<P> In 1902 , the Commonwealth Parliament passed the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 , which established a uniform franchise law for the federal Parliament . The Act declared that all British subjects over the age of 21 years who had been living in Australia for at least 6 months were entitled to a vote , whether male or female , and whether married or single . Besides granting Australian women the right to vote at a national level , it also allowed them to stand for election to federal Parliament . This meant that Australia was the second country , after New Zealand , to grant women 's suffrage at a national level , and the first country to allow women to stand for Parliament . However , the Act also disqualified Indigenous people from Australia , Asia , Africa and the Pacific Islands , with the exception of Māori , from voting , even though they were British subjects and otherwise entitled to a vote . By this provision , Indian people , for example , were disqualified to vote . The only exception was in relation to those who were entitled under Section 41 of the Australian Constitution to a vote . Section 41 states that any individual who has gained a right to vote at a state level , must also have the right to vote in federal elections . The then Solicitor - General , Robert Garran , interpreted the provision to mean that Commonwealth voting rights were granted by section 41 only to people who were already State voters in 1902 . The effect was not to enable those who subsequently acquired the right to vote at a State level , but who were expressly excluded from the franchise by the 1902 Act , such as Indigenous Australians , to also vote at the federal level . Also , those otherwise entitled voters who are subject to a crime which carries a penalty of over one year in prison are disqualified to vote . There was also no representation for any of the territories of Australia . </P>
<P> In 1902 , the Commonwealth Parliament passed the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 , which established a uniform franchise law for the federal Parliament . The Act declared that all British subjects over the age of 21 years who had been living in Australia for at least 6 months were entitled to a vote , whether male or female , and whether married or single . Besides granting Australian women the right to vote at a national level , it also allowed them to stand for election to federal Parliament . This meant that Australia was the second country , after New Zealand , to grant women 's suffrage at a national level , and the first country to allow women to stand for Parliament . However , the Act also disqualified Indigenous people from Australia , Asia , Africa and the Pacific Islands , with the exception of Māori , from voting , even though they were British subjects and otherwise entitled to a vote . By this provision , Indian people , for example , were disqualified to vote . The only exception was in relation to those who were entitled under Section 41 of the Australian Constitution to a vote . Section 41 states that any individual who has gained a right to vote at a state level , must also have the right to vote in federal elections . The then Solicitor - General , Robert Garran , interpreted the provision to mean that Commonwealth voting rights were granted by section 41 only to people who were already State voters in 1902 . The effect was not to enable those who subsequently acquired the right to vote at a State level , but who were expressly excluded from the franchise by the 1902 Act , such as Indigenous Australians , to also vote at the federal level . Also , those otherwise entitled voters who are subject to a crime which carries a penalty of over one year in prison are disqualified to vote . There was also no representation for any of the territories of Australia . </P>
when were immigrants allowed to vote in australia
when were immigrants allowed to vote in australia
1902
1902