Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 80
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
succession of Ministries and coalitions as different matters came to the forefront of public
attention.
From the 1880s, the faction system declined and the party system rose. During the late
1880s and 1890s, political parties emerged as divisions over customs and the tariff: the
Free Trade and Protectionist 'parties'. Both parties contained radical and conservative
wings and accommodated a variety of interests and opinions. With the coming of
Federation, the political issues shifted to the Federal Parliament. The Protectionists
renamed themselves the Progressive Party, and the Free Traders renamed themselves
the Liberal Party. In 1902 under the leadership of Sir Joseph Carruthers the latter Party
and its organisation was revitalised and its name was changed to the Liberal and Reform
Association.
The labour movement of the nineteenth century culminated in the election to Parliament
of 35 members in 1891. Only a short time before, in March 1891, the Labour Party
(initially known as the Labour Electoral League) was formed by the New South Wales
Trades and Labour Council.5
Speaking generally of the various Australian colonies, Clark 6 suggests that there were
two 'bites' at political democracy and social reform in the second half of the nineteenth
century: the first being 1856 to 1865, and the second 1880-1900. During the first period
manhood suffrage, the secret ballot, the eight-hour day and land reform were achieved;
and, during the second, the abolition of plural voting, payment of Members and votes for
women plus a range of social legislation (graduated income taxes, graduated land taxes,
graduated death duties, and a system of old age pensions). Coupled with the second
period was a rapid expansion in economic activity: "the achievements of the decades
1870 to 1890 read like a success story in a glossy magazine. Communications improved
with a revival of railway building, and the introduction of the overseas cable service.
Inventions of agricultural machinery, successful research in wheat breeding, irrigation,
and the discovery of how to freeze meat: all these contributed to the development of an
overseas market for primary produce".
Certainly, in New South Wales the reduction of the term of Parliament from five years to
three in 1874 was a democratic move which enabled Members to keep in better touch
with electors; and the payment of an allowance of Members of the Legislative Assembly
from 1889 meant that even the less affluent male elector could afford to stand for
election as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
The Governor's opening speech on 3 September 1861 shows how far the Colony had
come within the five years since gaining self-government:
The results of the Census which has just been completed shows that, notwithstanding
the severance of Queensland, there has been during the last five years an increase of
nearly one hundred thousand in the population, which now amounts to upwards of
three hundred and fifty thousand.
The Governor also mentioned that the Gold Fields "are still advancing in number and
productiveness" and referred to the issues/matters before the Parliament: the state of
the Revenue; the Gold Fields; gaols and penal establishments; the London Exhibition;
railway works; roads; telegraphic communication; Custom duties negotiations with
5
see Fact Sheet No.1 Role Of The New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Facts and Figures
- Political Parties of New South Wales (Overview) by David Clune, on
, the website of the Parliament of New South Wales
6
Clark, C M H, Select documents in Australian History 1851-1900, selected and edited by C M H
Clark with the assistance of L3 Pryor, (Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1968 reprint), pp.xxiixxiii
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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