Loris Williams and Margaret Reid were archivists working together in the Community and Personal Histories Section of the Queensland Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy (DATSIP) when the celebration of the Queensland Centenary of Women’s Suffrage for 2005 were being planned.
Loris and Margaret worked together with the women of the Queensland Centenary of Women’s Suffrage Taskforce, the Queensland Office for Women and the Queensland Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy.
Wujal Wujal trip June 2005
Photo courtesy of Margaret Reid
DATSIP had been concerned from the time the celebrations were first discussed that no one had officially recognised that only non-Indigenous women achieved the vote in 1905. Indigenous women and men did not achieve suffrage in Queensland until 1965.
By June 2004 some additions were made to the original terms of reference of the Taskforce following the intervention of members of the Queensland Centenary of Women’s Suffrage Taskforce, such as Margaret Reynolds. DATSIP had also contacted the then Indigenous Policy Officer at the Office for Women, Lyn Schonefeld an Aboriginal woman from the Bindal people with connections to the Cherbourg community through her father. It was agreed that the celebrations should provide an educative message regarding the importance and value of the vote; should recognise the 40 year anniversary of the Indigenous vote; and, should highlight the struggle faced by Indigenous people to attain that vote.
This led to further discussions between the Office for Women and DATSIP and the decision that Margaret and Loris should research the history of Indigenous suffrage in Queensland as part of the celebrations. It was very much a joint project. Loris became the public face of the education campaign because she was such an engaging speaker. Margaret began the research using the records held by the Community and Personal Histories Section. They discussed the story emerging from the archival records together with the oral history told in Loris’ community. This collaborative process allowed them to develop a much more layered approach to a very complex historical event.
By September 2004, all letters about the suffrage celebrations sent out by the Office for Women indicated that:
“2005 is the Centenary of Women’s Suffrage in Queensland elections. It also marks the 40 th anniversary of Indigenous people having the right to vote”.
Loris and Margaret were involved in writing to all State and Local members explaining the additions to the celebrations and worked hard to ensure that the language used in publicity material was inclusive of Indigenous people. They attended taskforce meetings, made presentations on how best to acknowledge the joint celebrations and assisted Heather Grant, a journalist who was commissioned by the Office for Women to write a book commemorating the centenary. This involved providing access to records; suggesting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to highlight; and, commenting on drafts of the book.
Margaret and Loris also assisted the library of the Queensland Parliamentary Service with the design of a permanent exhibition commemorating Indigenous voting rights. This is part of the Queensland Parliament’s Reconciliation Gallery.
During 2005, Loris spoke about Indigenous suffrage at a University of Queensland sponsored seminar and to the Queensland Branch of the Australian Educator’s meeting. She was the guest of honour at an International Women’s Day function for state government employees.
The fact sheets which Loris and Margaret researched and wrote on the history of Indigenous voting rights in Queensland were very popular. They were made widely available in hard copy as well as on the website of the Office for Women. As at 20 February 2007 they could still be viewed using the Wayback Machine
Loris passed away in August 2005. She had been too ill to carry out the planned oral history project with the Brisbane Elders Group. Her contribution to the Taskforce and to Indigenous women’s rights were warmly acknowledged at the last meeting of the Taskforce in December 2005. The artist Judy Napangardi Watson dedicated the artist’s book ‘a preponderance of blood’ which she was commissioned to produce for the centenary to Loris.
A brief biography of Loris is available through the Australian Women’s Archives Project.
Margaret continues to work in the Community and Personal Histories Section.
Prepared by Margaret Reid and Jill Caldwell February 2007
Australian Women's History Forum 