▁newly ▁formed ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁elect oral ▁prov isions ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁pre - ex isting ▁colon ies , ▁so ▁that ▁women ▁who ▁had ▁the ▁vote ▁and ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁stand ▁for ▁Parliament ▁at ▁state ▁level ▁had ▁the ▁same ▁rights ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁Australian ▁Federal ▁election . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Parliament ▁passed ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Fran ch ise ▁Act , ▁which ▁enabled ▁all ▁women ▁to ▁vote ▁and ▁stand ▁for ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁Federal ▁Parliament . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁Nell ie ▁Mart el , ▁Mary ▁Moore - B ent ley , ▁V ida ▁Gold stein , ▁and ▁Sel ina ▁Sig g ins ▁stood ▁for ▁election . ▁The ▁Act ▁specifically ▁ex cluded ▁' n atives ' ▁from ▁Commonwealth ▁franch ise ▁unless ▁already ▁en rolled ▁in ▁a ▁state , ▁the ▁situation ▁in ▁South ▁Australia . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁federal ▁elections ▁was ▁extended ▁to ▁all ▁ind igen ous ▁people ▁who ▁had ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁armed ▁forces , ▁or ▁were ▁en rolled ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁state ▁elections ▁( Que ens land , ▁Western ▁Australia , ▁and ▁the ▁Northern ▁Territ ory ▁still ▁ex cluded ▁ind igen ous ▁women ▁from ▁voting ▁rights ). ▁Rem aining ▁restrictions ▁were ▁abol ished ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁by ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Elect oral ▁Act . ▁ ▁Ed ith ▁Cow an ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Australian ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ,