Zonta International

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (15:18): The Zonta Club of Mount Barker recently visited me at parliament. As members will know, Zonta International is a service club for women. It aims to advance the status of women worldwide. The club has a robust program, including funding and assembling birthing kits for developing countries, supporting young women in public affairs, supporting microcredit programs to reduce gender inequality and hosting Expect Respect forums locally.

Before the Zonta Club visited parliament, I had an opportunity to attend a general meeting. At the meeting, I was able to hear from Elle Browne, who outlined her experience assisting women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ms Brown was a foundation member of the Zonta Club of Mount Barker. Her passion and commitment to reducing gender inequality are inspiring. I understand that the Confederation of Zonta Clubs was formed in 1930. It was initially conceived as a female equivalent of Lions Clubs. In the course of the Zonta Club's tour of Parliament House, we had an opportunity to reflect on our state's heritage and commitment to advancing the status of women.

South Australia was founded by political idealists. Many believed in equality. There was a tradition of some women being able to vote: from 1861: women who owned property and paid council rates had the right to vote in local council elections. Education for girls was strongly supported. It is now sometimes forgotten that the first public secondary school in Australia was the Advanced School for Girls in Adelaide. When the University of Adelaide was founded in 1876, women were admitted to study. The South Australian government insisted on passing legislation allowing women to take degrees. This approach did not accord with the wishes of the British government.

During the course of the evening, we were able to consider the lives of Mary Lee and Catherine Helen Spence, amongst others. We reflected, too, on the courage of Muriel Matters. Born in Adelaide, Mary was a leader of the English suffragettes. In 1908, after women in South Australia had won the right to vote some years earlier, Matters chained herself to a piece of iron that obscured the view of parliament from the Ladies' Gallery at the Houses of Parliament in London.

The next year, in 1909, Matters hired an air balloon and attempted to fly over a procession, led by King Edward, to the Houses of Parliament. Her plan was to shower the procession with Women's Freedom League pamphlets. It was the early days of flying and poor weather prevented her from reaching Westminster. The balloon hugged the outskirts of London and she flew for an hour and a half, reaching over 3,000 feet. Her flight made world headlines. Matters' supporters arranged for her balloon to carry the words 'Votes for Women' on one side and 'Women's Freedom League' on the other.

I thank the Deputy Premier and the Minister for Human Services for joining us. I wish to extend my thanks and that of my community to the volunteer members of the Zonta Club in Mount Barker for the important work they are doing. It was a real pleasure to have them visit.