The Great Petition

 “That government of the People, by the People and for the People should mean all the People, not half”^[1]

The Great Petition was a monumental effort in the fight for women’s suffrage in Victoria. Presented to Parliament in September 1891, this petition—also known as the “Monster Petition”— gathered around 30,000 signatures from Victorian women and men, making it the largest petition ever presented to the Parliament of Victoria in the 19th century.

This ground breaking petition called for women to have the right to vote, declaring that “all adults should have a voice in making the laws they are required to obey.”^[2]

The petition was part of a larger movement advocating for women’s rights, including equal pay, raising the age of consent, and advancing women’s rights in areas like land ownership and divorce. ^[3]

Leading activists such as  Marie Kirk,  Annette Bear-Crawford, Isabella Goldstein, and her daughter Vida Goldstein were central to the effort, along with the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Victorian Temperance Alliance. These activists spent six weeks gathering signatures across the state, traveling by train and on foot door to door.

The petition itself, an impressive 260 meters in length, was made by backing the signed pieces of paper with fabric and rolling them around a cardboard spindle.  Mrs. Jane Munro, wife of the Victorian Premier, was among the signatories, and her husband presented the petition to Parliament on September 29, 1891.

Despite widespread support, the Victorian Parliament rejected 19 bills related to women’s suffrage between 1889 and 1908. It wasn’t until 1908 that the Adult Suffrage Bill was passed, granting non-Indigenous Victorian women the right to vote. However, First Nations people did not secure voting rights until 1962. ^[4]

The Great Petition not only inspired suffrage movements across Australia but remains a lasting symbol of first-wave feminist activism. It is a powerful reminder of the progress made through collective action and the ongoing fight for equal rights for all.

Acknowledgement

This biography was written by the Her Place Women’s Museum, using the below resources. 

Image: Women gathered on a lawn, preparing to travelling around Victoria – Provided courtesy of the State Library of Victoria

Commemoration 

The ‘Great Petition,’ created by artists Susan Hewitt and Penelope Lee, is a white, scroll-like sculpture made from rolled steel. Installed at Burston Reserve near Parliament House in 2008, it commemorates the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Victoria. Alongside the sculpture is a didactic panel written by Australian historian Professor Marilyn Lake, explaining the history of women’s suffrage in Victoria.  ‘Great Petition’ was commissioned by the State Government of Victoria in collaboration with the City of Melbourne.