Albert Field
Encyclopedia
Albert Patrick Field was an Australia
n who was a French polish
er plucked from obscurity to become a Senator
in 1975. The circumstances of his appointment were instrumental in precipitating the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
Queensland
ALP
Senator Bertie Milliner
died suddenly on 30 June 1975. It was longstanding tradition that, when a casual vacancy occurred in the Senate, the relevant political party would nominate the replacement to the state premier, and the state parliament would formally appoint the replacement senator. As was usual practice, the Labor Party nominated only one name, Mal Colston
, to replace Milliner. The Country Party
Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
asked for a list of three names, from which he would choose the replacement; he was possibly relying on a 1962 precedent when his predecessor Frank Nicklin
had also required such a list of names. The Labor Party refused to provide a list, and insisted on Colston being appointed. Bjelke-Petersen responded by appointing Albert Field. Although he had been a member of the Labor Party
for 30 years, Field was of a conservative and religious bent and was openly critical of the Whitlam
government. He was certainly not an active politician, and he had never sought to become one; Gough Whitlam
described him as "an individual of the utmost obscurity, from which he rose and to which he sank with equal speed". The appointment was formally made by the Parliament of Queensland
on 3 September 1975. Field was expelled from the party as a result of accepting the appointment.
Field had resigned from the Queensland Public Service immediately prior to his Senate appointment, but there was a dispute about whether he remained a public servant when appointed. This may have made him constitutionally ineligible to be chosen as a senator, so the Labor Party challenged his appointment in the High Court
. Consequently he was on leave from the Senate, unable to exercise a vote, from 1 October 1975. However, going against tradition, the opposition parties refused to provide a "pair
" to maintain the relative positions of the Government and Opposition. This gave the Coalition a majority in the Senate, allowing them to pass motions to defer consideration of supply and force the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
The beginning of the end of Field's Senate term came on 11 November 1975 when the parliament was dissolved in a double dissolution. He stood at the consequent 13 December election
that resulted in part from his appointment, but was defeated. Field's Senate term officially ended on June 30 1976.
The controversy surrounding his and Cleaver Bunton
's appointments prompted an amendment to the Constitution requiring that casual Senate vacancies be filled by a member of the same 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 who was a French polish
French polish
French polishing is a wood finishing technique that results in a very high gloss surface, with a deep colour and chatoyancy. French polishing consists of applying many thin coats of shellac dissolved in alcohol using a rubbing pad lubricated with oil...
er plucked from obscurity to become a Senator
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
in 1975. The circumstances of his appointment were instrumental in precipitating the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
ALP
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...
Senator Bertie Milliner
Bertie Milliner
Bertie Milliner was an Australian trade unionist, politician and Senator, representing the Australian Labor Party . He would have been a minor figure in Australia’s political history but for the events that followed his sudden death...
died suddenly on 30 June 1975. It was longstanding tradition that, when a casual vacancy occurred in the Senate, the relevant political party would nominate the replacement to the state premier, and the state parliament would formally appoint the replacement senator. As was usual practice, the Labor Party nominated only one name, Mal Colston
Mal Colston
Malcolm Arthur "Mal" Colston , Australian politician, was a Senator in the Parliament of Australia representing the state of Queensland between 1975 and 1999...
, to replace Milliner. 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...
Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
asked for a list of three names, from which he would choose the replacement; he was possibly relying on a 1962 precedent when his predecessor Frank Nicklin
Frank Nicklin
Sir George Francis Reuben Nicklin, KCMG, MM was Premier of the Australian state of Queensland from 1957 to 1968, and the first Country Party Premier since 1932.-Early life and career:...
had also required such a list of names. The Labor Party refused to provide a list, and insisted on Colston being appointed. Bjelke-Petersen responded by appointing Albert Field. Although he had been a member 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...
for 30 years, Field was of a conservative and religious bent and was openly critical of the Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
government. He was certainly not an active politician, and he had never sought to become one; Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
described him as "an individual of the utmost obscurity, from which he rose and to which he sank with equal speed". The appointment was formally made by the Parliament of Queensland
Parliament of Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been...
on 3 September 1975. Field was expelled from the party as a result of accepting the appointment.
Field had resigned from the Queensland Public Service immediately prior to his Senate appointment, but there was a dispute about whether he remained a public servant when appointed. This may have made him constitutionally ineligible to be chosen as a senator, so the Labor Party challenged his appointment in the High Court
High Court of Australia
The High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and...
. Consequently he was on leave from the Senate, unable to exercise a vote, from 1 October 1975. However, going against tradition, the opposition parties refused to provide a "pair
Pair (parliamentary convention)
Pairing is a system whereby two members of parliament from opposing political parties may agree to abstain where one member is unable to vote, due to other commitments, illness, travel problems, etc...
" to maintain the relative positions of the Government and Opposition. This gave the Coalition a majority in the Senate, allowing them to pass motions to defer consideration of supply and force the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
The beginning of the end of Field's Senate term came on 11 November 1975 when the parliament was dissolved in a double dissolution. He stood at the consequent 13 December election
Australian federal election, 1975
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses....
that resulted in part from his appointment, but was defeated. Field's Senate term officially ended on June 30 1976.
The controversy surrounding his and Cleaver Bunton
Cleaver Bunton
Cleaver Ernest Bunton AO OBE was a long serving Mayor of Albury, New South Wales, Australia, who came to national prominence in 1975 when he was controversially appointed to the Senate.-Early life:...
's appointments prompted an amendment to the Constitution requiring that casual Senate vacancies be filled by a member of the same party.
External links
- Four Corners Reflections from the Seventies
- Parliamentary Library paper Candidates, Members and the Constitution (see section "The Field Affair")