So Many Firsts: Liberal Women from Enid Lyons to the Turnbull
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book REviEWS cork on the great Liberal tide.’ began to look more attractive to representation, their significant Protectionist and interventionist many of the Deakinites as their impact on government policies, Liberalism of the Victorian variety base crumbled. and their many hard won legislated occupied the policy space that The Protectionist push was freedoms in the second half of the Labor might otherwise have also weakening in New South twentieth century. filled, and worked closely and Wales. Michael Hogan shows that The Australian Liberal Party has comfortably with Labor. But as the Protectionists in New South held federal government for most the Victorian Socialist Party and Wales had largely collapsed as of Australia’s post-War history. Tom Mann gained influence, all an organised force by 1909, and Fitzherbert’s book reveals the story that changed. that the political battle there had of a few determined women and Nick Dyrenfurth shows Labor already slipped into the pattern of their dynamic personalities who as a party increasingly consumed Liberal (free trade) versus Labor. engaged in the cut-and-thrust of by the ideologies of class and Reid’s experience of his own state political pre-selection fights, jostled race, detailing its determination informed his claim that the future for ministerial portfolios, engaged to intensify the class division cleavage of Australian politics conservative Prime Ministers as between the parties (and oppose would be between Liberal and both allies and policy opponents, Watson’s moderation) and its Labor—between liberalism and and literally shaped the party itself. ‘populist scare campaign’ based socialism. There is so little academic research, on race to discredit the Liberals The Liberal Party resulting from let alone popular books, about in 1910 as soft on White the Fusion governed twice—with women and the Australian Liberal Australia. Ultimately, those in Deakin as Prime Minister (1909– Party that another contribution Labor who were determined to 10) and with Cook (1913–14). by Fitzherbert—who has also divide Australia by class came World War I however gravely written Liberal Women: Federation to dominate the party, expelled damaged both the liberal consensus to 1949—is a welcome addition to Hughes, and crippled Labor and national unity, and the 1920s the history of politics in Australia. nationally for a generation. and ’30s saw the liberal economy It is difficult for current With his Victorian background, under sustained attack domestically generations of women to imagine Deakin was at ease governing and internationally. Menzies, the day-to-day lives of ordinary with Labor support (so long recalling the dream of Liberal Australian women before the radical as they behaved like Victorian unity, in 1944 established a new changes of second wave feminism. Labor), and even to let Federal Liberal Party, as he said, to ‘revive Fitzherbert takes us back to the Labor govern (albeit briefly) as a liberal thought’ in Australia. How 1940s to 1960s when the domestic minority government under J.C. far he succeeded is a story for sphere of women was laborious Watson. But Strangio reminds another day. in ways that are unrecognisable us that the Liberal Protectionists’ today. In doing so, she highlights dominance in Victoria was under Reviewed by David Kemp which domestic concerns were the assault as early as 1902, not from policy domains of government. Labor but from a popular and So Many Firsts: Liberal For example, butter and sugar were highly organised rural and urban Women from Enid Lyons to still rationed following the war middle-class revolt against the the Turnbull Era years. The end of rationing was Protectionists’ big government by Margaret Fitzherbert a significant policy milestone for alliance with Labor. The Kyabram The Federation Press, 2009 all Australian households and, in movement, transmuted into $39.95, 227 pages particular, Australian women. the small government National ISBN 9781862877177 Although the 1940s and 1950s Citizens Reform League, took over did see a surge in women in paid the state and, with the support of Margaret Fitzherbert’s new book employment, in this world of the Australian Women’s National So Many Firsts tracks the political our mothers, grandmothers and League in 1904, continued to drive achievements of Australian aunts, there was no equal pay and back the Protectionists. Fusion Liberal women, their political no ‘careers’ for women outside 58 POLICY • Vol. 26 No. 1 • Autumn 2010 book REviEWS teaching, nursing, and low-level her own right. She was a formidable Wedgwood, and Agnes Robertson administration jobs in the civil political force in federal Parliament and the lobbying of the Liberal service. In addition, most women for eight years, willing to tackle Party’s Federal Women’s Council were required to resign their jobs Menzies on many policy fronts for a decade to win the debate. upon their marriage. Once they (most successfully on the extension Fitzherbert also acknowledges had children, given the large family of child endowment), and became Labor’s Bill Hayden’s role in unit, their daily work was in the the first woman member of a consistently raising the matter home, unpaid. federal Cabinet. in Parliament. The 1966 Holt Robert Menzies reflected the Although the book chronicles government ended the bar. views of his generation and a many political firsts and policy One delight of the book is that long-held Liberal philosophy that initiatives, So Many Firsts’ it demonstrates how social policy women were not a special interest sub-themes are marriage, issues appeared on the agenda, group with a specific range of policy motherhood, and the financial including many policy reforms considerations. However, he was and employment equity so critical that we now take for granted: one of the first political leaders to to the emancipation of women in child endowment, abortion target the ‘women’s vote’ Australia. One strength and reproductive rights, equal and design policies aimed of Fitzherbert’s work is opportunity and equal pay, at women. This agenda that she illuminates how maternity leave, family law, was strongly influenced powerfully generations superannuation reform, and new by Dame Enid Lyons. of Australian women issues such RU48 and strategies Women had been able were conceptualised to address domestic violence. to stand for election since and confined by their The book details some excellent 1903, but it took 40 years relationships as wives and demonstrations of cross-party for any woman, from their roles as mothers. gender alliances on policies, any party, to be elected F r o m t h e 1 9 4 0 s including therapeutic cloning, to federal Parliament. through the late 1960s, RU48, cervical cancer vaccine. In 1943, there were 24 women government policies, including Fitzherbert expertly draws on candidates, two of whom won child endowment and taxation the personal details of female their contests: Enid Lyons (United structures, favoured the male ministers (for example, Rankin, Australia Party) and Dorothy breadwinner and stay-at-home Margaret Guilfoyle, Kay Patterson, Tangney (Labor). Fitzherbert mother, even though World War Kathy Martin Sullivan, Bronwyn describes the ‘warm bond’ between II had dramatically changed the Bishop, Amanda Vanstone, Jocelyn Lyons and Tangney and details labour force landscape. Fitzherbert Newman) and deftly identifies of the long friendship between expertly tracks these policy debates their policy and political impact Annabelle Rankin (Liberal) and and the personal investments in as well as highlighting their Tangney as the only two women influencing government decisions. personal stories in the context of Senators in the late 1940s. For example, she deftly tells the the broader party machinations At the age of 14, Enid trained story of the 1950s long battle to (pre-selections, cabinet shuffling, as a teacher in Tasmania, married remove the marriage bar in the Prime Ministerial influence). There Joe Lyons (35 years old) at 17, and public service, which decreed that are some delightful recollections raised 10 children. Dame Enid upon marriage, every female officer of differences of opinion between Lyons came to public prominence ‘shall be deemed to have retired.’ Bishop and other ministers, as the Prime Minister’s wife, was Women were able to remain and some wonderful details on very popular, spoke widely at public temporary employees but could Howard, Costello and Reith’s meetings, and wrote newspaper not be supervisors or maintain relationships and influences on articles all her life. While this was their superannuation. Britain had the Liberal women’s careers and a full life for any woman, Dame lifted this restriction in 1946. It political strengths. Enid Lyons launched from this took the tenacious advocacy of One limitation of Fitzherbert’s platform into the political fray in Rankin, Nancy Butterfield, Ivy book is that there is no overarching POLICY • Vol. 26 No. 1 • Autumn 2010 59 book REviEWS political theory or analysis which party policy. In addition, these The Death of Conservatism sufficiently contextualises the forums have been influential by Sam Tanenhaus political struggles. Instead, the through encouraging and training Random House, New York, reader is confronted with a large women to fight pre-selections 2009 number of facts, names, dates, seats, from within the organisational US$17, 123 pages and vignettes—making it difficult wing of the Liberal Party. There ISBN 9781400068845 for the reader to keep track of who’s is a fascinating discussion on who in the zoo. This is also because the complex story of competing It is not unusual for articles, essays many of the women’s names and conservative and liberal views also and books to be published following achievements are new to the reader, contested through these forums. an election year that declares the unlike the familiar names of Prime Fitzherbert then dissects how the ‘death’ of a particular movement Ministers.