Final ceremony to mark the end of South Australia's Women's Suffrage Centenary

Sunday December 18, 1994 Media release by Rosemary Cadden

Today, hundreds of women and men who have participated in South Australia's Women's Suffrage Centenary celebrations and supported the events held throughout 1994, will gather on the steps of Parliament House for the final ceremony of the year.

Today, December 18, is the actual anniversary of the date when the historic legislation was passed in Parliament that put SA on the world map as the first place in the world to grant women their full democratic rights on the same basis as men - the right to vote and the right to stand for election to Parliament.

Various women's groups are planning a range of activities at different times in different locations throughout the day.

During the ceremony on the steps of Parliament House, a collection of items symbolising the year's events will be placed in a time capsule, to be sealed and buried beneath Parliament House to give South Australians a century from now a colourful picture of life in 1994 and an insight into how the community celebrated this significant year.

This will be followed by the unveiling of a bust of pioneer suffragist Mary Lee outside Government House on North Terrace.

Among those attending are:

• Minister for the Status of Women, Hon Diana Laidlaw MLC

• Opposition Spokesperson for the Status of Women and the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, Hon Carolyn Pickles MLC.

• Her Excellency the Governor The Hon Dame Roma Mitchell

• Mary Beasley, Chairperson of the Women's Suffrage Centenary Steering Committee

In the 12 months since the Centenary was officially launched at the same spot, hundreds of events have been held throughout the State involving thousands of people to commemorate South Australia's women's suffrage centenary.