Landslide For Curtin Government

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1943, Page 3

Landslide For Curtin Government

(Special) SYDNEY. August 21. “Labour’s majority comes entirely from the prestige and popularity of Mr. Curtin himself,” declares the Sydney “Sunday Telegi'aph,” commenting editorially on the certain landslide result of the Australian Federal elections. The Curtin Government will go back to office with a probable majority of 28—a record Labour margin, and the biggest enjoyed by any Australian Government since 1931. With slightly more than half votes counted today. Labour had polled 1,250,G00 and the combined United Australia and Country Party 705.000, and others about 600,000. The likely state of parties in the new House of Representatives is: Labour 50; United Australia and Country parties 23; Independents 2. In the old House the parties were: Labour 35. United Australian and Country parties 36, Independent 3. Curtin’s Personal Triumph A working Labour majority would have been a tribute to Mr. Curtin. The sweeping result is a tremendous personal triumph. Labour appears to have gained substantial votes in almost every electorate. Majorities in safe Labour seats are fat; in safe Opposition seats majorities are much leaner. Significant of Mr. Curtin's ail-power-ful influence are: (1) The expected defeat of the sitting Independent Labour member for Bourke, Victoria < Mr. Blackburn), who opposed the Prime Minister on the Bill to extend the area of service of the Australian militia; (2) The probable defeat in the Reid, New South Wales, of Mr. J. T. Lang. Independent Labour, former State Premier. Both these recalcitrant Labour men will probably lose to official party candidates. Romped Home Some official Labour candidates expected to be defeated, including the much criticised Minister for War Organisation (Mr. Dedman) have simply romped homo. Preferences are expected to retain the Henty seat for the Victorian Independent. chairman of the Commonwelath Rationing Commision (Mr. Coles) against the strong bid of the brilliant young United Australia Party candidate (Captain Gullett. M.C.b, kvhose father held the scat for many years.

The support of Mr. Coles, and his reelected fellow Victorian Independent (Mr. Wilson), kept the Curtin Government in office. Captain Gullett polled best of all servicemen candidates who were not sitting members. Australian voters flatly rejected a “khaki election” and voted mainly for straight party tickets. Women Fare Badly Women candidates also fared badly—though two may possibly be returned to Canberra. These are Mrs. Jessie Street, Labour, wife of a Supreme Court Judge, and Dame Enid Lyons. United Australia Party, widow of the late Australian Prime Minister. Although more than half the contesting candidates were Independents, they failed completely. Twenty-five factions were represented at the polls and all except old-established parties made miserable showings. Communists polled only 46,000 of 2,280,000 votes counted today. One Parliament for Australia and Liberal Democrats did best of the new parties, with 42,000 and 28,000 progress votes respectively. As expected, the swing to Labour was most marked in war industrialised South Australia. But Queensland, where Labour losses were widely predicted because of war hardships, also saw a heavy increase in the Labour vote. Queensland Increases

Several changes were expected in the new Labour Ministry. It is considered unlikely that the suspended Minister for Labour (Mr. Ward), whose Sydney re-election majority may be a record, will be reappointed to his old portfolio. Eight hundred thousand servicemen’s votes, still to be counted, can make no difference to the result.

Note of Warning “Mr, Curtin may find this overwhelming victory an embarrassment,’’ says the “Telegraph.” "There are elements in his party not so capable as lie of keeping their heads in the hour of ' triumph. They will want to interpret this great vote as an invitation to a revolutionary change in the Australian way of life. It is no such thing The whole result revolved around Mr Curtin’s cwn prestige and popularity How Australia should reorganise itself for the future was an issue never mentioned,” Smashing Victory Labour swept the polls at tlie Federal elections on Saturday, and will face the new Parliament: with a substantial majority in the House. It also has excellent prospects of gaining a majority in the Senate, thus ending tire position of the last. Parliament, where it: had a majority in ihe House but a minority in the Senate. When counting of votes ended lastnight. there was every indication that Labour will gain 15 or 16 seats, which will give it 50 or 51 seats in the new House. The result exceeds Labour’s own most optimistic expect at ions. Independent s and a plethora of new parties made a lamentable showing, and any votes they received were at. the expense of the Opposition. Labour is leading on Senate counting in all States. The new Senate may give the Government a 22 to 14 majority. which is the first Labour Senate maiority for more than 20 years. Mr. Curtin had a smashing victory in Fremantle, polling more than 27,000 votes, iris two opponents between them gathering only 14,000. Dr. Evatt polled 35.000 against two Opposition’s total of 13,000. Other Cabinet members also had substantial majorities.

Mr. Fadden at the moment is in a slight minority, but further returns and preferences will probably hold the scat for him. Mr. Monzies also had a comfortable win at. Kooyong. Fate cf Independents The Ooposition’s only possible gain will be Henty, in Victoria, where Captain Gullftt, son of the late Sir Henry Gullet 1, standing in the United Australia Party interests, mav beat the Independent. G. J. Coles. The other Independent, Wilson, seems to have an overwhelming majority in his electorate of Wimmera. Labour so far has gained nine seats from the Uniten Australia Party, six from the Country Party, and possibly one from Independent Labour.