Edmund Barton, Prime Minister and Protectionist Party leader

The Australian legislative election, 1901 was the first federal election held in Australia following the establishment of the Federation of Australia. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia federated on 1 January 1901, to form the Commonwealth of Australia, of which they became component states. ...

The election resulted in a win for Prime Minister Edmund Barton's Protectionist Party, but was more important for setting the template for future federal elections and the fact that those elected determined much of the character of Australian parliamentary democracy and protocol from then to the present day. The current (25th) Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard (sitting, fifth from left), with his Cabinet, 1999 The office of Prime Minister is in practice the most powerful political office in the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Sir Edmund Barton (18 January 1849 – 7 January 1920), Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia. ... The Protectionist Party was a political party in Australia from the 1880s until 1909. ...

Background

Following the federation of the colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania on 1 January 1901 to form the Commonwealth of Australia, an election was announced for 29 March (in Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania) and 30 March 1901 (in South Australia and Queensland) to elect the inaugural members of federal parliament. Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Nickname: Sunshine State/Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Governor Premier Const. ... Motto: United for the Common Wealth Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Governor Premier Const. ... Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Governor Premier Const. ... Motto: Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Nickname: The Apple Isle Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Governor Premier Const. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (90th in Leap years). ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Parliament of Australia is the legislative branch of Australia. ...

Edmund Barton had been called upon to form the first Commonwealth Cabinet in December 1900 and his cabinet would be contesting the poll as the incumbent government.

Voting and Enrolment

Voting franchise was according to each state's specific electoral laws. South Australian and Western Australian women were enfranchised while in the other states they could not vote. Tasmania retained a small property qualification for voting, but in the other states there was all males over 21 could vote. Only in South Australia and Tasmania, however, were indigneous Australians even theoretically entitled to vote. A few may have done so in South Australia. A 19th century engraving of an indigenous Australian encampment. ...

Voting was voluntary throughout Australia and candidates were elected by a first past the post voting system. In South Australia, voters were required to mark the box opposite their preferred candidates while in other states voters were required to cross out the names of non-preferred candidates.

Parties Contesting the Election

George Reid, Free Trade Party leader

The parties contesting the election were the Protectionist Party, led by Prime Minister Edmund Barton, and the Free Trade Party, unofficially led by former New South Wales Premier George Reid. There was no national Labour party, but in five of the six states local Labour parties contested the elections - in Tasmania, where there was no Labour party, King O'Malley was elected as an independent labour candidate. There were also a number of independents of various political leanings and a New South Wales Senate ticket called the "Socialist Six", comprising Labour members in conflict with the official party. reupload of image that was originally Georgereid. ... reupload of image that was originally Georgereid. ... The Free Trade Party was a political party in Australia from the 1880s until 1909. ... List of Premiers of New South Wales Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in New South Wales. ... George Houstoun Reid (25 February 1845 – 12 September 1918), Australian politician and fourth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland, son of a Church of Scotland minister, migrated to Victoria with his family as a child. ... King OMalley King OMalley (July 1858 - 20 December 1953), Australian politician, was one of the more colourful characters of the early federal period of Australian political history. ...

The Protectionists advocated the protection of local industries through the imposition of tariffs on imported goods, a White Australia, the construction of a transcontinental railway, a uniform railway gauge, uniform suffrage, aged pensions and defending the Australian constitution from radicals. The party used the colour red throughout the campaign. In addition to Barton, Protectionist candidates included many of the leading political figures from colonial Australia, including future Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, Charles Kingston and Sir John Forrest. A tariff (sometimes known as a customs duty) is a tax on imported or exported goods. ... This badge from 1906 shows the use of the expression White Australia at that time The White Australia Policy, the policy of excluding all non white people from the Australian continent, was the official policy of all governments and all mainstream political parties in Australia from the 1890s to the... Alfred Deakin (3 August 1856 – 7 October 1919), Australian politician, was a leader of the movement for Australian federation and later second Prime Minister of Australia. ... Charles Kingston (standing, second from right) as a member of the first federal Cabinet, January 1901 Charles Cameron Kingston, (October 22, 1850 - May 11, 1908) Australian politician, was Premier of South Australia and a member of the first Federal Parliament. ... More than one John Forrest exists. ...

The Free Traders (to give their official title "Australian Free Trade and Liberal Association") advocated the dismantling of the tariff system, a transcontinental railway, a White Australia and believed that aged pensions should be left to the states. As many of the policies of the Protectionists and Free Traders were similar, the Free Traders campaigned heavily on tariffs, with Reid stating that he wanted the ellection to be a plebiscite on tariffs. The party used the colour blue throughout the campaign. In addition to Reid, who believed he should have been appointed Prime Minister instead of Barton as he considered himself the bigger political figure, Free Trade candidates included Reid's unofficial deputy Patrick Glynn, future Prime Minister Joseph Cook and William Irvine. The Hon. ... Rt Hon Joseph Cook Sir Joseph Cook (7 December 1860 - 30 July 1947), Australian politician and sixth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Silverdale, a small mining town near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. ... William Hill Irvine (6 July 1858 - 20 August 1943), Australian politician and judge, was born in Newry in County Down, Ireland, into a Scottish-Presbyterian family. ...

Labour advocated old age pensions, electoral reform providing one adult, one vote, the "total exclusion of coloured and other undesirable races" and a national referendum to decide issues that would otherwise lead to a double dissolution of parliament. Senior Labour candidates included future Prime Ministers Andrew Fisher, Billy Hughes and Chris Watson. Rt Hon Andrew Fisher Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 - 22 October 1928), Australian politician and fifth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Crosshouse, a mining village near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The Right Honourable William Morris Billy Hughes, PC (September 25, 1862 - October 28, 1952), Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia, the longest-serving member of the Australian Parliament, and one of the most colourful figures in Australian political history. ... Hon Chris Watson John Christian Watson (9 April 1867(exact date uncertain) - 18 November 1941), Australian politician and third Prime Minister of Australia, usually known as Chris Watson, was born in Valparaíso, Chile, probably on April 9, 1867. ...

Electorates

The candidates were contesting 75 House of Representatives positions and 36 Senate seats. The 75 House of Representative seats were determined by population of each state, so that New South Wales was alllocated 26, Victoria 23, Queensland nine, South Australia seven, Western Australia five and Tasmania five. The South Australian and Tasmanian colonial parliaments had not legislated for single member electorates and so their House of Representative members were elected from a single state wide electorate. Each state elected six Senators regardless of population. The Senate was elected on a "winner take all" basis rather than the current proportional representation system. Australian House of Representatives chamber Entrance to the House of Representatives The Australian House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Australia. ... Australian Senate chamber Entrance to the Senate The Australian Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. ... Proportional representation (PR) is an election system which ensures a proportionally representative result of a democratic election, x% of votes should be represented by x% in the democratic institutions, parliament or congress. ...

Campaign

The campaign period officially commenced on 17 January 1901, although some candidates, particularly Reid, had been unofficially campaigning since December the previous year. The campaign was delayed when the death of Victoria of the United Kingdom on 19 January caused a cessation of campaigning, but soon got into full swing as candidates travelled widely to address lively public meetings. Reid drew the biggest crowds, including 8000 to a rally in Newcastle and he campaigned widely, travelling to Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, while Patrick Glynn organised the Free Trade campaign in South Australia. January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877 until her death. ... January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, is an industrial port city 160km north of Sydney, on the mouth of the Hunter River. ... The Hon. ...

The Protectionists were forced to modify their immigration policy following an outcry from Queensland Protectionist candidates who feared that a White Australia policy would impinge on the importation of Kanakas to work on Queensland sugar plantations. Their policy was revised to read that Kanakas would be only be sent back to their country of origin when they were no longer of any use to the sugar industry. On the whole, however, a white Australia was extremely popular with the electorate and most candidates outdid themselves to prove how much they supported it. It was left to Free Trade candidate for Parkes Bruce Smith (a leading representative of the employers) to oppose anti-immigration measures. Andrew Fisher argued that any Kanaka who had converted to Christianity and married should be allowed to remain in Australia. Both were elected comfortably. Haole, in the Hawaiian language, means foreign or foreigner; it can be used in reference to people, plants, and animals. ... The Division of Parkes (1901-1969) was a former Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. ...

The Free Traders also had to modify part of their election platform when they realised that to advocate for the removal of all tariffs protecting Australian industries would be political suicide. Many employees in these industries considered the removal of tariffs as likely to mean the end of their jobs.

The Protectionists enjoyed the support of the powerful Australian Natives Association (ANA) throughout the campaign as well as the endorsements of The Age and the Sydney Bulletin while Free Trade received support from business interests and the endorsements of the Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Daily Telegraph, Brisbane Courier, the Melbourne Argus and the Adelaide Register. Labour could only rely on union owned newspapers, although some of these enjoyed a great level of influence in some electorates (the Gympie Truth for example is considered to have played an important role in the election of its part-owner, Andrew Fisher, in Wide Bay). The Australian Natives Association (ANA), a mutual society was founded in Melbourne, Australia in April 1871. ... The Age is a broadsheet daily newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. ... Front cover of the Feburary 24, 2004 edition of The Bulletin The Bulletin is a weekly magazine, which has been published in Sydney, Australia since 1880. ... ... The Daily Telegraph is a tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Rupert Murdochs News Corporation. ... The Argus was a newspaper in Melbourne. ... The Division of Wide Bay is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. ...

There were only two cars used in the 1901 election campaign; William Lyne, who was a candidate for the Division of Hume while still Premier of New South Wales, used his official Premier's car to great advantage while the shipping magnate and candidate for Melbourne Sir Malcolm McEacharn, enjoyed the use of his car while travelling around his electorate. Sir William Lyne Sir William John Lyne (6 April 1844 - 3 August 1913), Australian politician, was Premier of New South Wales and a member of the first federal ministry. ... The Division of Hume is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. ... Melbourne is an Australian Electoral Division of Victoria. ...

Election Day

Floods in Queensland delayed polling in parts of the state until April while complaints were received by polling officials about the earlier than advertised closing of polling booths in some electorates, the poor quality pencils supplied to fill in ballot papers (they apparently blunted easily, leaving many votes incomprehensible to officials) and the Senate ballot paper in New South Wales which listed 50 candidates, confusing many voters and leading to an increase of informal votes.

These complaints aside, the administering of the first federal election was seen as a great success and a credit to the polling officials who, in some cases, were responsible for electorates larger than some European countries.

Results

The results showed the strong regional basis that has always characterised Australian politics. The Free Traders won most of the seats in New South Wales, apart from the border areas where the Protectionists were strong. The Protectionists won most of the seats in their stronghold, Victoria. Labour won some inner urban seats but most of their members represented pastoral and mining areas. In the smaller states many members had no fixed party loyalty and saw themselves as representing the interests of their states. Seven Prime Ministers of Australia (Barton, Deakin, Watson, Reid, Fisher, Joseph Cook and Hughes) were elected at this election, as were a number of influential former state Premiers (Sir John Forrest, Lyne, George Turner, Anderson Dawson, Philip Fysh and Charles Kingston among them). Alfred Deakin (3 August 1856 – 7 October 1919), Australian politician, was a leader of the movement for Australian federation and later second Prime Minister of Australia. ... Rt Hon Joseph Cook Sir Joseph Cook (7 December 1860 - 30 July 1947), Australian politician and sixth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Silverdale, a small mining town near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. ... More than one John Forrest exists. ... George Turner could be George Turner the United Kingdom politician George Turner the United States politician George Turner the Australian politician George Turner the science fiction writer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Andrew Dawson (usually known as Anderson Dawson) (1863-1910), was Premier of Australia for one week in 1899, this was the first Labor Party government anywhere in the world. ... Sir Philip Fysh Sir Philip Oakley Fysh (1 March 1835 - 20 December 1919), Australian politician, was Premier of Tasmania and a member of the first federal ministry. ... Charles Kingston (standing, second from right) as a member of the first federal Cabinet, January 1901 Charles Cameron Kingston, (October 22, 1850 - May 11, 1908) Australian politician, was Premier of South Australia and a member of the first Federal Parliament. ...

With no past to live down, Barton's Protectionist ministry had all the advantages of incumbency with none of the problems, which meant that a Protectionist victory was almost a certainty. Barton and his ministry were returned, although they had to rely on Labour support to pass legislation. Although the Protectionists remained in government, however, many observers saw the result as a moral victory for Free Trade (who won more seats than the Protectionists in the three smallest states of South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia). Labour also performed better than expected, particularly after the post-election recruitment of O'Malley. Labour's success was attributed to its strong support for a White Australia. Such was the overwhelming support for a White Australia by the electorate and the new elected members of parliament that the Immigration Restriction Act was the first piece of legislation passed by the nascent parliament. The Protectionist Party was a political party in Australia from the 1880s until 1909. ... The Free Trade Party was a political party in Australia from the 1880s until 1909. ... The Australian Labor Party or ALP is Australias oldest political party. ... The Immigration Restriction Act is an American act that was implemented in 1924. ...

The average national voting turnout was 60% of enrolled voters, with the Division of Newcastle gaining the best result of 97% while the Division of Fremantle recorded the lowest turnout (30%). The Division of Newcastle is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. ... The Division of Fremantle is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. ...

References

• McGinn, W.G. (1989) George Reid, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.
• McMullin, R. (1991) The Light on the Hill; the Australian Labor Party 1891-1991, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, ISBN 019554966X.
• Simms, M. (ed.) (2001) 1901: The forgotten election, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, ISBN 019554966X.
• Reynolds, J. (1999) Edmund Barton, Bookman Press, Sydney, ISBN 1863953779.