AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26967, 17 February 1953, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Blow To Federal Government (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY. February 16. The extent of the swing to Labour in the New South Wales and Western Australian elections at the week-end is a heavy blow to the Menzies Federal Government Federal Ministers now concede that the Government’s hopes of winning the Senate elections in May have grown considerably fainter. The Western Australian Premier (Sir Ross McLarty) has conceded that Labour has narrowly won the election ih that State. Labour has gained four seats and it appears that in the House of 50 members, the state of the parties will be: Labour 26, Liberal-Country Party 24. Mr A. R. G. Hawke will be the new Premier. /

The Labour majority in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly is now likely to be 21, and may possibly be 22 seats. Iff the old Parliament ft had a majority of three seats. Political correspondents are agreed that the main reason for Labour’s success in New South Wales and Western Australia is the unpopularity of the Federal Government. The swing to Labour since the last Federal elections in April. 1951. has ranged froiti 3 to 12 per cent, in Federal by-elec-tions. and from 3 to 10 per cent, in State by-elections. This trend continued on Saturday, but with reduced tempo. The Sydney “Daily Telegraph” says the New South wales Liberal and Country Party leaders, who put up a gallant fight in the State elections, have one person to thank for their defeat—the Federal Treasurer (Sir Arthur Fadden). “Saturday’s voting proved that Sir Arthur Fadden’s panicky and ill-constructed anti-inflation plan has spread its bad odour, not only over the Menzies Government, but also over the Liberal and Country parties in New South Wales. The plain truth is that excessive taxation and its post sible effects on the economy swung votes away from the Liberal Party.” Tax Cuts Bought The Canberra correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says Liberal Party back-benchers spurred by the Labour victories in New South Wales and Western Australia, will renew pressure on the Federal Government for early and substantia], taxation cuts.

Dealing with the result in New South Wales, the “Sydney Morning Herald” says: “This election was an argument between the Federal Government of Mr Menzies and the State Government of Mr Cahill about expenditure on public works. The fact that the majority of electors prefer extravagant expenditure on works, even when the interests of the country clearly require rigid economy and a careful choice of priorities. is a gloomy one for New South Wales and Australia.

“Mr Cahill played his political cards shrewdly. Saturday’s abnormally early poll was well-timed from the Government’s viewpoint. It was calculated to anticipate any major abatement of the swing against the Menzies Government. As the voting on Saturday indicated. that swing has receded somewhat from recent by-ielections, but is still sufficiently strong to determine the outcome of State elections, here or in Western Australia."

The paper says it is still possible for the Liberals to win the Senate elections this year and the Federal elections next. New South Wales is not regarded as a vital State in the Senate elections, as the Government has long been reconciled to losing it; but unexpectedly the serious position revealed at the week-end might cause the Federal Government to revise its opinion of its chances of winning in Queensland, where it must . gain a majority if it is to avoid losing control of the Senate.

The Leader of the Federal Opposition, (Dr. H. V. Evatt) commented: It is increasingly annarent that the Australian public will not forgive or forget the promises of the MenziesFadden Coalition.’’

Mr Menzies has declined to comment on Saturday’s results. '