National Council of Women of Australia
Encyclopedia
The National Council of Women of Australia (NCWA) is an Australia
n organisation founded in 1931. The council is an umbrella organisation
with which are affiliated seven State and Territory National Councils of Women. The State councils were formed in New South Wales
in 1896, Tasmania
in 1899, Victoria
and South Australia
in 1902, Queensland
in 1905, and Western Australia
in 1911.
The organisation encouraged the affiliation of all women's organisations, not just feminist organisations, to affiliate. The Council lost momentum and the leadership voice for Australian women sometime after the International Women's Year
in 1975.
Women associated with the Council include Edith Cowan
, Vida Goldstein
, Irene Longman
, Margaret McIntyre
, Mabel Miller
and Audrey Reader
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n organisation founded in 1931. The council is an umbrella organisation
Umbrella organization
An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. In business, political, or other environments, one group, the umbrella organization, provides resources and often an identity to the smaller organizations...
with which are affiliated seven State and Territory National Councils of Women. The State councils were formed in 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...
in 1896, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
in 1899, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 1902, 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...
in 1905, and 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...
in 1911.
The organisation encouraged the affiliation of all women's organisations, not just feminist organisations, to affiliate. The Council lost momentum and the leadership voice for Australian women sometime after the International Women's Year
International Women's Year
International Women's Year was the name given to 1975 by the United Nations. Since that year March 8 has been celebrated as International Women's Day, and the United Nations Decade for Women, from 1976–1985, was also established.-International:...
in 1975.
Women associated with the Council include Edith Cowan
Edith Cowan
Edith Dircksey Cowan , MBE was an Australian politician, social campaigner and the first woman elected to an Australian parliament....
, Vida Goldstein
Vida Goldstein
Vida Jane Mary Goldstein was an early Australian feminist politician who campaigned for women's suffrage and social reform.-Early years:...
, 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....
, Margaret McIntyre
Margaret McIntyre
Margaret Edgeworth David McIntyre OBE was the first woman elected to the Parliament of Tasmania , representing the seat of Cornwall in the Legislative Council....
, Mabel Miller
Mabel Miller
Dame Mabel Flora Miller, DBE was an Australian lawyer and politician. She was the first woman elected to the Hobart City Council and one of the first two women to be elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly....
and Audrey Reader
Audrey Reader
Dame Audrey Reader DBE was an Australian charity worker, who worked primarily in promoting the interests of women and of immigrants to Australia.-Early years:...
.