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You are here: Home / Law / Women’s Legal Status Act (NSW) 1918

Women’s Legal Status Act (NSW) 1918

June 17, 2016 By Anne McLeod

Women's Legal Status Act (NSW) 1918 This Enabling Act was one of the most significant pieces of legislation affecting the NSW legal profession in the Twentieth Century. Finally, after decades of lobbying, women had the legal right to become lawyers and be elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly. Enabling Act 1918 - Historian Tony Cuneen Tony Cuneen describes the difficulties of getting this legislation passed and its significance:        "Apart from issues of prejudice, women were excluded from legal practice at the time for the bizarre reason that the denotation 'person' was interpreted as being male unless specifically stated otherwise. since only a suitable 'person' could practise as a lawyer, women were ruled out." Legislation which specifically stated the right of women to practise as lawyers was needed to remedy the situation.

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"There is something in the contact between the human being and nature which is very hard to explain, but as you lie on Mother Earth and look up at the stars, the life force seems to bring a new health to your tired limbs and worried mind." Marie Byles

Recent Posts

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