How to Use the Timeline
-
Swipe or drag to scroll through events
-
Tap any image to view more details
-
Select a decade below to jump to that era
Timeline of Events
Ahead of South Australia
Women’s suffrage around the world
22 July 1885
South Australia’s resolution on womens’ suffrage
8 April 1886
Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) established
16 June 1886
South Australia’s first attempt to introduce women’s suffrage
12 July 1888
South Australia's second attempt to introduce women’s suffrage
20 July 1888
Women's Suffrage League is formed
30 October 1889
SA’s third attempt to introduce women’s suffrage
2 July 1890
SA’s fourth attempt to introduce women’s suffrage
1891
Catherine Helen Spence became Vice President of the Women’s Suffrage League
8 July 1891
SA’s fifth attempt to introduce women’s suffrage
6 July 1893
SA’s sixth attempt to introduce women’s suffrage
4 July 1894
The successful Adult Suffrage Bill is introduced in the Legislative Council
16 August 1894
The Bill is amended to include the right to stand for Parliament
23 August 1894
Suffrage Petition Tabled
30 August 1894
The Bill is introduced in House of Assembly
November 1894
Opposition to the Bill
17-18 December 1894
The Bill is passed in final by both Houses
2 February 1895
The Bill receives Royal Assent
20-21 March 1895
Proclamation of the Bill
25 April 1896
First SA election where women could vote
18 December 1897
First Australian woman to stand as a political candidate
29-30 March 1901
First Federal Election
16 December 1903
First woman to stand for Federal election
March 1918
First women to stand for SA State election
12 March 1921
First woman elected to to an Australian Parliament
7 April 1959
First Liberal women elected to the South Australian Parliament
6 April 1965
Molly Byrne becomes the second woman elected to House of Assembly
20 Dec 1979
First woman Usher of the Black Rod
8 May 1982
First woman to lead a political party
11 February 1986
First woman to serve as Presiding Officer in an Australian parliament
August 1989
First woman to be Whip in the Legislative Council
27 April 2006
First woman to be Chairman of Committees
8 July 2009
First woman to lead a major political party in SA
6 May 2010
First woman to be Speaker of the House of Assembly
20 March 2010
Youngest woman in the Parliament of South Australia
16 October 2017
First woman to be Serjeant-at-Arms in SA
March 2018
First woman to be Deputy Premier in SA
March 2022
50/50 Representation in the Legislative Council
September 2025
More women than men in Cabinet