Independent Labor Group
Encyclopedia
The Independent Labor Group was a minor Australian political grouping in the New South Wales Legislative Council
from 1959 to 1977. The group emerged when a number of Labor Party
MLCs were expelled from the party for voting against the abolition of the Legislative Council, which was then party policy.
Eight Labor MLCs were expelled in 1959, and they were formally constituted as the Independent Labor Group on 22 August 1961, electing Thomas Gleeson as their leader. They held the balance of power throughout most of the early 1960s, increasing their numbers to ten in 1961, when the Coalition aided the election of Amelia Rygate. In the late 1960s, however, the group's power began to diminish. Amelia Rygate rejoined the Labor Party in 1966; Anne Press joined the Liberal Party
in 1967. The last Independent Labor representative, Cyril Cahill, died in 1977.
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
from 1959 to 1977. The group emerged when a number of 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...
MLCs were expelled from the party for voting against the abolition of the Legislative Council, which was then party policy.
Eight Labor MLCs were expelled in 1959, and they were formally constituted as the Independent Labor Group on 22 August 1961, electing Thomas Gleeson as their leader. They held the balance of power throughout most of the early 1960s, increasing their numbers to ten in 1961, when the Coalition aided the election of Amelia Rygate. In the late 1960s, however, the group's power began to diminish. Amelia Rygate rejoined the Labor Party in 1966; Anne Press joined 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 1967. The last Independent Labor representative, Cyril Cahill, died in 1977.