Summary
Putting Skirts on the Sacred Benches is an online exhibition that pays tribute to the women candidates who stood for election to the New South Wales Parliament from the time they were eligible to stand in 1918. It lists more than 900 women candidates, recognising their significant contributions and achievements, despite, in most cases, their lack of success. With the major focus on those who did not succeed a fuller picture is gained of the numbers of politically active women in the community who were prepared to put themselves forward for election to public office. Biographical entries about a selection of women have been prepared, some containing links to further bibliographical and archival resources.
Work on this project was funded in 2005-6 by the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government Committee, an initiative of the New South Wales Government Premier's Department. The update of the Exhibition after the 2007 state election was funded by the New South Wales Office for Women.
Fabulus recognition to all my female collegues who had the coourage to stand, with the knowledge their chances of failure was much higher than their chance of success and their courage to make a difference in winning or loosing they all helped to elevate women in Australian politics.
Judith Lloyd-Walter - 14 June 2011, 4:38 PM EST