A massive change to life in the public service for women was in the winds on this day in 1966. Legislation removing the ban on women in the public service being married was due to be debated in Parliament.
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Amendments to the Public Service Act, recommended by a government committee, would mean women would no longer lose their permanent employee status when they tied the note.
Mrs M.F Miller, chairwoman of the women's committee of the Liberal Party, said the change had been a long time in the making, and the committee's report had been eagerly encouraged by the former prime minister Sir Robert Menzies. Prime Minister Harold Holt had been urged to support the move.
Earlier that year, the Reserve Bank had removed discrimination against married women to allow them to be permanent employees.
More than 20,000 women were estimated to be affected by the change, which was "expected to include a form of confinement leave of up to three months".
Also making news on the front page was the visit to the Australian War Memorial by a delegation of 200 Japanese sailors. The Japanese self-defence force members were in Australia on a goodwill mission to mark 21 years from the end of World War II.