as mania , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁Western ▁Australia ▁and ▁the ▁Australian ▁Capital ▁Territ ory . ▁Its ▁membership ▁includes ▁people ▁that ▁have ▁successfully ▁promoted ▁elect oral ▁reform . ▁ ▁The ▁Society ▁regularly ▁reviews ▁and ▁makes ▁subm issions ▁on ▁elect oral ▁reform ▁within ▁Australia ▁with ▁a ▁focus ▁on ▁multi - member ▁single ▁transfer able ▁vote ▁- ▁proportional ▁representation ▁voting ▁systems . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁made ▁subm issions ▁to ▁international ▁organizations ▁including ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Parliament . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁Society ' s ▁began ▁before ▁the ▁comm enc ement ▁of ▁Australia ▁as ▁a ▁Federation ▁with ▁Catherine ▁Helen ▁Sp ence ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁found ing ▁members . ▁See ▁ ▁details ▁of ▁the ▁growth ▁and ▁success ▁of ▁qu ota - pre fer ential ▁proportional ▁representation ▁in ▁Australia , ▁particularly ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁national ▁level . ▁ ▁Catherine ▁Helen ▁Sp ence ' s ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁book let , ▁A ▁Ple a ▁for ▁P ure ▁Dem ocracy , ▁helped ▁the ▁early ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁proportional ▁representation ▁group ▁called ▁the ▁' Effect ive ▁V oting ▁League ▁of ▁South ▁Australia '. ▁Miss ▁Catherine ▁Sp ence ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁candidate ▁at ▁a ▁public ▁election ▁in ▁the ▁then ▁British ▁Empire ▁when ▁she ▁stood ▁un success fully ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁election ▁( under ▁the ▁multiple ▁vote ▁) ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁Austral as ian ▁Federal ▁Convention . ▁ ▁A ▁statue ▁in ▁Light ▁Square ▁in ▁Ad ela ide , ▁un ve iled ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁March ▁