AK's Australian Election Series

The 1901 election was crushing for Edmund Barton and his Protectionist Party – they came a distant third in the election, only receiving 11.6% of the national vote, and Barton would not be the leader in any government formed at this election. Partly because of the devastating result, Barton resigned from the Protectionist leadership post-election, handing it over to Alfred Deakin, although Barton stayed in Parliament. Labour and the Free Trade Party alike evenly split the vote between them, each receiving 44.2% of the national vote. Labour also united into a national party after the election.

36 Free Trade, 22 Labour, 12 Protectionist, 4 Independent Protectionist, and 1 Independent Labour MP comprised the 75 MPs elected to the inaugural Parliament of Australia. When it came to forming a Government, no party had a majority (38 seats), and Chris Watson, the leader of the newly united Labour Party, did not trust Reid, yet was far short of a government himself, the Labour Party only held 22 seats, and the Protectionists would only take them to 34 seats in a hypothetical coalition.

Eventually, the Free Trade Party made a deal with the Protectionists, and George Reid became the first Prime Minister of Australia, on the provision that tariffs were not to be lowered, the main pillar of the Protectionist platform. While many in the Free Trade Party didn’t like this, they accepted this term, as the two parties agreed on the vast majority of social issues, along with the concept of a trans-continental railway.

Labour, although disappointed, were buoyant at the same time, being the second largest party in the country, with room to grow in the future.

In their term of office, Reid and his government started to plan and survey the railway, and passed what would become the White Australia Policy, with only 1 MP, Bruce Smith, a Free Trader, voting against the legislation. The government has also made aged pensions a state issue, and pledged to defend the Constitution from radicals.

The government has called an election for the 17th of February, 1904, not long before the third anniversary of the first election. The Independent Protectionist and Labour members have joined their respective parties since the last election.

Parliamentary numbers at the dissolution of Parliament:

Free Trade: 36
Labour: 23
Protectionist: 16

Party platforms at this election:

Free Trade Party – Led by George Reid, incumbent Prime Minister, the Free Traders are now seeking a majority in Parliament, and have altered their platform slightly, campaigning on retaining some tariffs, but at lower levels, rather than the complete abolition of all tariffs.

Protectionist Party – Now led by Alfred Deakin, the Protectionists more or less have the same platform of social conservatism and high tariffs they had at the last election. They have stated that they will retain their agreement with the Free Trade Party after the election, provided the two parties win enough combined seats to continue government. The Protectionists have not ruled out an agreement with Labour though.

Labour Party – Led by Chris Watson, Labour are looking to win enough seats to win government, either on their own or with Protectionist support. Their platform is virtually identical to their 1901 platform.

Voting is open for 72 hours.

Me: Free Trade Party

	Welcome, Guest. Please login or register. Did you miss your activation email? June 15, 2024, 12:27:39 AM

News: Election Simulator 2.0 Released. Senate/Gubernatorial maps, proportional electoral votes, and more - Read more