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Lang Labor Party (South Australia)

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The Lang Labor Party was a political party active in South Australia from 1931 to 1934, aligned with the policies of Premier of New South Wales Jack Lang.

Establishment

It was formed as a result of increasing tensions within the Australian Labor Party over the party's economic response to the Great Depression. The opponents of austerity in the Labor Party, of which Lang was among the most prominent figures, had supported repudiating Australia's debt, while supporters of austerity policies would subsequently introduce the national "Premiers' Plan" to achieve those ends. In early 1931, the Labor Party split both federally and in New South Wales, with Lang's supporters being known as "Lang Labor".[1]

By May 1931, the "Lang Plan Campaign Committee" had been formed in South Australia to give publicity to and campaign for Lang's ideas. Its members were not, at its inception, outside the Labor Party; however, the breach between Lang's supporters and the mainstream party quickly broadened, and reports that month suggested that a split in the party was imminent.[2][3] The committee's president was Doug Bardolph, and its secretary was Tom Howard.[4][5]

In July 1931, a by-election was held for the House of Assembly seat of Adelaide, in the wake of Labor MP Bert Edwards being sentenced to jail.[6] The Lang Plan Campaign Committee decided to separately contest the by-election, and the secretary of the Ironworkers' Union, Martin Collaton, was chosen as their candidate.[7][8] Collaton went on to win the by-election, in which he had been usually referred to as a "Lang Plan supporter" or a "Lang Plan candidate".[9]

The supporters of Lang had begun being referred to as the "Lang Labor Party" by August 1931, by which time they had established local branches.[10] In addition to Collaton, the party supported independent Labor state MP Bob Dale, who had been expelled from the Labor Party for supporting Lang's ideas, and who would later run for re-election under the party's banner.[11][12] In October, the Lang Labor Party nominated Bardolph in a Legislative Council by-election for the Central District No. 1 seat and ran a significant campaign on his behalf, but saw him defeated by independent Joseph Anderson [13][14]

References

  1. ^ "In office". Scullin. National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  2. ^ "CLEAVAGE IN LABOR PARTY". Advertiser and Register (Adelaide, SA : 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 12 May 1931. p. 7. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Plea for Loyalty to Labor Policy". Advertiser and Register (Adelaide, SA : 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 11 May 1931. p. 6. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Lang Candidate for Adelaide Seat Unlikely". News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 9 July 1931. p. 7 Edition: HOME EDITION. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  5. ^ "N.S.W. Savings Bank". Advertiser and Register (Adelaide, SA : 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 28 July 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  6. ^ "ADELAIDE BY-ELECTION". Worker (Brisbane, Qld. : 1890 - 1955). Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 29 July 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  7. ^ "LABOR BATTLE FOR ADELAIDE SEAT". Advertiser and Register (Adelaide, SA : 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 8 July 1931. p. 17. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  8. ^ "ADELAIDE SEAT". Advertiser and Register (Adelaide, SA : 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 14 July 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  9. ^ "ADELAIDE BY-ELECTION". Worker (Brisbane, Qld. : 1890 - 1955). Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 29 July 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Lang Supporters Seek Meeting at Thebarton". News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 28 August 1931. p. 5 Edition: HOME EDITION. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  11. ^ ""PREMIERS' PLAN A FAILURE"". Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954). Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 July 1932. p. 1. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  12. ^ "LANG PARTY AND CONFERENCE". Advertiser and Register (Adelaide, SA : 1931). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 21 September 1931. p. 7. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  13. ^ "CENTRAL DISTRICT ELECTION". The Kadina and Wallaroo Times (SA : 1888 - 1954). SA: National Library of Australia. 7 October 1931. p. 2. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  14. ^ "ADELAIDE: MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1931". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 26 October 1931. p. 6. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
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