Catherine Helen Spence (31 October 1825 – 3 April 1910) was a Scottish-born Australian author, teacher, journalist, politician, leading suffragist, and Georgist. She was the first female political candidate in Australia, and the first woman to stand for election to political office in Australia. Spence was born in Melrose, Scotland, and emigrated to South Australia with her family in 1839. She was educated at home and at a local school, and began teaching at the age of 16. She wrote her first novel, Clara Morison, in 1854, and it was published in 1857. She went on to write several more novels, as well as short stories, essays, and articles. Spence was a strong advocate for women's rights, and was a founding member of the South Australian Women's Suffrage League in 1884. She was also a prominent advocate for social reform, and was a strong supporter of the Georgist movement, which advocated for a single tax on land. Spence was a candidate for the South Australian Legislative Council in 1897, making her the first female political candidate in Australia. She was unsuccessful in her bid, but her candidacy was a milestone in the struggle for women's rights in Australia. Spence died in 1910, aged 84. She is remembered as a pioneering feminist and social reformer, and her legacy lives on in the many organisations and causes she supported.
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