First published in The Sydney Morning Herald March 21, 1921
Great interest has centred in the election of Australia’s first woman legislator, Mrs. Edith Cowan, who defeated the Attorney-General (Mr. Draper) and Mr. Eben. Allen for the West Perth electorate, W.A., at the recent elections.
Edith Cowan
The preponderance of female votes over male votes — the numbers being respectively 1804 and 1197 — was a feature of the election. Mrs. Cowan was elected by a majority of 46.
Mrs. Cowan was born in the Champion Bay district, near Geraldton, W.A., and is 60 years of age. She studied under the late Canon Sweeting, who also had for his pupils Lord Forrest, Mr. Septimus Burt, and many other leading men. She married Mr. James Cowan in 1873, who for a long time occupied the position of local court magistrate.
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Mrs. Cowan is a woman of great activity, and holds office on most of the women’s organisations in Perth. She is a justice of the peace, president of the National Council of Women (W.A. branch), president of the Soldiers’ Welcome Committee, secretary of the King Edward Maternity Hospital, a member of the Perth Hospital Board, and many other things beside. For her work during the war Mrs. Cowan was awarded the O.B.E.
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Bringing, as she does, a wealth of experience into her new tasks, there is no doubt that Mrs. Cowan will justify her election, and do credit to her sex. Women throughout Australia must all feel that the privilege that has come to Mrs. Cowan brings also responsibility.
Few, if any, doubt but that she will fill the office satisfactorily, and that she thoroughly deserves the honour of being Australia’s first woman legislator.
