LABOUR'S CHANCES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 150, 26 June 1943, Page 5

LABOUR'S CHANCES

AUSTRALIAN ELECTION (Special P.A. Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 25. The controversy raging around the Minister of Labour, Mr. E. J. Ward, now relieved of his duties pending a Royal Commission of Inquiry, is likely to become a vital issue at the coming elections. Opposition members are reported to believe that the Government record of political unrest, and the bad tactical position into which Mr. Ward has been manoeuvred, will help them at the elections. Labour, on .the other hand, is pinning its hope to its administration of the war, and will claim the credit for the great improvement in Australia's defence position. The Senate vote will be vital in the coming elections. At present the Government -has 17 Senators to the Opposition's 19. Fourteen Labour Senators and only five Opposition Senators, must go to the polls. For Labour to receive .a majority all the retiring 14 Labour Senators must be returned, and at least two new Labour Senators must be. elected. Labour must, therefore, win every State —which most political correspondents consider very unlikely. In the House of Representatives Labour gained four seats at the Federal elections in 1940. Labour believes it can win more seats in New South Wales, and that it may pick up an odd seat in the other States. The Opposition parties feel they can consolidate their position in other States and regain some of their lost ground in New South Wales. It is expected that 4,500,000 electors will vote. The Government's decision to hold the election also means that the Bill to provide unemployment and sickness benefits will not be introduced in this Parliament. Mr. Curtin will make the Bill's proposal a feature of his policy speech.