FEDERAL POLITICS

Grey River Argus, 29 November 1944, Page 2

FEDERAL POLITICS

OPPOSITION ATTITUDE ATTEMPT TO DIVIDE MINISTERS SYDNEY, Nov. 28 The Federal Parliament’s Parliamentary year will end this week The Leader of the Country Party (;vir. Fadden) indicated the trend or the pending criticism when he said that recent happenings, considered together with the earlier actions or the Government or some of its Ministers, wer e . causing grave concern. “Unless there is a showdown before Parliament goes into recess there may be more inroads into hitherto recognised spheres of Commonwealth legislative, executive, and judicial functions,” said Mr. Fadden. . This must constitute as additional threat to our democratic system and is likely to undermine public confidence and the imperial war effort.” The Opposition Leader in the Senate, Senator McLeay, declared that the Government had embarked on a policy of interference with the judicial system to benefit the Labour Party and the trades unions. Two .judges of unquestionable probity had been forced by the Government to resign from important maritime tribunals. The Minister for Information (Mr. Calwell), last week, had made an unprecedented attack on the Judiciary, charging High Court Judges with throwing away their wigs to barrack for one °f the litigants. ~ „ T The “Sydney Herald” said: ‘lt is time 'Mr. Curtin’s supporters within the Cabinet should make clear where their loyalty lies against the persistent efforts of the Left Wing disruptionists to overthrow his authority. Mr. Calwell, Minister for Information seems to take particular and malicious pleasure in setting the community by the ears at a time when unity and whole-hearted direction of its energies towards the winning of the war are its supreme duty. Mr. Calwell is smashing that unity and destroying all trust in Mr. Cuitin’s Administration. Parliament must press for an answer on whether the Government, as announced by Mr. Calwell, intends to by-pass the referendum vote by socialising the trading banks and thereby taking control of all industry. The “Svdney Daily Telegraph, said: “Anyone who thinks the Government’s decision to take over tne airlines is a mere isolated experiment in nationalisation should guess again. Those who dictated the airline policy have bigger propositions In mind.” The “Melbourne Argus’ said: Ihe Labour Government has a foolish and provocative nationalisation policv 'There is only on e outstanding man in this team, and unfortunately he is ill in hospital.”