|
Parliamentary debates Some interesting fragments SenateRichard O'Connor (NSW, Protectionist Party) "… I see no reason in the world why we should continue
to impose laws which have to be obeyed by the women of the community without
giving them some voice in the election of the members who make those laws.
Their capacity for understanding political questions, for thinking over
them, and for exercising their influence in regard to public affairs,
is certainly of that order and of that level which entitles them to take
that part in public affairs which the franchise proposes to give them.
My view is that the result will be infinitely to strengthen the means
by which we shall get a true record of the real opinions of Australia
upon all the different questions that will come up for settlement. I have
no fear but that the influence which the vote of women throughout Australia
will exercise will be, as it has been in other parts of Australia where
it has been tried, uniformly for the good of the Commonwealth and in the
interests of the best form of legislation."
Sir Josiah Symon (SA, Free Trade) "So far as I am aware …[in South Australia] …there
has been no increase, owing to women's suffrage, in any of that incompatibility
of temper which sometimes prevails. I am not aware that it has ever been
adduced, either as a ground of petition, or as a ground of defence in
the Divorce Court, that difficulties have arisen and that desertion has
been brought about or cruelty practised owing to the introduction of the
suffrage." "There are many who will not go to the poll, whatever
inducements and persuasions are exercised. I suppose that there is in
the emotional character of women that which men do not feel; an apprehension—which
may pass off—that there is something mysterious, something uncanny, about
being on the rolls." "I feel that the introduction of political duties—I
put it that way—into the ambit of their service in life is overloading
them, and is certainly not promoting woman's destiny at its best."
Edward Pulsford (NSW, Free Trade) "… both my heart and brain act together in antagonism
to the principle of women's suffrage. I am not prepared to describe women's
suffrage as a blessing. I would rather describe it as an attempt to throw
a portion of the white man's burden upon the white woman. I do not think
that the interests of the States or of the people will be promoted in
any shape or form by the change which is suggested." "I believe that if we now decide to go in for womanhood
suffrage it will tend to the vulgarization of women, and that none of
us desires."
Thomas Glassey (Qld, Protectionist Party) "Only yesterday I heard a woman say that she did
not think it would be safe to confer this right on women, because very
dire things were likely to follow. It is also alleged that women would
be influenced by the clergy, by good-looking candidates, and by young
men." "Another reason which is sometimes advanced against
women's suffrage is that women do not understand political questions.
That argument presupposes that all men understand political questions
… The old argument has been used that the extension of the suffrage to
women would take away their beauty and their charm, and cause them to
neglect their domestic affairs … it has been said that it would be a shame
to invite women to go to the polling booth, because sometimes there is
a good deal of rowdyism there."
Albert Gould (NSW, Free Trade) "Then we come to the question of what has been
the effect of extending the franchise to women. Has it purified Parliament
in any degree? Has it improved the moral tone of Parliament, and enabled
the elections to be conducted better than they were before?"
Sir John Downer (SA, Protectionist Party) "I believe it will and must make this difference,
however, that it will give a vote to that down-trodden class who, although
they have been enabled, as the result of their industry or from other
causes, to acquire property, have never yet had an opportunity of securing
the representation to which, in respect of that property, they are legitimately
entitled. It is for that reason, without speaking further, that I shall
support this bill."
John Barrett (Vic, Australian Labor Party) "And although perhaps some of the States are not
prepared to extend the franchise to all adults, yet it will be to the
credit of the Federal Parliament that it achieved the great reform."
Staniforth Smith (WA, Free Trade) "… this will be the first Parliament to have universal
adult suffrage for both Houses of the Legislature. This Bill will not
confer a favour upon the women of Australia, nor a boon for which they
should be grateful. It will do a simple act of justice that has been withheld
from women for many years."
James Stewart (Qld, Australian Labor Party) "The very men who say that giving a woman a vote
would degrade her, have not the slightest compunction about making her
a drudge. They do not regard it as degrading for a woman to black a man's
boots. Oh, no! It is not degrading for her to scrub a floor or to be turned
into a stuffy kitchen to cook for a man, or to be put into a factory where
she will have to work nine or ten hours a day for a wretched pittance.
None of these things will degrade a woman, but to give her a voice in
the government of the country will degrade her! That is what the opponents
of female suffrage tell us."
Simon Fraser (Vic, Protectionist Party) "How will the passage of this Bill bring any more
comfort to the home? I say that the passage of 50 such Bills would not
bring one atom of benefit to the home in this or in any other country.
On the other hand, in my opinion, it may create discord. I do not say
that it will have that effect, to any great extent, because in 99 cases
out of every 100 the wife will vote with the husband, the daughter with
the father, the sister with the brother, and the effect will be only to
multiply the family vote. In my home I shall have ten votes under this
system instead of one."
Gregor McGregor (SA, Australian Labor Party) "Adult suffrage has been a plank in the platform
of the party with which I am connected from the inception of that body,
and every member of it has been gratified, not only by the number of conversions
they have made, but by the number of partial conversions, a number having
been almost compelled, if not induced, to go half way in the acceptance
of the principle."
|
House of RepresentativesSir William Lyne, (Hume, Protectionist Party) Minister for Home Affairs "… some ten or twelve years ago I formed the conclusion
that not only was it just to accord women the vote, but that it was in
the best interests of the entire community." "Moreover, I am firmly of the opinion that the
extension of the franchise to women will cause men to take more interest
in political matters, and to vote in larger numbers than they have done
heretofore. The fact that wives and daughters in the home will be able
to discuss political subjects which affect everyday life, will bring to
the mind of the male portion of the community the necessity for recording
their votes at election time."
Sir Edward Braddon (Tasmania, Free Trade) "Of all the political phenomena that arise from
time to time to puzzle men, none is so bewildering, to me at any rate,
as that which is presented by the craze—I can hardly call it anything
else—for female suffrage which exhibits itself in these southern seas." "Woman has her range of duties, and her special
functions, as man has his; and I would like to see each find his own place
in his own level." "…the objection is that women are apt to decide
on instinct rather than reason."
Alexander Poynton (South Australia, Free Trade) "… I hold that womanhood suffrage in South Australia
has improved the whole tone of politics there."
William Knox (Kooyong, Free Trade) "We are, in my opinion, running counter to the
intentions and to the design of the Great Creator, and we are reversing
those conditions of life to which woman was ordained." "The main ambition of a woman's life should be
to become the wife of an honorable and honest man." "I have a mother, and I have a wife and a sister
and daughters, and I wish to continue in the position of their supporter
and their protector, and not to place them under the necessity of protecting
their own political position. I do not wish them to have extended to them
the right not only to vote, but to sit in this Chamber. It is man's duty
to be here, and it is woman's duty to attend to the family."
Thomas Macdonald-Paterson (Brisbane, Free Trade) "I am not a convert to women's suffrage; I am a
disciple, having for years been in favour of the fair sex exercising a
voice in the affairs of the country, though if it may be that I would
rather revert to the old Roman majority of 28 years of age for both men
and women, granting only the municipal vote to those over 21 years of
age."
Thomas Skene (Grampians, Free Trade) "I, and many others, believe that woman has higher
and more sacred functions to fulfil than those presented in political
life."
Sir William McMillan (Wentworth, Free Trade) "No doubt when we come to deal with the question
on purely logical grounds, it is very hard to say that a women should
not have a vote. But, on the other hand, there is even deeper philosophy
than mere logic. There are instincts, and those instincts often are founded
upon the nature of things. Whether we decide that a woman shall have a
vote or not, there is no use our blinding our eyes to the fact that a
woman, physiologically and otherwise, is a very different individual from
a man."
George Edwards (South Sydney, Free Trade) "I object to the present proposal, first, on the
ground that there is nothing in what we may designate as political principles
to justify this departure, and, secondly, on the ground that as a matter
of common expediency there is nothing to be gained."
|