27 Political Parties In Australia

Northern Advocate, 18 May 1943, Page 4

27 Political Parties In Australia

(Special) SYDNEY, May 17 •±'tie aate of Australia’s next Federal elections may be decided at a Cabinet meeting this week. The possibility of early polling continues to be widely discussed. Already a staggering total of 27 political parties, excluding independents, nave advanced claims on the electors' support. vvnether all groups will nominate candidates is doubtful. Several, however, arc certain to do so. Australia now claims a world’s record for the number of political parties in proportion to the population. Before the war, France’s 40 parties, among 25,000,000 electors, was the highest figure recorded. But Australia’s 27 Federal parties have only 4,500,C00 electors to whom they can appeal. Own Interests First

“Every little group that has been hurt by the war is forming a party to look after its interests,” explains a Federal Parliamentarian. Eight of these parties claim to devote themselves mainly to the interests of ex-servicemen, and two aim to secure greater Parliamentary representation for women. Only one is primarily concerned with monetary reform. Sixteen of the new parties are under a year old. Most of these have come to light in ihe past four months. Among them is a middle-class party formed for the protection of "the forgotten man” of politics. This party was founded at meetings, convened by the Australian Bank Officials’ Association. Sober Middle Class Several other parties direct their main appeals to the middle class, while the former Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, who leads a breakaway group of 17 United Australia Party members, also declared himself a champion of the cause of “the great sober and dynamic middle class. ’ One of the most publicised of the new political groups is the One Party ior Australia Party, sponsored by Mr. A. W. Anderson, known as “Australia's Sausage King.” The founder of a meat business with a turnover of £1,000,000, Mr. Anclerson wants to eliminate “the immoral direct taxation of food.” Advocates New Procedure His party seeks to recall members who do not satisfy their electors, election of Cabinet Ministers by open ballot in Parliament, and the establishment of an annual national holiday, to be called "Family Day,” when politicians, Press and Pulpit would extol the virtues of family life. , But, despite all the new groups, the Australian Labour Party and joint Opposition, United Australia Party and United Country Party, will almost certainly be the only serious contestants for Government office. Heavy election mortality is expected among newcomers, most of whom will not survive the polls. Strength of Ex-Servicemen But political correspondents regard it as certain that some of the ex-servicemen’s pariies will weld together into an eventually powerful political force. The Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin) returned recently trom a trip through Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, and reports he received on labour prospects in those States may be a i'actoi’ in influencing the selection of a polling dale.