Western Australian Liberal Party (1911-1917)
Encyclopedia
The Western Australian Liberal Party was a political party which existed from 1911 until 1917 in the Australia
n state
of Western Australia
. The Party, which had its roots in various earlier political movements, came together in the period immediately prior to the 1911 state election
under the guidance of Sir John Forrest
, the Federal member for Swan
and former Premier
of Western Australia
, and other leading political figures in the State. It was assembled in response to the solid organisation of the Labor Party
and had the aim of assisting Ministerial members in winning seats and retaining power in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
. The Party did not involve itself in Federal politics, although many of its members were also associated with the Commonwealth Liberal Party
and assisted Liberal candidates and members from Western Australia in that capacity. The massive defeat of the Ministerial faction by Labor in that election resulted in what remained of the faction formally joining the Liberal Party, which became the first organised non-Labor movement in the State and was a precursor to the Nationalist Party
and, later, the modern Liberal Party of Australia
(Western Australian Division).
until 27 July 1916, and Premier thereafter. By June 1917, the party had been disbanded and fully subsumed into the Nationalist Party.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The Party, which had its roots in various earlier political movements, came together in the period immediately prior to the 1911 state election
Western Australian state election, 1911
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 3 October 1911 to elect 50 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Labor party, led by Opposition Leader John Scaddan, defeated the conservative Ministerialist government led by Premier Frank Wilson...
under the guidance of Sir John Forrest
John Forrest
Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament....
, the Federal member for Swan
Division of Swan
The Division of Swan is an Australian Electoral Division located in Western Australia. The division is named after the Swan River.For several decades, it has been a marginal seat, extending along the Swan and Canning Rivers from the affluent suburbs in the City of South Perth to the west, which...
and former Premier
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, and other leading political figures in the State. It was assembled in response to the solid organisation of the 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...
and had the aim of assisting Ministerial members in winning seats and retaining power in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
. The Party did not involve itself in Federal politics, although many of its members were also associated with the Commonwealth Liberal Party
Commonwealth Liberal Party
The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation....
and assisted Liberal candidates and members from Western Australia in that capacity. The massive defeat of the Ministerial faction by Labor in that election resulted in what remained of the faction formally joining the Liberal Party, which became the first organised non-Labor movement in the State and was a precursor to 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...
and, later, the modern Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
(Western Australian Division).
Leadership
The party was led for its entire duration in Parliament by Frank Wilson, who served as Opposition LeaderLeader of the Opposition (Western Australia)
The Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the Legislative Assembly...
until 27 July 1916, and Premier thereafter. By June 1917, the party had been disbanded and fully subsumed into the Nationalist Party.