Australian Politician, Social Reformer. She founded the Children's Protective Society and she was the first woman elected as a representative in an Australian parliament. She became actively involved in womens suffrage and welfare issues. Her efforts in 1916, resulted in the construction of the King Edward Hospital for Women in Perth. She was the co-founder of Women's Service Guild in 1909 and of the Western Australia's National Council of Women, where she served as president. She did not believe that when children committed adult crimes that they should be tried as adults so she founded the Children's Protective Society. This eventually led to the creation of childrens courts. During World War I, she worked with the Red Cross, collected donated items for soldiers and in 1920, she was appointed as a member of the Order of the British Empire. (This order was established by King George the V in June 1917). In 1920 Western Australia passed legislation which allowed women to run for parliment. At age 60, she ran for and won her seat in the legislative assembly, becoming the first woman elected to Australia's parliment. In 1926 she helped found the Western Australian Historical Society. Her portrait appears on Australia's fifty dollar bill. In 1991 a local university was renamed in her honor, the Edith Cowan University.
Australian Politician, Social Reformer. She founded the Children's Protective Society and she was the first woman elected as a representative in an Australian parliament. She became actively involved in womens suffrage and welfare issues. Her efforts in 1916, resulted in the construction of the King Edward Hospital for Women in Perth. She was the co-founder of Women's Service Guild in 1909 and of the Western Australia's National Council of Women, where she served as president. She did not believe that when children committed adult crimes that they should be tried as adults so she founded the Children's Protective Society. This eventually led to the creation of childrens courts. During World War I, she worked with the Red Cross, collected donated items for soldiers and in 1920, she was appointed as a member of the Order of the British Empire. (This order was established by King George the V in June 1917). In 1920 Western Australia passed legislation which allowed women to run for parliment. At age 60, she ran for and won her seat in the legislative assembly, becoming the first woman elected to Australia's parliment. In 1926 she helped found the Western Australian Historical Society. Her portrait appears on Australia's fifty dollar bill. In 1991 a local university was renamed in her honor, the Edith Cowan University.
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