
About this episode
The episode discusses a pivotal moment in South Australian history where a political gamble led to women's empowerment.
In the week before Christmas 1894, a man in the South Australian parliament rolls the dice. He makes a gamble that he thinks will pay off. It’s incredibly risky because if his gamble goes wrong, he gives half the population something he really doesn’t want to give them. Professor Clare Wright OAM (Historian and author of the best-selling Democracy Trilogy) tells Marc Fennell (Stuff The British Stole) the remarkable story of how a double bluff by a conservative politician ended up empowering South Australian women and making world history. Binge all the episodes of No One Saw It Coming now on ABC listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Get in touch: Got a story for us? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at noonesawitcoming@abc.net.au
People in this episode
Host: Marc Fennell
Guest: Clare Wright OAM
Topics covered
- women's rights
- political history
- South Australia
- gambling
- empowerment
- historical events
Keywords
- South Australia
- women's suffrage
- politics
- Clare Wright
- Marc Fennell
- history
- Democracy Trilogy
- 1894
- empowerment
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: ABC Australia
Books & works: Democracy Trilogy
Places: South Australia
More episodes of No One Saw It Coming
- The houseplant that changed the British Empire · June 7, 2026 · 26 min
- Stop blaming rats for the plague · May 31, 2026 · 26 min
- A teenager’s party created Hip-Hop · May 24, 2026 · 26 min
- Beware gifts from Soviet spies · May 10, 2026
- The Met Gala began in a dead woman’s closet · May 3, 2026 · 26 min
- The telegram that caught a killer · April 26, 2026 · 26 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the No One Saw It Coming podcast page.