PARLIAMENTARY CRISIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27514, 7 October 1950, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY CRISIS

Government Challenge On Anti-Communist Bill

DOUBLE DISSOLUTION THREAT New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 9 p.m. CANBERRA, Oct. 6. The Government today took the first steps towards creating a Parliamentary position justifying an immediate approach to the Governor-General for the simultaneous dissolution of both the Senate and House of Representatives. The Government Leader in the Senate, Senator N. O’Sullivan, announced that the Government would not bring on any business in the Senate until Labour (which holds a majority in the Senate) had dealt with the Communist Party Dissolution Bill. This amounts to

a declaration that the Upper House is unworkable. “ Until the Opposition is prepared to deal with the anti-Communist Bill—that is until it ceases to frustrate the will of the electors —it is not intended to bring forward any other business,” Senator O’Sullivan said.

Government supply runs out at the end of this month, which means an almost immediate crisis. On Senator O’Sullivan’s statement, even the Budget, which will be presented in the House of Representatives during the coming week, cannot be discussed in the Upper House.

Many Government members believe 1 the delaying tactics employed by the Labour majority in the Senate arise from the cleavage in the Labour Party on the anti-Communist Bill. These tactics reached a climax last night when, with the Senate reduced to confusion after the defeat of a Government motion to adjourn, the President. Senator G. Brown, suspended the sitting for an hour. Previously, Senator O’Sullivan failed to get the Opposition to agree to sit today. ' He then moved the adjournment because the Opposition insisted on debating the Commonwealth Bank Bill, which was introduced last session. The defeat of his motion apparently found the Government unready to go on with the Commonwealth Bank Bill-

After an hour’s adjournment “to think it over,” the Government was still unprepared. The debate on the Prices Bill then proceeded at the direction of the Opposition. State Labour Opposition

The West Australian branch of the Australian Labour Party has asked that the Federal Executive of the party should leave the final decision on the Communist Party Dissolution Bill to. the Federal parliamentary caucus.

The significance of this move is that it was the votes of the West Australian delegates at the last executive meeting which committed the party to continuing its opposition to the Bill. Caucus had to accept the decision, although many members felt that it would lead to a double dissolution and the possible annihilation of the Labour Party at the polls. Victoria. Queensland, and Tasmania, which voted against opposition to the Bill, are expected to support the West Australian move.