Ernest Durack
Encyclopedia
Ernest Durack was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1913 until 1917 and the leader of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP) in New South Wales for 3 months until February 1917.
Durack was born near Bathurst
. He was the son of a storekeeper and was educated at All Saints' College, Bathurst. In 1903 he married Cora Armstrong at Rydal
and had two sons and three daughters with her. He found employment as a farmer and clerk until his entry to parliament at the 1913 election when he won the seat of Bathurst. In parliament his strong oratory skills were quickly noticed and he became Chairman of Committees (deputy Speaker).
In 1916 the ALP split over the question of conscription in World War I
. Labor premier William Holman
supported Prime Minister Billy Hughes
in opposing the party's anti-conscription policy and he and 28 supporters were expelled from the party. However, Holman and his followers remained in power by forming a coalition government with the Liberal Reform Party
of Charles Wade
on 15 November 1916. The official ALP was left with only 21 supporters in a house of 90 members and Durack defeated John Storey
in the ballot for leader of the remaining Labor party members and Leader of the opposition
. It was said that he was a much harder worker than Storey.
In early 1917, Holman called a snap general election. Durack was scheduled to deliver the ALP's policy speech on 21 February but on that morning he announed his resignation from the party leadership and as the ALP candidate for Bathurst. Mystery surrounded his actions for some years until it was discovered that he had fathered a daughter born in August 1916 to Winifred McNab and he had resigned because of a fear that this would become a public scandal during the election campaign. He was succeeded as ALP leader by Storey.
After leaving parliament, Durack enlisted as a private in the Australian Imperial Force in September 1917 and saw service in Great Britain. He was invalided back to Australia in August 1918 and his movements from then until 1950, when he was a storekeeper near Bathurst, are unknown. Cora Armstrong died in 1956 and Durack subsequently married McNab.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1913 until 1917 and the leader of 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...
(ALP) in New South Wales for 3 months until February 1917.
Durack was born near Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
. He was the son of a storekeeper and was educated at All Saints' College, Bathurst. In 1903 he married Cora Armstrong at Rydal
Rydal
-Places:Europe* Rydal, Cumbria, a hamlet in the Lake District of England** Rydal Mount, William Wordsworth's house in Lake District* Rydal Penrhos, a private school in North Wales...
and had two sons and three daughters with her. He found employment as a farmer and clerk until his entry to parliament at the 1913 election when he won the seat of Bathurst. In parliament his strong oratory skills were quickly noticed and he became Chairman of Committees (deputy Speaker).
In 1916 the ALP split over the question of conscription in World War I
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
. Labor premier William Holman
William Holman
William Arthur Holman was an Australian Labor Party Premier of New South Wales, Australia, who split with the party on the conscription issue in 1916 during World War I, and immediately became Premier of a conservative Nationalist Party Government.-Early life:Holman was born in St Pancras, London,...
supported Prime Minister Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
in opposing the party's anti-conscription policy and he and 28 supporters were expelled from the party. However, Holman and his followers remained in power by forming a coalition government with the Liberal Reform Party
Liberal Reform Party (Australia)
The Liberal Reform Party was an Australian political party, active in New South Wales state politics between 1901 and 1916. The question of tariff policy which, had created and divided the Free Trade Party and Protectionist Party in New South Wales in the 1890s, became a federal issue at the time...
of Charles Wade
Charles Wade
Sir Charles Gregory Wade KCMG was Premier of New South Wales 2 October 1907 – 21 October 1910. According to Percival Serle, "Wade was a public-spirited man of high character...
on 15 November 1916. The official ALP was left with only 21 supporters in a house of 90 members and Durack defeated John Storey
John Storey (politician)
John Storey was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales from 12 April 1920 until his sudden death in Sydney...
in the ballot for leader of the remaining Labor party members and Leader of the opposition
Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)
The role of the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in New South Wales is a title held by the leader of the largest minority party in the state lower house, the New South Wales Legislative Assembly...
. It was said that he was a much harder worker than Storey.
In early 1917, Holman called a snap general election. Durack was scheduled to deliver the ALP's policy speech on 21 February but on that morning he announed his resignation from the party leadership and as the ALP candidate for Bathurst. Mystery surrounded his actions for some years until it was discovered that he had fathered a daughter born in August 1916 to Winifred McNab and he had resigned because of a fear that this would become a public scandal during the election campaign. He was succeeded as ALP leader by Storey.
After leaving parliament, Durack enlisted as a private in the Australian Imperial Force in September 1917 and saw service in Great Britain. He was invalided back to Australia in August 1918 and his movements from then until 1950, when he was a storekeeper near Bathurst, are unknown. Cora Armstrong died in 1956 and Durack subsequently married McNab.