Commonwealth Party (New South Wales)
Encyclopedia
The Commonwealth Party was a short-lived, urban, conservative political party which was active in New South Wales, Australia in 1943-4.
Following the defection of Joseph Lyons
from the Australian Labor Party
to the conservative side of politics in 1931, the opposition Nationalist Party
and the five dissident Labor MPs (as well as three conservative independent MPs) soon merged to form a new party, the United Australia Party
(UAP), which unified the mainstream urban conservative forces in Australia. However, in substance it was largely a continuation of the Nationalists under a new name.
The UAP, in coalition with the Country Party
was in power federally and in New South Wales throughout much of the thirties. However, ideological and leadership issues resulted in severe fissures occurring in conservative political forces towards the end of the decade. This was seen most markedly in the deposing of the Prime Minister Robert Menzies
federally in 1941 and the NSW Premier Bertram Stevens in 1939. Menzies was succeeded as leader of the UAP by Billy Hughes
who led the party to a disastrous defeat at the 1943 federal election
. The party's vote was halved to 16% and it lost 11 of its 23 seats. This was the death knell of the party.
In the period between 1943 and 1945 the conservative forces were divided into several small and short-lived parties these would eventually coalesce under Menzies into the Liberal Party
in August 1945. In NSW the interim parties included the Democratic Party, the Liberal Democrat Party
and the Commonwealth Party. The Commonwealth Party quickly merged with the remnants of the UAP and the Democratic Party before the 1944 election
. It did not contest any elections.
Following the defection of Joseph Lyons
Joseph Lyons
Joseph Aloysius Lyons, CH was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of Tasmania from 1923 to 1928 and a Minister in the James Scullin government from 1929 until his resignation from the Labor Party in March 1931...
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...
to the conservative side of politics in 1931, the opposition 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 the five dissident Labor MPs (as well as three conservative independent MPs) soon merged to form a new party, the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
(UAP), which unified the mainstream urban conservative forces in Australia. However, in substance it was largely a continuation of the Nationalists under a new name.
The UAP, in coalition with 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...
was in power federally and in New South Wales throughout much of the thirties. However, ideological and leadership issues resulted in severe fissures occurring in conservative political forces towards the end of the decade. This was seen most markedly in the deposing of the Prime Minister Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
federally in 1941 and the NSW Premier Bertram Stevens in 1939. Menzies was succeeded as leader of the UAP by Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
who led the party to a disastrous defeat at the 1943 federal election
Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
. The party's vote was halved to 16% and it lost 11 of its 23 seats. This was the death knell of the party.
In the period between 1943 and 1945 the conservative forces were divided into several small and short-lived parties these would eventually coalesce under Menzies into the Liberal Party
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...
in August 1945. In NSW the interim parties included the Democratic Party, the Liberal Democrat Party
Liberal Democrat Party (Australia)
The Liberal Democratic Party was an Australian political party that contested the 1943 federal election and the 1944 New South Wales state election.-Divisions in UAP:...
and the Commonwealth Party. The Commonwealth Party quickly merged with the remnants of the UAP and the Democratic Party before the 1944 election
New South Wales state election, 1944
The 1944 New South Wales state election was held on 27 May 1944. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution...
. It did not contest any elections.