Women
Marriage bar abolished
18 November 1966
Married women are allowed to work in the public service.
Until 1966 married women were banned from working in the Australian Public Service. They were forced to either resign, keep their marriage a secret or be sacked. The aim was to stop married women – the dependents of their husbands – taking the jobs of men.
The Public Service Act 1902 made the exclusion of married women legal. Five years later, the Harvester Judgement created a labour market based on the male breadwinner. Women were given low-skilled jobs with lower pay, and less job security and promotion opportunities than jobs reserved for men.
It was argued the primary role of a married woman was to care for her family and that women were unable to manage the competing demands of domestic and paid work. Opponents of the marriage bar argued the talents and contributions of women were being wasted.
Within 3 years of the marriage bar being abolished, the number of women in the Australian Public Service tripled. It took the Equal Pay Case, Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and flexible working arrangements for women to have full access to the same opportunities as men.
Ian Black and Hope Macpherson sign register after their marriage, 2 April 1965
Museums Victoria
Ian Black and Hope Macpherson sign register after their marriage, 2 April 1965
Museums Victoria
Description
This photograph shows Hope Macpherson Black signing the register after her marriage to Ian Black in 1965. Hope MacPherson Black began her career at the National Museum of Victoria in 1937. At the peak of her career in 1965, she had to resign her position under the ‘marriage bar’ which prevented married women working in the public service. The Commonwealth marriage bar was abolished in 1966.