Progressive Party (1901)

Progressive Party
LeaderJohn See
Thomas Waddell
Founded1887 (1887)
Dissolved1907 (1907)
Preceded byProtectionist Party (NSW)
HeadquartersSydney
IdeologyProtectionism
Social liberalism
National affiliationProtectionist Party
Legislative Assembly
42 / 125
(1901−1904)

The Progressive Party, earlier known as the Protectionist Party and the National Federal Party, was an Australian political party, active in New South Wales state politics. The question of tariff policy which, had created and divided the Free Trade Party and Protectionist Party in New South Wales in the 1890s, became a federal issue at the time of federation. Deprived of their main ideological difference, the two parties were recreated as the Liberal Reform Party aligned with the federal Free Trade Party and the Progressive Party aligned with the federal Protectionist Party.

History

Pre-Federation

The Protectionist Party was formed in January 1887 to contest the following month's general election, with a central council established to assist opposition leader George Dibbs and his supporters. The Protectionist Party and its counterpart the Free Trade Party coalesced around the same time in response to the "fiscal question" of whether the colony should pursue a high-tariff policy of protectionism or a low-tariff policy of free trade.

An earlier Protection and Political Reform League (PPRL) had been established in 1881 as an extra-parliamentary lobbying group. The National Club in Sydney also served to coordinate fundraising efforts for the party at the 1889 election, with its political committee including members of parliament and leading manufacturers, pastoralists and merchants. In October 1889, a conference between the PPRL, the National Club and members of the parliamentary party agreed to establish the National Protection Association (NPA). The conference defined a platform for the NPA which included protection of city and country industries, electoral reform, agricultural reform and rural development. However the NPA was never officially established and another conference in April 1890 also failed to unite the Protectionist organisations, largely due to the non-cooperation of the PPRL.

In parliament, Dibbs and the Protectionists formed government after the 1891 election. The party split over the issue of federation in the early 1890s, which Dibbs initially opposed, and also over the question of cooperation with the labour movement prior to the formation of the Labor Electoral League in 1891.

Post-Federation

Following federation in 1901, Lyne transitioned to the new federal parliament. He was succeeded as premier by John See in March 1901. The party renamed itself the Progressive Party in May 1901. With federation accomplished and the fiscal debate moved to the federal sphere, See sought to position the Progressives as a non-ideological and pragmatic party of good government. At the 1901 state election, the party stood official candidates in only 57 out of 125 electorates, although many supporters of the government stood as unendorsed independents.

There was a rapid decline in the parliamentary representation of the party, from a high of 42 seats at the 1901 election, to 16 at the 1904 election. In April and May 1907, the party had negotiated a coalition agreement with the Liberal Reform Party but this was rejected by a vote of parliamentary members. The party leader Thomas Waddell resigned and joined the Liberal Reform Party, and was followed by John McFarlane, Brinsley Hall, John Gillies and John Perry. Of the remaining ten former Progressive Party members, a further five lost their seats at the 1907 election,

In 1919, the Farmers' and Settlers' Association and the Graziers' Association founded a new Progressive Party, which, while not a direct successor, included members of the former party such as George Briner and Walter Bennett. The new party won metropolitan and rural seats in the 1920 election and was a forerunner to the Country Party.

Leaders

# Leader Term start Term end Time in office Premier
1 John See 28 March 1901 14 June 1904 3 years, 78 days Yes (1901–04)
2 Thomas Waddell 15 June 1904 9 May 1907 2 years, 328 days Yes (1904)

State election results

Election Seats won ± Total votes % Position Leader
1901
42 / 125
 Decrease10 44,817 22.9% Minority government John See
1904
16 / 90
 Decrease26 75,297 18.9% Third party Thomas Waddell
1907
5 / 90
 Decrease11 21,759 4.7% Third party

References

  1. ↑ Loveday, Martin & Weller 1977, pp. 178–179.
  2. 1 2 Loveday, Martin & Weller 1977, p. 182.
  3. ↑ Loveday, Martin & Weller 1977, p. 181.
  4. ↑ Loveday, Martin & Weller 1977, p. 185.
  5. ↑ Mansfield, Bruce E. (1972). "Sir George Richard Dibbs (1834–1904)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 4.
  6. ↑ Loveday, Martin & Weller 1977, p. 186.
  7. ↑ Hogan & Clune 2001, pp. 2–3.
  8. ↑ Hogan & Clune 2001, p. 9.
  9. ↑ Hogan & Clune 2001, p. 10.
  10. ↑ Green, Antony. "1901 totals". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  11. ↑ Green, Antony. "1904 totals". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  12. ↑ "No coalition: Progressives reject the terms". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 May 1907. p. 9. Retrieved 3 December 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ↑ "The Progressive Party: Mr Waddell tenders his resignation". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 May 1907. p. 8. Retrieved 1 December 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ↑ Green, Antony. "1907 totals". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  15. ↑ Clune, David. "Facts and Figures – Political Parties of NSW (Overview)". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2020.

Sources