. ▁The ▁act ▁was ▁clar ified ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁to ▁exclude ▁women . ▁Ag itation ▁for ▁allowing ▁women ▁to ▁vote ▁began ▁in ▁earnest ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 , ▁with ▁presentation ▁of ▁an ▁immense ▁pet ition ▁containing ▁over ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁sign atures ▁was ▁presented ▁to ▁the ▁parliament . ▁This ▁pet ition ▁was ▁proud ly ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁prom ot ional ▁tool ▁for ▁the ▁feder ation ▁of ▁Australia . ▁The ▁newly ▁feder ated ▁nation ▁allowed ▁women ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁elections , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁stand ▁for ▁office , ▁since ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁Yet ▁Victoria ▁did ▁not ▁expand ▁its ▁suff rage ▁to ▁include ▁women ▁until ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁nor ▁allow ▁women ▁to ▁stand ▁for ▁office ▁until ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁The ▁first ▁woman ▁was ▁not ▁elected ▁into ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Parliament ▁until ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁Political ▁parties ▁began ▁to ▁increase ▁in ▁size ▁and ▁influence ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁leading ▁to ▁further ▁ag itation ▁for ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁vote . ▁This ▁also ▁led ▁to ▁voting ▁within ▁each ▁chamber ▁becoming ▁more ▁predict able , ▁as ▁strong ▁party ▁discipline ▁began ▁to ▁form ▁among ▁party ▁members , ▁mostly ▁aligned ▁to ▁three ▁broad ▁ide als : ▁the ▁labour ▁movement , ▁liberal ▁movement ▁and ▁rural ▁interests . ▁Victoria ' s ▁two - party ▁system ▁took ▁hold , ▁usually ▁as ▁a ▁contest ▁between ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party ▁and ▁a ▁coal ition ▁formed ▁by ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁(