John Christian Watson (April 9, 1867 – November 18, 1941), commonly known as Chris Watson, Australian politician, was the third Prime Minister of Australia, and the first federal parliamentary leader of the Australian Labour Party (renamed Labor in 1912 by King O'Malley). He was the party's first prime minister, and the first Labour Party prime minister in the world. Despite being elected Labour leader by the party caucus two months after the inaugural 1901 federal election (just before the first meeting of Parliament) and retiring in 1907, his tenure as Prime Minister was brief at only four months in 1904. According to Percival Serle, Watson "left a much greater impression on his time than this would suggest. He came at the right moment for his party, and nothing could have done it more good than the sincerity, courtesy and moderation which he always showed as a leader."^[1] Chris Watson is a sound recordist specialising in natural history. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... Federal elections were held in Australia on December 16, 1903. ... Federal elections were held in Australia on December 12, 1906. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... Alfred William 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. ... For other persons named George Reid, see George Reid (disambiguation). ... is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Valparaiso is the name of at least three cities and a village: Valparaíso, Chile Valparaiso, Florida Valparaiso, Indiana Valparaiso, Nebraska This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... Structure The Australian Labor Party is a democratic and federal party, which consists of both individual members and affiliated trade unions, who between them decide the partys policies, elect its governing bodies and choose its candidates for public office. ... 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 Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in the United Kingdom. ... Federal elections for the inaugural Parliament of Australia were held in Australia on March 29 and March 30, 1901 following Federation and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Percival Serle (July 18, 1871 – December 16, 1951) was born in Victoria and for many years worked in a life assurance office before becoming chief clerk and accountant at the University of Melbourne. ...

Early life

Watson maintained that his father was a British seaman called George Watson. Records dispute this, however; they indicate that Watson's father was a Chilean citizen of German descent, Johan Cristian Tanck, and that Watson was born in Valparaíso, Chile (or possibly on a ship in the harbour). The reason for this may have been due to the heavy anti-multicultural attitude of Australia at the time (see White Australia policy). Records also show his mother was a New Zealander, Martha Minchin, who had married Tanck in New Zealand and then gone to sea with him. In 1868 his parents separated, and in 1869 she married George Watson, whose name young Chris then took. None of these facts became known until after Watson's death. Watson is only Australian Prime Minister not to have been born in either Australia or Great Britain. For other places with the same name, see Valparaiso (disambiguation). ... This badge from 1906 shows the use of the expression White Australia at that time The White Australia policy is a generic term used to describe a collection of historical legislation and policies, intended to restrict non-white immigration to Australia, and to promote European immigration, from 1901 to 1973. ...

Watson went to school in Oamaru, New Zealand, and at 13 was apprenticed as a printer. In 1886 he moved to Sydney to better his prospects. He found work as a compositor for several newspapers. Through this proximity to newspapers, books and writers he furthered his education and developed an interest in politics.^[2][3]   Shibboleth: The southern (Kāi Tahu) dialect of Māori ignores the first A in the name (AUH-muh-ROO). ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... Movable metal type Typesetting involves the presentation of textual material in an aesthetic form on paper or some other media. ...

Union activities and state politics

Portrait of John Christian Watson

Watson was a founding member of the New South Wales Labor Party in 1891. He was an active trade unionist, and became Vice-President of the Sydney Trades and Labour Council in January 1892. In June 1892, he settled a dispute between the TLC and the Labor Party and as a result became the president of the council and chairman of the party. In 1893 and 1894, he worked hard to resolve the debate over the solidarity pledge and established the Labor Party's basic practices, including the sovereignty of the party conference, caucus solidarity, the pledge required of parliamentarians and the powerful role of the extra-parliamentary executive. In 1894 Watson was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the country seat of Young.^[4] Labor at this time had a policy of "support in return for concessions," and Watson voted with his colleagues to keep the Free Trade Premier, Sir George Reid, in office. After the 1898 election, Watson and Labor leader James McGowen decided to keep the Reid government in office so that it could complete the work of establishing Federation. Chris Watson The copyright status of this vintage image is undetermined; it may still be copyrighted. ... Chris Watson The copyright status of this vintage image is undetermined; it may still be copyrighted. ... The Labor Council of New South Wales is a representative body of Trade union organisations in the State of New South Wales, Australia. ... The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. ... Young was a former electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in the Young area. ... The Free Trade Party was a political party in Australia from the 1880s until 1909. ... Rt Hon George Reid George Houstoun Reid (February 25, 1845 - September 12, 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. ... James Sinclair Taylor McGowen (August 16, 1855 – April 7, 1922) was an Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales from October 21, 1910 to June 30, 1913. ... 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 formed a federation. ...

Federation

Group photograph of all Federal Labour Party MPs elected at the inaugural 1901 election, including Watson, Andrew Fisher, Billy Hughes, and Frank Tudor.

Watson assisted to shape party policy regarding the movement for federation from 1895, and was one of ten Labour candidates nominated for the Australasian Federal Convention on 4 March 1897, however none were elected. The party, perforce, endorsed Federation, however they took a view of the draft Commonwealth constitution as undemocratic, believing the Senate as proposed was much too powerful, similar to the anti-reformist Colonial state upper houses, and the UK House of Lords. When the draft was submitted to a referendum on 3 June 1898, Labour opposed it, with Watson prominent in the campaign, and saw the referendum rejected.^[2] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 792 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2271 pixel, file size: 330 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Group photograph of Federal Labour Party MPs elected to the Australian House of Representatives and Australian Senate at the inaugural 1901 election, including Chris Watson... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 792 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2271 pixel, file size: 330 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Group photograph of Federal Labour Party MPs elected to the Australian House of Representatives and Australian Senate at the inaugural 1901 election, including Chris Watson... Federal elections for the inaugural Parliament of Australia were held in Australia on March 29 and March 30, 1901 following Federation and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Andrew Fisher at the naming of Canberra ceremony, 1913 Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 - 22 October 1928), Australianpolitician and fifth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Crosshouse, a mining village near Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. ... For other persons named Billy Hughes, see Billy Hughes (disambiguation). ... Hon Frank Tudor Frank Gwynne Tudor (27 January 1866 - 10 January 1922), Australian Labor politician, was born in Melbourne, Victoria, the son of working-class immigrants from Wales. ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ...

Watson was devoted to the idea of a referendum as an ideal feature of democracy. To ensure that Reid might finally bring New South Wales into national union on an amended draft constitution, Watson helped to negotiate a deal, involving the party executive, that included the nomination of four Labor men to the Legislative Council. At the March 1899 annual party conference, Hughes and Holman moved to have those arrangements nullified and party policy on Federation changed, thus thwarting Reid's plans. Watson, for once, got angry; he 'jumped to his feet in a most excited manner and in heated tones … contended … that they should not interfere with the referendum'. The motion was lost. The four party men were nominated to the council on 4 April and the bill approving the second referendum, to be held on 20 June, was passed on 20 April.^[2]

Labour, including Watson, opposed the final terms of the Commonwealth Constitution, however their voting status was not enough to stop it from proceeding, and unlike Holman and Hughes, he believed that it should be submitted to the people. Nevertheless, with all but two of the Labor parliamentarians, he campaigned against the 'Yes' vote at the referendum. When the Constitution was accepted, he agreed that 'the mandate of the majority will have to be obeyed'. He had made an essential contribution to that democratic decision.^[2]

Watson successfully ran for the new federal Parliament at the inaugural 1901 federal election, in the House of Representatives rural seat of Bland. Federal elections for the inaugural Parliament of Australia were held in Australia on March 29 and March 30, 1901 following Federation and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Type Lower house Speaker of the House David Hawker, Liberal since November 16, 2004 Members 150 Political groups Liberal Party (74) ALP (60) National Party (12) Country Liberal Party (1) Last elections 9 October 2004 Meeting place Parliament House, Canberra, ACT Web site House of Representatives Entrance to the House... The Division of Bland was an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. ...

Arriving in May in the temporary seat of government Melbourne, Watson was elected the first leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party (usually known as the Caucus). McGowen had failed to gain election, and the other prominent New South Wales MP elected, Hughes, had too many enemies. Watson, though a compromise choice, soon established his authority as leader. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ...

In the federal Parliament, where Labour was the smallest of the three parties, but held the balance of power, Watson pursued the same policy as Labour had done in the colonial parliaments. He kept the Protectionist governments of Edmund Barton and Alfred Deakin in office, in exchange for legislation enacting the Labour platform. The Protectionist Party was a political party in Australia from the 1880s until 1909. ... Sir Edmund Barton, GCMG, QC (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. ... Alfred William 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. ...

Watson, as a Labour moderate, genuinely admired Deakin and shared his liberal views on many subjects. Deakin reciprocated this sentiment. He wrote in one of his anonymous articles in a London newspaper: "The Labour section has much cause for gratitude to Mr Watson, the leader whose tact and judgement have enabled it to achieve many of its Parliamentary successes."

Prime Minister in 1904

Watson in the Australian House of Representatives in 1902.

Labor under Watson more than doubled their vote at the 1903 federal election and continued to hold the balance of power. In April 1904, however, Watson and Deakin fell out over the issue of extending the scope of industrial relations laws concerning the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill to cover state public servants, the fallout causing Deakin to resign. Free Trade leader George Reid declined to take office, which saw Watson become the first Labor Prime Minister of Australia. He was aged only 37, and is still the youngest Prime Minister in Australia's history. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 463 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (534 × 692 pixels, file size: 67 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Transwiki approved by: w:en:User:Anetode This image was copied from wikipedia:en. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 463 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (534 × 692 pixels, file size: 67 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Transwiki approved by: w:en:User:Anetode This image was copied from wikipedia:en. ... Type Lower house Speaker of the House David Hawker, Liberal since November 16, 2004 Members 150 Political groups Liberal Party (74) ALP (60) National Party (12) Country Liberal Party (1) Last elections 9 October 2004 Meeting place Parliament House, Canberra, ACT Web site House of Representatives Entrance to the House... Federal elections were held in Australia on December 16, 1903. ... George Reid is the name of two political figures: Sir George Reid was a Prime Minister of Australia. ... Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ...

Billy Hughes later recalled the first meeting of the Labor Cabinet with characteristic sharp wit: For other persons named Billy Hughes, see Billy Hughes (disambiguation). ...

Despite the apparent fitness of the new Prime Minister for his role, the government hung on the fine thread of Deakin's promise of ‘fair play’. The triumph of the historic first Australian Labor government was a qualified one – Labor did not have the numbers to implement key policies. The ‘three elevens’ – the lack of a definite majority in the parliament after the second federal election – dogged Watson just as it had Deakin. Six bills were enacted during the brief government of John Christian Watson. All but one – an amended Acts Interpretation Act 1904 – were supply bills. The significant legislative achievement of the Watson government was the advancement of the troublesome Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, which was defeated. Watson lost the prime ministership after less than four months in office (Deakin was later defeated on a similar bill). A money bill is a bill that solely concerns taxation or government spending, as opposed to changes in public law. ...

Although Watson sought a double dissolution of parliament so that an election could be held, the Governor-General Lord Northcote refused. Unable to command a majority in the House of Representatives, Watson resigned, and his term in office ended on 18 August 1904, and Free Trade leader George Reid became Prime Minister. Image:Ac. ... The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. ... Lord Northcote Henry Stafford Northcote, 1st Baron Northcote (18 November 1846-29 September 1911), third Governor-General of Australia, was born in London, the second son of the prominent Conservative politician Sir Stafford Northcote, later 1st Earl of Iddesleigh. ... George Reid is the name of two political figures: Sir George Reid was a Prime Minister of Australia. ...

Watson led the Labor Party into the 1906 federal election and improved its position again. At this election the seat of Bland was abolished, so he shifted to the seat of South Sydney. But in October 1907, mainly due to concern over the health of his wife Ada, he resigned the Labor leadership in favour of Andrew Fisher. At the 1910 elections, at which Fisher beat Deakin comfortably, he retired from politics, aged only 42.^[2] Federal elections were held in Australia on December 12, 1906. ... The Division of South Sydney was a former Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. ... Andrew Fisher at the naming of Canberra ceremony, 1913 Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 - 22 October 1928), Australianpolitician and fifth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Crosshouse, a mining village near Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. ...

Later life

Watson in 1908 aged 41.

Out of the Parliamentary arena, Watson continued to work for Labor, becoming Director of Labor Papers Ltd, publishers of The Worker, the Australian Workers Union paper. He also pursued a business career. But in 1916 the Labor party split over the issue of conscription for World War I, and Watson sided with Hughes and the conscriptionists. He was expelled from the party he had helped found. He remained active in the affairs of Hughes's Nationalist Party until 1922, but after that he drifted out of politics altogether. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Australian Workers Union (AWU) is one of Australias largest and oldest trade unions. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party formed in 1917 from a merger of pro-conscription members of the Labor Party (who had been operating under the banner National Labor after their earlier split with the Labor party) with the Commonwealth Liberal Party. ...

Watson devoted the rest of his life to business. He helped found the National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) and remained its chairman until his death. He was also a founder of the Australian Motorists Petrol Co Ltd (Ampol). His wife Ada died in 1921. NRMA refers to either of two historically-related Australian companies: The National Roads and Motorists Association, known as NRMA Motoring and Services, is a member-owned mutual organisation offering roadside assistance, travel advisory, vehicle inspections and other services in New South Wales and The Australian Capital Territory. ... Ampol, the Australian Motorists Petrol Company, was incorporated in 1936 and the name was changed to Ampol Petroleum Ltd in 1949. ...

On 30 October 1925 Watson married Antonia Mary Gladys Dowlan in the same church in which he had married Ada 36 years previously. His second wife was a 23-year-old waitress from Western Australia whom he had met when she served his table at the Commercial Travellers’ Club he frequented when in Sydney. He and Antonia had one daughter, Jacqueline. Watson died at his home in the Sydney suburb of Double Bay.^[2] Double Bay is a harbourside suburb of Sydney, Australia, lying about 3 kilometres east of the central business district (CBD) in the Woollahra Local Government Area. ...

Honours

Mr Patricio Aylwin (middle), President of the Republic of Chile, unveiling a plaque commemorating Watson in the Members' Hall with 24th Prime Minister of Australia Paul Keating (right), Parliament House, Canberra, 1993.

In April 2004 the Labor Party marked the centenary of the Watson Government with a series of public events in Canberra and Melbourne, attended by then party leader Mark Latham and former leaders Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. Watson's daughter, Jacqueline Dunn, 77, was guest of honour at these functions. Australian historian Dr Ross McMullin published a new study of Watson and the Watson government, called So Monstrous a Travesty. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... For other persons named Paul Keating, see Paul Keating (disambiguation). ... Parliament House is the building in which a National (or State) Parliament sits. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December Deaths in April • 18 Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara • 19 Norris McWhirter • 22 Pat Tillman • 24 Estée Lauder Other recent deaths Ongoing events EU Enlargement Exploration of Mars: Rovers Haiti Rebellion Reconstruction of Iraq – Occupation & Resistance Israeli... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... Mark William Latham (born 28 February 1961), a former Australian politician, was leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005. ... Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC (born 11 July 1916), known as Gough Whitlam (, pronounced Goff), is an Australian former politician and 21st Prime Minister of Australia. ... Robert James Lee (Bob) Hawke, AC (born 9 December 1929) was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia after previously being an Australian trade union leader. ... For other persons named Paul Keating, see Paul Keating (disambiguation). ...

The Canberra suburb Watson and the federal electorate of Watson are named after him. For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... Watson is a suburb in the Canberra district of North Canberra. ... The Division of Watson is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. ...

See also

• Watson Ministry

The Watson Ministry was the third Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 27th April 1904 to 17th August 1904. ...

Notes

The Dictionary of Australian Biography, first published in 1949, is a reference work by Percival Serle containing information on notable people associated with Australian history. ... Project Gutenberg of Australia is an organisation related to Project Gutenberg. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Dictionary of Australian Biography is a reference work containing information on notable people associated with Australian history. ... The Australian National University, or ANU, is a public university located in Canberra, Australia. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Archives of Australia building on Queen Victoria Terrace in Canberra, May 2007. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Parliament of New South Wales consists of the Governor of New South Wales, the New South Wales Legislative Council and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Al Grassby and Silvia Ordonez, The Man Time Forgot: The Life and Times of John Christian Watson, Australia's First Labor Prime Minister, Pluto Press 1999
• Ross McMullin, So Monstrous a Travesty: Chris Watson and the World's First National Labour Government, Scribe Press 2004

The Hon Albert Jaime Grassby AM (12 July 1926 - 23 April 2005), Australian politician, was Minister for Immigration in the Whitlam Labor government. ...

External links

• The last page of a secret despatch from Australia’s Governor-General to Britain’s Colonial Secretary 23 April 1904, detailing circumstances that created the first Labor Prime Minister in the British Empire (and the world).