120th Anniversary of the Franchise Act: A Parliamentary Library Symposium

Thursday 8 December 2022, 1:30 pm–3:45 pm (AEDT)
Parliament House Theatre, Canberra and live streamed

2022 is the 120th anniversary of two key pieces of legislation that underpin the practice of democracy in Australia: the Franchise and Electoral Acts. The span of years makes Australia’s voting rights appear unremarkable, yet this would be to overlook the intense political discussions over voting rights in Australia, particularly for women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as the significant practical challenges involved in enrolling voters and administering national elections across the young country.

This symposium is led by some of Australia’s most renowned political historians and explores the origins and changes in Australian franchise and elections.

• Panel Chair: Emeritus Professor Marian Sawer, ANU Public Policy Fellow and author of numerous works on gender politics and policy
• Professor Marilyn Lake, author of Progressive New World; How Settler Colonialism and Transpacific Exchange Shaped American Reform (2019)
• Professor Tim Rowse, author of numerous works on Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander history
• Dr Benjamin T. Jones, Central Queensland University a historian of Australian political history, and the author of This Time: Australia's Republican Past and Future (2018)

Jointly hosted with the Australasian Study of Parliament Group.

Booking

This free symposium will be held in the theatre, Parliament House. Senators, Members, their staff and the public are welcome to attend online or in person.

You can access the live stream on the day at Watch, Read, Listen.

For further information, call Alyssa Caldrmoski on 02 6277 2610.

Image: Great suffragette demonstration in London: Mrs Andrew Fisher, Mrs McGowen and Miss Vida Goldstein from Australia, 1911, National Library of Australia.