The Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the Australian Liberal Party

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The Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the Australian Liberal Party

Introduction:

This assignment deals with the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the Australian Liberal Party. It will go explain in depth their origins, motives objectives and achievements.

History:

Labor Party:

The Labor party has recently celebrated its centenary in 1991, making it Australia’s oldest party. Labor first became a Federal Party when the former colonies of Australia federated in 1901. Separate labour parties had been established in the colonies during the formative decade of the 1890s. These parties were sponsored by the trade union movement, to help get sympathetic politicians elected to colonial parliaments. In Western Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, there were no strong and coherent labour parties until after federation. However, by 1900 strong labour parties had emerged in Queensland and New South Wales, quickly taking up a prominent role in Parliamentary politics. Australia's first labour government took office in Queensland in 1899. It lasted seven days. Although these early labour parties were strongly influenced by the trade unions, they were never confined to union membership and interests. Their earliest programs and platforms show that they sought the support of farmers, small businessmen and non-union employees including clerical and other white-collar workers. The Australian Labor Party entered federal politics at the first Commonwealth elections of 1901, when 16 Labor members were elected to the House of Representatives and eight to the Senate. They met before the first sitting of Parliament on 8 May 1901 and agreed to form a Federal Labor Party. J.C. (Chris) Watson, a Sydney printer and a former member of the NSW Parliament, was elected the first Leader of the Party.

Liberal Party:

In 1944, the Liberal Party of Australia was founded after a three-day meeting held in a small hall not far from Parliament House in Canberra. The meeting was called by the then Leader of the Opposition (United Australia Party), Robert Menzies. Robert Menzies had already served as Prime Minister of Australia (1939-40), but he believed that the non-Labor parties should unite to present a strong alternative government to the Australian people. Eighty men and women from 18 non-Labor political parties and organisations attended the first Canberra conference. They shar...

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...pment of beef roads scheme to develop the inland

special grants introduced for anti-tuberculosis campaigns

introduced Department of Housing, Home Savings Grants Scheme and Housing Loans Insurance Corporation to help more Australians own their own home

establishment of sheltered workshops

introduced Aged Pensioners Home Assistance Scheme

introduced invalid pensions

established Australian Universities Commission

established Commonwealth Scholarships

introduction of Commonwealth scholarships for secondary schools as means of introducing State Aid to all schools

funding for CAE's

CONCLUSION:

These parties are two of the oldest, biggest and most well structured Australian political parties. They are only parties to have held power in the House of Rep’s in Australia. They are rivals and their philosophies are almost directly opposed to each other but they share many similarities concerning organisation, structure, achievements and tactics.

They have juggled power between them and Australia has emerged a powerful and intelligent nation under their leadership.

Bibliography:

Official Labor Party Website

Official Liberal Party Website

www.altavista.com

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