No women members allowed: The Australian Club votes to remain open to only men

Membership to the elite Australian Club on Macquarie Street will remain a male-only privilege following a historic vote on Tuesday which failed to open up full participation to women.

A brief statement from the club said: “The Australian Club today held a Special General Meeting to consider a specific resolution for the purpose of amending the Club’s Constitution to allow women to be Members. There was a record turn-out of members to consider and vote on the resolution. The meeting determined that the 75 per cent threshold to pass the resolution was not met.”

Only 37 per cent voted in favour of letting women become members. Credit: Kate Geraghty

The club, which allows women to visit as guests of male members, refused to share the final numbers. However, the Herald can reveal 693 member votes were cast, with 62 per cent against allowing women members, 37 per cent in favour and 1 per cent abstaining.

Potential member Daisy Turnbull, whose father and ancestors have long been members of the club, was dismayed by the result, which she predicted would put the club on “the wrong side of history”.

“I’d hate to be a member trying to explain to his daughters why he believes only their brothers are good enough to be a member of the club,” she told the Herald after being informed of the result.

The irony was not lost on several members of The Australian Club on Tuesday morning as they arrived to vote on the future of the elite men’s institution, and walked past a portrait of the one woman who seems to be most welcome within their sanctuary of masculinity, Queen Elizabeth II.

Former prime minister John Howard leaves the men’s only Australian Club after holding a vote to determine if women can become members.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Most - including former prime minister John Howard - attempted to politely ignore the waiting news crews on Macquarie Street as they made their way behind the doors at No.165 and up the stairs to the members’ private dining room, which was overflowing as members turned up in person to vote on allowing women to become members of the 183-year-old club.

The almost 700 who turned up were not just there on the promise of a sandwich buffet, but also to listen to a long line of members speaking for and against female membership, the crowd spilling over into the adjoining Sir Norman Cowper room, named after the prominent 20th century lawyer who co-founded the firm Allens, where his portrait proudly hangs on the wall.

Men arrive at the men’s only Australian Club which is holding a vote to determine if women can become permanent members.Credit: Kate Geraghty

“My wife is happy that there are no other women here,” claimed one younger member speaking against women members, while a more senior one reflected his difficulty in answering questions he had faced in recent times about “what goes on here that men need to do only with other men ... being boorish after a few drinks perhaps?”

But several long-term members of Sydney’s oldest and most elite private gentleman’s institution said they would leave The Australian Club if women were not allowed to join them “shoulder to shoulder” as fully-fledged participants in an organisation they say still “has many merits” in the 21st century.

“I don’t think I will have any choice but to cancel my membership, that is not something I want to do. But really, how could one continue to be involved in an organisation that refuses to reflect the standards of society around it?” one member, who would only speak anonymously, told the Herald shortly before Tuesday morning’s historic vote.

Members are actively discouraged from speaking about their membership. However, its secretive policies have been thrust into the spotlight since moves began two years ago to push for women to join.

Another member, who has been at the club for over a decade, expressed concerns not only on male exclusivity, but also the racial profile of membership, which remains dominated by Australians of Anglo-Saxon heritage.

Race was also raised in an extraordinary letter circulated among a large portion of the club’s estimated 3000 members sent out a fortnight ago by former Federal Court judge Peter Graham, a staunch advocate for maintaining the men-only status quo.

However, other members have since described his letter as an “embarrassment”.

“You don’t see a lot of Asian faces ... just look at the names of the members .... Howard, Hughes, Packer, Turnbull .... you don’t see many Lis or Zhangs,” another member said in relation to that letter.

“My wife and sons do not hold my membership at that club in very high esteem ... if the Australian Club can’t take a great leap into the 20th Century at least ...let alone the 21st Century ... then I don’t think I will be able to continue with it,” he added. “And that will be a great pity because it is still a very good club for people who have achieved a level of success ... and you won’t get a better steak or oysters anywhere in Sydney.”

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