Walter Wearne
Encyclopedia
Walter Wearne was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1917 until 1930. He was initially elected as an Independent but subsequently formed the Progressive Party
of which he was the leader until it split into urban and rural wings in 1921. His urban wing subsequently amalgamated with the Nationalist Party
of which he was the deputy leader in the NSW Parliament.
and Inverell
.His father, James Wearne, owned a sawmill where he was first employed. Wearne also worked as an auctioneer, commercial agent and council clerk for Bingara Shire between 1890 and 1910. By 1920 he had amassed considerable property in the Bingara region.
of Earle Page
. He became an office holder of the Farmers and Settlers Association.
Namoi
as an Independent Nationalist. He defeated the sitting member George Black who had been expelled from the Australian Labor Party
for supporting the Nationalist
government of William Holman
.
. The Progressive Party was characterized by friction between its rural and urban members and this friction came to a climax with the fall of the government of James Dooley
on 20 December 1921. Urban progressives favoured a coalition with the Nationalist Party leader George Fuller
but most of the rural members, who became known as 'the True Blues', would only promise Fuller their conditional support. This division resulted in Fuller's government lasting less than 8 hours and Dooley regaining the Premiership. Despite representing a rural electorate Wearne sided with T J Ley
and the urban wing of the party. This wing subsequently amalgamated with the Nationalist party, of which Wearne became deputy leader, while the rural wing evolved into the Country Party
. Wearne continued to represent Namoi as a Nationalist in the Legislative Assembly until multi-member seats were abolished at the 1927 election
. He then represented Barwon until his retirement at the 1930 election
. Wearne was Secretary for Lands in both Fuller Ministries.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1917 until 1930. He was initially elected as an Independent but subsequently formed the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (1920)
The Progressive Party was a New South Wales political party that operated between 1920 and 1927, achieving representation in the Legislative Assembly due to proportional representation. The party attracted support from conservative voters in both rural and urban NSW. As a result, its policies were...
of which he was the leader until it split into urban and rural wings in 1921. His urban wing subsequently amalgamated with the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
of which he was the deputy leader in the NSW Parliament.
Early life
Wearne was born in Sydney. He was subsequently educated to elementary level in BingaraBingara, New South Wales
Bingara is a small town on the Gwydir River in Murchison County in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. In 2006, Bingara had a population of 1,207 people. and is currently the Administrative centre for the Gwydir Shire that was created in 2003. It has a culturally homogeneous...
and Inverell
Inverell, New South Wales
Inverell is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Macintyre River. It is also the centre of Inverell Shire. Inverell is located on the Gwydir Highway on the western slopes of the Northern Tablelands. It has a temperate climate...
.His father, James Wearne, owned a sawmill where he was first employed. Wearne also worked as an auctioneer, commercial agent and council clerk for Bingara Shire between 1890 and 1910. By 1920 he had amassed considerable property in the Bingara region.
Political Activity
In the first two decades of the twentieth century, he become politically active supporting temperance organizations and the New England New State MovementNew England New State Movement
The New England New State Movement was an Australian political movement in the twentieth century. Originally called the Northern Separation Movement, the aim of the movement was to seek the secession of the New England region and surrounding areas from the State of New South Wales and the...
of Earle Page
Earle Page
Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page, GCMG, CH was the 11th Prime Minister of Australia, and is to date the second-longest serving federal parliamentarian in Australian history, with 41 years, 361 days in Parliament.-Early life:...
. He became an office holder of the Farmers and Settlers Association.
State Parliament
At the 1917 election he successfully contested the seat ofNamoi
Electoral district of Namoi
The Namoi was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1880 and named after the Namoi River. It elected two members between 1891 and 1894. In 1894 it was abolished and partly replaced by Narrabri...
as an Independent Nationalist. He defeated the sitting member George Black who had been expelled from the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
for supporting the Nationalist
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
government of William Holman
William Holman
William Arthur Holman was an Australian Labor Party Premier of New South Wales, Australia, who split with the party on the conscription issue in 1916 during World War I, and immediately became Premier of a conservative Nationalist Party Government.-Early life:Holman was born in St Pancras, London,...
.
Progressive Party and Government
Holman's conservative 'win the war' coalition broke up prior to the 1920 election which was conducted, for the first time, using proportional representation and multi-member seats. Wearne was elected to the three member seat of Namoi and became the leader of the 15 members who had been elected as ProgressivesProgressive Party (1920)
The Progressive Party was a New South Wales political party that operated between 1920 and 1927, achieving representation in the Legislative Assembly due to proportional representation. The party attracted support from conservative voters in both rural and urban NSW. As a result, its policies were...
. The Progressive Party was characterized by friction between its rural and urban members and this friction came to a climax with the fall of the government of James Dooley
James Dooley (Australian politician)
James Thomas Dooley served twice, briefly, as Premier of New South Wales during the early 1920s.-Early years:...
on 20 December 1921. Urban progressives favoured a coalition with the Nationalist Party leader George Fuller
George Fuller (Australian politician)
Sir George Warburton Fuller KCMG was Premier of New South Wales, Australia on two occasions during the 1920s. His first term of office lasted less than one day ; his second lasted from 13 April 1922 to 17 June 1925.-Early life:Fuller was born in Kiama, New South Wales and was educated at Kiama...
but most of the rural members, who became known as 'the True Blues', would only promise Fuller their conditional support. This division resulted in Fuller's government lasting less than 8 hours and Dooley regaining the Premiership. Despite representing a rural electorate Wearne sided with T J Ley
Thomas John Ley
Thomas John Ley was an Australian politician who was convicted of murder in England. It is highly likely that he was also involved in the deaths of a number of people in Australia.-Early life:...
and the urban wing of the party. This wing subsequently amalgamated with the Nationalist party, of which Wearne became deputy leader, while the rural wing evolved into the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
. Wearne continued to represent Namoi as a Nationalist in the Legislative Assembly until multi-member seats were abolished at the 1927 election
New South Wales state election, 1927
The 1927 New South Wales state election to elect the 90 members of the 28th Legislative Assembly was held on 8 October 1927. During the previous parliament the voting system, which had been a form of proportional representation with multi-member seats and a single transferable vote , was changed...
. He then represented Barwon until his retirement at the 1930 election
New South Wales state election, 1930
The 1930 New South Wales state election was held on 25 October 1930. The election was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting...
. Wearne was Secretary for Lands in both Fuller Ministries.