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he New Housewives' Association (NHA) was formed in Sydney in 1946. A number of suburban branches, including Chatswood, were established. The NHA's Central Committee adopted the Australian Women's Charter seeking equal status for women, launched at the Australian Women's Conference for Victory in War and Victory in Peace, 1943. The NHA's progressive platform attracted Communist women to this working-class body. It campaigned for the reduction and strict control of prices, mainly of household commodities; equal pay for women and increased Child Endowment; and the establishment of municipal markets in order to bring cheaper goods to housewives. In 1949 the NHA supported trade-union demand for a 30 shilling increase in the Basic Wage. It published a journal, The New Housewife, and a magazine, The Housewives' Guide. In 1950 the NHA National Committee moved to change the Association's name to reflect a broader constituency beyond women in the home; this gave rise to a new organisation, the Union of Australian Women.

See Australian Women's Archive Project

Resources

Newspaper Articles

• 'Wages, prices drice launched by housewives, unions; conference drafts plan to life living standards', Housewife (Sydney?), no. 2, October 1948. Image PDF Details