Election material from the 1954 Federal Election
Many Labor supporters were convinced that the electoral defeat of 1949 was just a temporary setback and that a strong Labor Government would quickly return to office in Canberra. Instead, that defeat inaugurated a 23-year period in opposition that included some of the darkest days…
Organised opposition to Communist influence in trade unions had already begun in the late 1930s. Sections of the Catholic Church, especially in Melbourne, used the wider organisation of Catholic Action to set up a specific body known as 'The Movement' to help contest union elections…
After the narrow defeat of Labor at the 1954 Federal elections, Dr. Evatt brought factional issues into the public arena by blaming the disloyalty of Groupers for his defeat. He demanded that the Federal Executive investigate the influence of Groupers in the Victorian Branch. At…
When Dr Evatt was persuaded to step down as party leader in 1960, his replacement, Arthur Calwell, initially enjoyed considerable popular support. He had been a successful director of Australia's immigration policies in the Chifley government, and was respected as an honest, straight-speaking politician. Although…