Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 158
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
Part 3. Responsible Government
Reaching the first century, 1907-56
The first half of the twentieth century brought with it two World Wars, the emergence
and development of the modern political party system, constitutional crises in 1916 and
1932, the reconstitution of the Legislative Council in 1933, the first women members of
the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council in the 1920s -1930s, growing
agitation in various districts of New South Wales for separation and Statehood, and the
re-definition of the relationship between the State of New South Wales and the
Commonwealth.
The two party political system that dominated most of the twentieth century emerged in
the decade after Federation. Nonetheless, during the first half of the century the new
parties were relatively unstable and constantly evolving.
The old Free Trade and Protectionist parties of the nineteenth century had lost the issue
that divided them with the establishment of the Federal Parliament and its protectionist
programs, and gradually the division that emerged was between Labor (formed in 1891
as the Labour Electoral League) and 'non-Labor' parties. The "modern party system, in
which the Australian Labor Party faces a coalition of non-Labor parties", began in 1909.1
The Liberal Reform Party and the first Progressive Party of the first decade of the
twentieth century were followed in turn by the Nationalist Party (1916-32) which evolved
with the split of the Labor governments over conscription, their leaders and some other
members joining with the former Liberal opposition.
The Nationalist Party was replaced by the United Australia Party in the 1930s and finally,
in the 1940s, by the modern Liberal Party. The Liberal Party, under its various names,
was allied almost from the beginning with the second Progressive Party which had
emerged in 1915 and which, by 1925, had evolved into the Country Party. Similarly, at
various times after the 1916 split the Labor Party again fractured from time to time,
most notably during and after the 1930-32 Lang Government.
World War I had a dramatic impact on families, the economy and politics. Although the
Commonwealth and all the State Governments were energetic in supporting the war
effort, the issue of conscription divided the nation. Casualties were extremely heavy for
Australia, which after all had a fairly small population, and there was a heavy and
constant demand for additional recruits. There were some military forces made up
entirely of volunteers but with the mounting casualties and a shortfall in enlistments,
more troops were needed. The Commonwealth Government began to campaign
vigorously for the introduction of conscription and put the issue to the people in two
referendums, in 1916 and 1917. Both times the proposal was defeated.
However, the conscription issue split the New South Wales Labor Party; William Holman
who was Premier in 1916 only retained power by forming a new Nationalist coalition
government with his former political opponents. Following the referendum Holman lost
his leadership of the Labour Party and a new leader, Ernest Durack, was elected. Durack
then initiated a no-confidence motion against the Government in the Legislative
Assembly. The Opposition, led by Charles Wade, successfully moved an amendment.
However, on 10 November 1916 the Governor, responding to the occurrences in the
Parliament, wrote in a minute to the Premier that he would be glad "to receive a formal
intimation of Mr. Holman's resignation" and that the
1 Australian Encyclopaedia, op cit, Vol.4 p.91
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State Records Authority of New South Wales
