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The Great Petition

 1891

The largest petition  presented to the Parliament of Victoria in the 19th century. 

 “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 groundbreaking 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.

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.

Further resources: 

Explore the Great Petition

Parliament of Victoria. (n.d.). Learn more about the petition and search for your family members on the Women’s Suffrage Petition search

Film 

Victorian Collections, May 15 2015, The Great Petition Sculpture  Artists Susan Hewitt and Penelope Lee discuss the meaning of the artwork and the process of making it: from community consultation, choosing the location, developing the design, and fabrication.

Online Resources 

Footnotes

[1] Australian Women’s Register. (n.d.). Women’s suffrage petitions 1891-1894. The National Foundation for Australian Women

[2] Ibid

[3] Public Record Office Victoria. (n.d.). The 1891 women’s suffrage petition.

[4]Parliament of Victoria. (n.d.). Women in Parliament.

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