Respectable Radicals
A history of the National Council of Women of Australia 1896 – 2006
By Marian Quartly and Judith Smart
For much of the twentieth century, the National Council of Women of Australia (NCWA) was the peak body representing women to the government in Australia and, through the International Council of Women, to the world.
This history of the NCWA tells the story of mainstream feminism in Australia, of the long struggle for equality at home and at work, which is still far from achieved.
These days, when women can no longer be imagined as speaking with one voice and women as a group have no ready access to governments, something of the optimistic vision of the leaders of NCWA is still needed. Respectable in hat and gloves in the 1970s and beyond, NCWA women politely persisted with the truly radical idea that women worldwide should be equal, especially in status, rights and opportunity.
Purchase a copy for $35 (including postage within Australia)
To purchase your copy, please contact [email protected] or write to the national office – NCWA Secretariat C/- 224-250 Dennis Road, Springwood, Queensland 4127, Australia.
You may also be interested in reading about a fabulous exhibition that showcased the lives and achievements of the women who were presidents of the National Council of Women of Australia between 1931 and 2006.
The exhibition was a project of the National Council of Women of Australia, supported by the NCWA History Steering Committee.
Stirrers with Style! showcases the lives of the presidents of the National Council of Women of Australia. The National Councils have been advising the government on issues of concern to women since 1896. The national presidents have all been inspiring Australian women. Their concerns have ranged from equal pay, divorce reform, justice for juveniles, saving the Barrier Reef and policing food additives to the present-day treatment of females and families in Defence.
Visit the Stirrers with Style NCWA exhibition page.
