Nation-wide Interest In Election Today of Victorian Parliament

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27388, 13 May 1950, Page 7

Nation-wide Interest In Election Today of Victorian Parliament

From C. R. Mentiplay, NZPA Special Correspondent Rec. 9 p.m. SYDNEY, May 12. The election of the Victorian Parliament, which controls the destinies of over one quarter of the total Australian population, will be held tomorrow. The rest of Australia will watch the result of the polling with more than usual interest for, apart from the fact that the political position in Victoria has been one of stalemate and internecine strife for many months, this election is being fought in the electric atmosphere brought about by the Federal Government’s Communist Party Dissolution Bill and the findings of the Royal Commission on Communist Activities in Victoria. Most observers believe that there "will be a deadlock after the election because no one party is expected to obtain the necessary working majority of 34 seats in the Legislative Assembly. The present state of the Parties is: Liberal-Country Party 30, Country Party (now occupying the Opposition benches) 16, Labour 16, Independent Liberal-Country Party 2, Independent Labour 1.

The main source of political insecurity in Victoria seems to be the strife between the Liberal and Country Parties. They were swept from office in 1945 on a vote of censure for their failure to govern as a team. Great hopes of a workable coalition were entertained in 1947 when, under Mr T. T. Hollway, the Liberal and Country Party combination defeated Labour on the bank nationalisation issue. The alliance was a shaky one, for in November, 1948, the Government was divided over the application of the Essential Services Act during a transport strike. Mr Hollway continued in power in a minority Government consisting of Liberals and some Country Party members and later called the LiberalCountry Party. The rump of the Country Party under Sir Albert Dunstan, recently deceased, crossed the floor of the House, and went into the Opposition The Country Party has no chance of a majority as it is contc ‘ : ng only 25 of the G 5 seats. The Liberal-Country Party is fighting every seat and already has three members elected unopposed. It must

hold all 27 of its remaining seats and capture four more to gain a majority after appointing the Speaker. Labour, with 50 candidates, must win 18 more seats. The Premier, Mr Hollway, says that if he does not obtain a working majority he will seek another election immediately. The Labour leader and former Premier, Mr John Cain, says his party will not form a Government unless it has a clear majority and will not accept the support of the Country Party. Mr J. G. McDonald, leader of the Country Party, says his party will not return under the wing of the Liberals. Public opinion polls, which on past showings have been fairly reliable in Australia, suggest that the election will show a slight swing towards Labour brought about chiefly by antiLabour strife, greatly reduced support for the Country Party, and increased support for the Liberal-Country Party in the country districts. This suggests that any gains made by either main party will be at the expense of the Country Party, which may pay for its independency by eclipse.