Australian law has reflected the status of women in Anglo-Celtic culture. Today there are women in Australia from widely diverse cultural backgrounds and the law has a role in ensuring the safety, freedom, security and equality of opportunity for them all. As the status of women varies from culture to culture and changes over time, the law has had to adapt and evolve in order to fulfill its role.
Modern Australian law began its existence as British law, applying to 18th- and 19th-century women in their traditional roles. The social and political values of 19th-century Britain and Australia generally did not provide an opportunity for women to achieve public life, to have a career, to own property, to make economic decisions for themselves or to exert any substantial control over decision-making in their lives. Many women did not actively seek to change this situation, because they believed, or at least accepted, the social values of their time.
The primary role of a woman in the 18th and 19th centuries was that of domestic carer. She provided services such as child rearing and housekeeping, and support for her husband or father, who was considered the sole breadwinner and head of the household, and other males such as adult sons who may also have contributed.
Many social changes have occurred over time that have allowed women to gain the same rights that men have had for many years. The Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries changed the work
Referring to the late 1920s and early 1930s, women were seen as the common housewife. This image was depicted across many media platforms. The customary role of women, was to be in charge of running the household. This included polishing, vacuuming, dusting, dishes, laundry and other tasks which needed to be maintained on a weekly or daily basis. It became a full day workload, keeping her constantly busy as if she were employed. It was required for the women of the household to be prepared for anything her husband or family desired. Housework was typically expected to only include maintenance, however, this was not the case. Cooking, cleaning, and overall upkeep was all to be completed by the wife, while the man of the house brought in the money.
As a result of WW1, Australia’s society became an unbiased environment for Women, because they were given the opportunity to do jobs that had been left empty by men who had gone to fight the Germans. Life for
Australia was the first country to give women rights in a federal election and also the rights to be elected to parliament a natural basis. South Australia was first in 1895, the first voting day for South Australia in 1896. In 1877, in South Australia Catherine Helen Spence was the first woman to stand as a political candidate. Then it was Western Australia in 1899 to vote for woman. In office from 1 July 1947 to 24 May 1971. The Honourable Dame Annabelle Rankin was the second woman member of the Australian Senate and first woman from Queensland to sit in the Parliament of Australia. Henrietta Augusta Dugdale was an Australian feminist who started the first female suffrage society in Australasia. Her campaigning resulted in women's rights
Women’s roles have changed greatly throughout history. As the advancement of culture, laws, and ideas altered ways of life, women’s lives also evolved in numerous aspects of society. Women’s roles changed greatly between 1815 and 1860. During this time, family dynamics changed as the mothers that were placed at the center of the household were given greater freedoms. In addition, women had more opportunity to take on jobs in the workplace. Women also fought for reform movements that altered their ways of life in the community. During the reform era of the United States, factors such as religion, education, and reforms greatly changed women’s roles in the family, workplace, and society.
Australian society had changed a lot because of the women’s movement. Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s and the start of the ‘90s a lot of women were put into male jobs. These jobs were in the areas of education, law, health work, and welfare. This greatly affected the imbalance between both men and women in power and opportunity. Women gradually started to gain access to areas of power that previously been off limits. Some women attempted to use their new found power for the benefit of women in
Australian women prior to World War One lived a life that consisted of traditional female roles similar to those of their British and Irish relatives. Their value in society was based on their ability to bear and raise children and maintain a home and they were dependent on the financial support of their husbands. Families of 10 or 12 children were common in this era and daily home life was described as ¡§labour intensive.¡¨
Australian families have experienced many significant changes over the past 6 decades. These changes consequently resulted in equality of opportunities, and conditions for women in the labour force. Along with the willingness of most men to become voluntarily involved in core household work, as well as taking on a greater role with respect to childcare. This essay will discuss two significant changes in gender roles, and will examine some of the positive and negative impacts it had on Australian society over the past six decades. On the one hand, Australian federal and state governments passed several new laws and legislations which resulted in an increased participation by women in the labour force. These legislative changes provide many
Before World War 2 commenced, women 's roles in Australia were extremely different to now. The Australian government believed that women were not needed to perform in any sort of military service, however, once the war began it was thought otherwise (Ergo.slv.vic.gov.au, 2015). The roles of women changed significantly during this time, specifically around the 1940 's. The social, political, and economic rights for Australian women were all major changes made during this period of time (Awm.gov.au, 2015). This essay focuses on the role of women before and after these changes occurred, also the affect this made to society.
In the first 100 years of colonial Australia women of all status and race were a marginalised segment of society; considered inferior to and for the use and support of men (Summers, 1975), (Dixon,1999). It is not surprising therefore that historical accounts of women’s activities between 1788 and the late 1800’s, whether white, black, convict, or free, are much less documented than those of men. The accounts that have been recorded, however, point to women from substantially different ages, cultural backgrounds, education, health, social stations, and personal histories holding various amounts of power (or lack of) and acting within varied and fluid physical and social environments (Macintyre, 2009), (SBS, 2012). In this short essay we will present a very superficial account of these women’s experiences.
Australia in the early 1900s has developed a reputation as a ‘working man’s paradise’ for its greater opportunity to success and an egalitarian society. However not all workers proved this to be true. In order to determine this statement, Issues to be discussed include firstly the hours of work for different genders, secondly the working conditions and finally the dispute for the right to fair treatment to women and Aboriginal natives throughout the 19th century.
The case of Ruddock v Vadarlis is fundamental when it comes to understanding the rights of an individual or human rights more broadly and how they are protected by public law in Australia, however this is an extremely complex issue, and this case outlined many of the protections that ensure human rights but also was one of the defining moments for human rights and public policy in the contemporary era, this cases influence stretches far, but this essay will explain how this case enshrined how Australian public law protects people’s rights. This essay will focus on the individual rights of Australians, this in itself generates a great deal of discussion and viewpoints, different ideas on exactly what rights were protected, and which rights
Australian laws have two forms, public and private law. Public law is an individual versus the Australian government, for example, criminal law, constitutional law and environmental law. It involves public bodies, public matters and is the concern of everybody in Australia. Private law involves disputes between private citizens or entities, for example, contract law, family law and probate laws.
Australia allowed women both to have the right to vote and to be elected into parliament on a national base in 1902. Groups of women formed to create suffrage groups. These groups created petitions, flyers, posters, debates and meetings along with others to raise awareness and persuade people to join their side.
The second wave of feminism began in the 60’s worldwide. This wave of feminism primarily worked towards bringing equality into the workplace as well as into education systems. It was also the wave in which women started fighting for reproductive and sexual rights (Seibert, A and Roslaniec, D, 1998). In Australia, the Whitlam Government was specifically working on furthering women’s rights and equality in wages. However, stereotypical gender roles restricted women into continuing to work low status jobs. Whether that was as a child bearer or a housewife it was low status nonetheless. The Whitlam Government attempted to further Women’s rights in 1972 by making a law
Women's rights and responsibilities have changed a lot between the 19th and 21st centuries. Starting from the 19th century, women have progressed in almost every year. Women can now work, get an education, own property, and vote. Women also have more responsibilities in the household than they use to. With these changes, women are now almost equals to men. (Women Empowerment Vital)