key milestones for women

By matthewshot

  • March:

    Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) formed.

  • August:

    Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) formed.

  • July

    Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) formed.

  • AWAS/ WWII

    AWAS becomes the only non-medical women's service to send personnel overseas to serve in both Dutch and Australian New Guinea. September 1945: Female branches of the Australian armed forces disband at the end of World War II.

  • WAAAF

    re-established and allowed to use Royal prefix to become WRAAF. Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) formed in place of AWAS.

  • WRANS

    WRANS re-established.

  • WRAAC deployment

    November: First women from WRAAC deployed overseas to Singapore for 12 months' service with the 121 Signals Squadron.

  • International year of women

    Military chiefs establish a committee to explore opportunities for increased female participation during the International Year of Women.

  • WRAAF into RAAF

    WRAAF absorbed into mainstream RAAF.

  • Equal pay and mainstream army

    WRAAC begins to be absorbed into the mainstream army. Equal pay achieved for women in the services.

  • exclusion of women from combat

    Australia ratifies the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) but supports exclusion of women from combat. However, women were permitted to serve aboard Australian naval ships.

  • sex discrimination act

    the Sex Discrimination Act grants an exemption to the ADF in respect of combat.

  • Integration into the Royal Australian Navy

    WRANS becomes fully integrated into the Royal Australian Navy.

  • ADFA training

    The Australian Defense Force Academy (ADFA) opens and gives women identical degree training alongside male colleagues.

  • Robyn Williams and Deborah Hicks

    First two female RAAF pilots enlisted: Robyn Williams and Deborah Hicks.

  • keating standing for women

    December: Keating government announces women can serve in all Army, Navy and Air Force units, except direct combat units.

  • first commanding officer

    First female commanding officer of a naval shore establishment.

  • female submariners

    Female submariners successfully employed within the submarine community and first female Navy pilot.

  • fast jets

    First female officers in the RAAF to graduate to fast jets.

  • removal of gender restrictions

    September: Minister for defense Stephen Smith announces the federal government has formally agreed to the removal of gender restrictions from ADF combat roles.

  • all departments open to women

    January: All remaining male-only employment categories opened to women currently serving with the ADF with the exception of Special Forces.

  • special forces opens up

    January: All remaining male-only employment categories opened to women currently serving with the ADF with the exception of Special Forces.

  • statistics

    February: The ADF permanent workforce is 15.12 per cent female which is 8,540 members. Females account for 18.6 per cent, or 2,420, Navy personnel, 12 per cent, or 3,476, Army personnel and 18.6 per cent, or 2,644, Air Force personnel. March: 936 female permanent ADF members are serving in various combat and security roles, compared with 13,707 men. Currently 341 female permanent ADF members are serving in various aviation roles, compared with 3,011 men.

  • the present

    January: Direct entry recruitment for women into combat roles is expected to commence.