Voting Rights Timeline

By Guin
  • Eureka Stockade

    This was when the rebellion of miners happened, and the miners were able to vote, however many soldiers and miners died because of this rebellion.
  • The Secret Ballot

    During this time, residents were voting publicly, which meant people were being intimidated and coerced. To stop this, an independent body electoral body decided to ensure elections were run fairly.
  • Male suffrage

    During this time, South Australia extended voting to male residents who were over the age of 21. In 1858, Victoria decided to follow their lead.
  • Women's suffrage

    This was the time when women believed that democracy couldn't be achieved with only male opinions. So they fought for the voting rights as men. Then, in 1894, the South Australian Parliament agreed to make everyone have to same rights gradually.
  • Federation

    In 1898, South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania passed around a referendum create an Australian Constitution. In 1899, Queensland agreed to support the federation, then in 1900, Western Australia also supported the federation.
  • Compulsory Voting

    To increase the rate of votes, the government decided to make voting compulsory.
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

    For many years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders weren't allowed to get full voting rights. Then in 1962, Queensland accepted for Indigenous people to vote in State Elections.
  • Voting Age

    During the time of the 1960s, across the world many of the younger generation were paying taxes, driving cars, and working for the military. Therefore, they enforced that the new age of voting would be 18.
  • Today

    Today, Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy were the community get to have a right in the government's decisions. Australia faces challenges and difficulties as a nation!