1929 Scullin’s victory
1929
In October 1929, Labor won office for the first time since the split of 1916.
Other topics in The Post War Wilderness
Developments in the party system
While the conscription crisis of 1916-17 did great damage to the Labor Party, it also had a destructive impact on Australian society as a whole. Australia emerged from the war with the memory of contested loyalties, so that the 1920s saw society bitterly divided along…
Tensions and Reorganisation in the Party
Both the parliamentary party and the wider labour movement contributed to the process of healing the wounds of the recent split. Within Parliament the leadership of Caucus by Frank Tudor was directed at getting on with the job and moderating conflict. He won a significant…
Labor Reformism at the State Level
At a State level there were encouraging signs of revival. In an era before the Commonwealth was willing to take a leading role in social issues such as social welfare, education and health, much of the Labor agenda could only be implemented by State governments.…
Federal Intervention
New South Wales also provided another milestone in the history of the Federal ALP. When Premier Lang (exhibiting the other, much less attractive, side of his complex persona) presided over a split in the branch that produced two hostile versions of Caucus and two State…