Industrial Socialist Labor Party
Encyclopedia
The Industrial Socialist Labor Party was a short lived socialist political party in Australia in the late 1910s and early 1920s. It was founded by radical socialist members of the industrial wing of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP), at a time when the ALP's socialist ideology was a matter of intra-party dispute. It was closely aligned with the Industrial Workers of the World
(IWW) and the One Big Union
(OBE) movement.
The party was formally founded at a conference in August 1919 and candidates were endorsed for a number of seats at the 1919
federal election. All these candidates were opposed by endorsed ALP candidates and received less than 10% of the primary vote.
The party's only elected parliamentary representative was Percy Brookfield who won the seat of Sturt with the party's endorsement at the 1920 New South Wales Legislative Assembly
election. Brookfield had the balance of power
in the assembly following the election but was murdered the following year.
Michael Considine
, Labor
member for Barrier
in the federal House of Representatives
from 1917, joined the Industrial Socialist Labor Party in 1920 after his expulsion from the ALP, and unsuccessfully contested the seat of Darling
for the party in 1922.
Donald Grant
, one of 12 Australian IWW members gaoled in 1916, contested Sturt at the 1922 general election but received only 2.8% of the primary vote. He later became a member of parliament for the Labor Party. Other members of the party who later became prominent in the ALP were John Garden
and Jack Baddeley.
Support for the party rapidly diminished after the ALP adopted the Socialist Objective in 1921 with many members returning to the ALP and others joining the Australian Communist 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), at a time when the ALP's socialist ideology was a matter of intra-party dispute. It was closely aligned with the Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
(IWW) and the One Big Union
One Big Union
The One Big Union is a concept which emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries amongst working class trade unionists.Unions initially organised as craft or trade unions. Workers were organized by their skill: carpenters, plumbers, bricklayers, each into their respective unions. ...
(OBE) movement.
The party was formally founded at a conference in August 1919 and candidates were endorsed for a number of seats at the 1919
Australian federal election, 1919
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1919. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes defeated the opposition Australian...
federal election. All these candidates were opposed by endorsed ALP candidates and received less than 10% of the primary vote.
The party's only elected parliamentary representative was Percy Brookfield who won the seat of Sturt with the party's endorsement at the 1920 New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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...
election. Brookfield had the balance of power
Balance of power (parliament)
In parliamentary politics, the term balance of power sometimes describes the pragmatic mechanism exercised by a minor political party or other grouping whose guaranteed support may enable an otherwise minority government to obtain and hold office...
in the assembly following the election but was murdered the following year.
Michael Considine
Michael Considine
Michael Patrick Considine was an Irish-born Australian politician and unionist. He represented the seat of Barrier in the House of Representatives from 1917 to 1922. A controversial figure, Considine was pressured to resign from the Australian Labor Party...
, Labor
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...
member for Barrier
Division of Barrier
The Division of Barrier was an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was named for the Barrier Range near the city of Broken Hill in western New South Wales...
in the federal House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
from 1917, joined the Industrial Socialist Labor Party in 1920 after his expulsion from the ALP, and unsuccessfully contested the seat of Darling
Division of Darling
The Division of Darling was an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. From 1901 until 1922 it was based on Bourke, Cobar, Nyngan, Coonamble and Gilgandra. From 1906 it also...
for the party in 1922.
Donald Grant
Donald Grant
Donald Grant was a leader of the Industrial Workers of the World in Sydney, Australia, a member of the Sydney Twelve charged with conspiracy in 1916, and later a member of the Australian Labor Party who was elected to Sydney City Council, appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council, and...
, one of 12 Australian IWW members gaoled in 1916, contested Sturt at the 1922 general election but received only 2.8% of the primary vote. He later became a member of parliament for the Labor Party. Other members of the party who later became prominent in the ALP were John Garden
John Garden
John Smith "Jock" Garden , clergyman, Australian trade unionist and politician, was one of the founders of the Communist Party of Australia.-Early life:...
and Jack Baddeley.
Support for the party rapidly diminished after the ALP adopted the Socialist Objective in 1921 with many members returning to the ALP and others joining the Australian Communist Party.