Farmers' parliaments and country conferences: attempts by New South Wales Labor in the 1920s and 1930s to communicate with the countryside

Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society, Dec, 2004 by Ken Turner

Loughlin spoke for many country people when he argued that the AGC had been 'industrialised', with the influence of branch representatives reduced. He asserted that Lang was now the 'puppet' of newcomers from overseas, like Willis and Jock Garden, while 'backdoor' entry would be provided for Communists. (38) The AWU opposed the proposals desperately since the main effect of the union grouping scheme was to prevent its again controlling the Executive. The beneficiaries were Lang's current allies, mining and Trades Hall unions. Symbolically, the new Secretary was a mining representative. Even within the country divisions, mining unions would in practice have strong influence--Newcastle and Maitland miners in the Northern Division, Lithgow and Broken Hill miners in the West-Central, and Illawarra miners in the South. (38)

Much of the criticism of the new rules was exaggerated. It is hard to see Lang as anyone's 'puppet' or soft on Communists. He quickly secured a rule that no member of the Communist Party could also be a member of the New South Wales Labor Party. (39) The problem of permeation by covert Communists was not so easily resolved but Lang's 'Inner Group' would not be easily out-manipulated. Certainly, the influence of the industrialists was reasserted and the dominant faction did stack the cards in its favour. Yet the rules did provide for a diverse Executive, with guaranteed representation for country delegates and for women.

Once the 'grand conference' tactic was dropped and the Caucus became denuded of credible country spokesmen, Labor's appeal to the countryside became increasingly dependent on internal organisational measures--the country divisions and their Provincial Conference. The first Provincial Conference was held in Young on 26 January 1928, for symbolic reasons. (40) The opening was well supported; as well as party officers, Lang, Baddeley, Davidson, Tully, Dunn, Flannery, James McGirr, Knight and many other parliamentarians attended.

However, it was not simply a symbolic gathering. Young Electorate Council submitted the following motions:

(1.) Only Australian born or Australian citizens with five years' membership of a League or Australian union should hold office in the ALP or be selected as a candidate for Parliament;

(2.) Sydney University should establish branches in the principal country towns;

(3.) An educational committee should be formed and speakers should visit country towns to educate the public on Labor's platform and its attitudes on questions of the day;

(4.) The Executive should supply all Leagues with copies of Hansard;

(5.) The conference should advocate the formation of a country Labor wing with full autonomy within the movement. (41)

This last item illustrated the readiness of many country members to listen to the arguments of Loughlin, who had resigned protesting against the 'Red Rules'. But it also typified a more deep-seated attitude which was to be shown in the Country Labor breakaway of 1941.

The Provincial Conference began with a charge by C. E. Martin, who was to become the Member for Young in 1930, that it was not truly representative. Only twenty of forty-five country electorates were represented. Many of the most rural electorates had not sent delegates, while the representatives of the more industrial electorates were prominent. (42) Yet it handled a wide-ranging agenda of almost 100 items. Some were welcomed, like Young's educational proposals, which Lang supported. (43) Others were defeated, like Young's first motion. Some uncomfortable items were passed on to the AGC, like the recommendation that Party officers attend all Caucus meetings, with the right to retain minutes for perusal by general conferences. But the key issue of adjusting the numbers of country representatives at the AGC was defeated. C. E. Martin argued that a Provincial Conference and three country divisions were not enough. Union opposition narrowly defeated his proposal of twelve country divisions, which would have greatly increased country representation at the AGC. (44)