campaign for families. It also conducted political education and training courses for its members to make them more effective campaigners.
Peak of power
At its peak in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the AWNL had 500 registered branches and more than 54,000 members across Australia. Using its massive membership base as a platform for achieving its objectives, it was very active in electoral politics, initially supporting male candidates and forming an important part of conservative political efforts across Australia. They employed women as paid political organisers, raised large amounts of funds and actively supported candidates that sometimes had to go through a preselection process to attract the League's support.
Some years after women had obtained the right to vote and to run for office, most of the first women candidates in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and Victoria were members of the League. While they generally worked with conservative political parties, on occasion they did not. On one occasion when one of their favoured candidates in Queensland was not endorsed as they had demanded, they ran their own candidate, Irene Longman
Irene Longman
Irene Maud Longman was a female Queensland politician. She was the first woman to stand and be elected to the Queensland Parliament....
who became the first female member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
in 1929.
Actions such as these, the vast size of the League and its highly skilled political operatives made it one of the most effective and feared political organisations in Australian politics at the time. Male journalists at the time complained about the power of the group "Political godmothers rule UAP (United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
) with haughty mien... the political fate of the electorate was controlled by women."
Merger with the Liberals
In 1944, the AWNL actively supported the newly-created Liberal Party of AustraliaLiberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
and merged with it in 1945. The League's leaders at the time, Dame Elizabeth Couchman
Elizabeth Couchman
Dame Elizabeth Couchman DBE , was an Australian who worked in the interests of women, and was a co-founder of the Liberal Party of Australia....
, Ivy Wedgwood
Ivy Wedgwood
Dame Ivy Evelyn Wedgwood, DBE was an Australian Senator for Victoria.Wedgwood was the first female Senator to represent Victoria. During her 21 year term, which ran from 1950 to 1971, she became the first woman to chair a Senate Committee in 1968....
(later a Senator) and Edith Haynes negotiated a tough deal with Sir Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
which ensured that women were equally represented at throughout the structures of the Liberal Party, long before the era of affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
. It was agreed that the Liberal Party's would reserve certain positions for women, that there would be a Woman Vice-President of the Party and also a Federal Women’s Committee
Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia
The Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia was formed in August 1945 at the inaugural meeting of the party's Federal Council. That year the influenctial lobby group The Australian Women's National League merged with the Liberal Party, and as a result the Federal Constitution...
, whose president would also sit on the Party’s Federal Executive.
Menzies regarded Couchman very highly and described "She would have been the best cabinet minister I could have wished for."
Some argue that the League had a major impact on the Liberal Party's direction leading up to the election in 1949, which they won convincingly. In a highly usual move at the time Liberal advertising specifically made reference to women and women's issues. Images of men and women (and in some cases of women alone) were used in political advertising for the first time on a major scale. Their opponents in the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
were largely silent on women's issues.
While the organisation formally resolved to merge with the Liberal Party, some preferred to retain an autonomous group which continued with considerably reduced members and activity for a time.
In 2004 the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
, spoke at a function commemorating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the League, and paid tribute to its important role in the history of the Liberal Party and Australia.