Australian women and the Second World War: Background information
Roles for Australian women on the home front during the First World War consisted mainly of raising funds, volunteering for organisations like the Red Cross, packing relief parcels and knitting socks for soldiers fighting overseas. Women took care of wounded soldiers, home from the frontlines, as well as looking after their families. There was little scope for roles beyond those described; for many Australian women, their biggest role was to simply wait as many male family members and friends fought the protracted and costly battles of the war, on the other side of the world. The period between the First World War and the Second World War saw a few changes for Australian women on the domestic front. Edith Cowan became the first woman elected to an Australian parliament (in Western Australia), while the minimum wage for women was set at 54 per cent of the wage rate for men. These changes were the exception, however, as Australian women continued in many of the same roles they had carried out since before the First World War. The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 was set to bring about some significant changes for Australian women; some of those changes would have short-term effects while others would have influences that extended beyond the end of the war in 1945. Australia once again committed large numbers of service men to the theatres of conflict in the Second World War. Those men were soon involved in battles on the ground, in the air and at sea. Back in Australia, their absence created a shortage of what was called “manpower”; many local industries and agricultural activities felt that shortage, so jobs traditionally held by men were opened up to women. The Australian armed forces also saw a need for women to take up a range of roles; that led to the formation of several auxiliary military services in which women held jobs that would have otherwise kept men from joining up and serving in the theatres of conflict. The end of the Second World War saw the large numbers of Australian men serving overseas return home, with many men expecting to resume the jobs they had held before they joined the armed forces. For many Australian women, this period was one of contradiction and disappointment as they had to give up the jobs they’d carried out during the hostilities. For others, though, there was much less upset, as they dutifully handed over their roles and went back to domestic duties. There were mixed feelings among women across the country as the pre-war order tried to re-establish itself.
Source: Australian Government, Dept of Veteran's Affairs, Great Debates: Australian Women and the Second World War Teacher’s Guide That the Second World War changed the roles of Australian women