4 A women"s power is thus confined to the domestic sphere where it has functioned traditionally.

             Politics has traditionally been envisaged as a public realm for man, based on the characteristics of the masculine stereotype. Women"s participation in contrast, is considered small and irrelevant. This masculine structure of Australian politics defines those who do not participate or succeed according to it"s male-oriented structures, as failures; thus excluding women. This notion confines women to domesticity socially and hence politically.

             Female political participation is explained in terms of male standards and.

             male-orientated organisational frameworks. 5 If a woman assumes feminine.

             characteristics she is considered inferior in her capabilities. Yet is a women accepts masculine qualities, she is looked upon as deviant by both men and women. Those women that choose to accept their socialised 'role", remain powerless publicly and therefore politically. Yet those that go against the status quo are considered socially unacceptable and receive little if no support for their active participation in politics.

             Women"s groups in Australia at the beginning of the 19th century remained.

             conservative in the acceptance of their traditional sex-roles, and activities focused on the domestic interests of women. These groups worked to perpetuate the traditional female stereotype. As Australia moved into the 20th century however, there was the emergence of more militant feminist groups who challenged the view of women and their roles in public and private life. The feminists in Australia did succeed in exposing the male dominated structure of Australian society and politics, yet failed in achieving their radical goals of women"s emancipation whilst continuing to support the importance of the nuclear family as the basis of stability in Australian society. 6.

             Second -wave feminism emerged in a period of rapid social growth and change and.