1906 Australian federal election explained

Election Name:1906 Australian federal election
Country:Australia
Flag Year:1903
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1903 Australian federal election
Previous Year:1903
Next Election:1910 Australian federal election
Next Year:1910
Outgoing Members:Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1903–1906
Elected Members:Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1906–1910
Registered:2,109,562
Turnout:1,001,593 (47.48%)
(8.43 pp)
Seats For Election:All 75 seats in the House of Representatives
38 seats were needed for a majority in the House
18 (of the 36) seats in the Senate
Leader1:Chris Watson
Party1:Labour
Color1:DE3533
Leaders Seat1:South Sydney (NSW)
Swing1:6.86%
Last Election1:22 seats
Seats Needed1:16
Seats1:26 seats
Popular Vote1:348,712
Percentage1:36.64%
Seat Change1:4
Leader2:George Reid
Party2:Anti-Socialist Party
Leaders Seat2:East Sydney (NSW)
Swing2:4.60%
Last Election2:24 seats
Seats Needed2:14
Seats2:26 seats
Popular Vote2:345,781
Percentage2:36.33%
Seat Change2:2
Leader4:Alfred Deakin
Party4:Protectionist Party
Leaders Seat4:Ballaarat (Vic.)
Swing4:12.84%
Last Election4:26 seats
Seats Needed4:12
Seats4:16 seats
Popular Vote4:155,991
Percentage4:16.39%
Seat Change4:10
Leader5:John Forrest
Party5:Western Australian Party
Colour5:01FFFF
Leaders Seat5:Swan (WA)
Swing5:2.33%
Last Election5:New party
Seats Needed5:38
Seats5:2 seats
Popular Vote5:22,154
Percentage5:2.33%
Seat Change5:2
Map Size:350px
Prime Minister
Posttitle:Subsequent Prime Minister
Before Election:Alfred Deakin
Before Party:Protectionist Party
After Election:Alfred Deakin
After Party:Protectionist Party

The 1906 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 12 December 1906. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Protectionist Party minority government led by Prime Minister Alfred Deakin retained government, despite winning the fewest House of Representatives votes and seats of the three parties. Parliamentary support was provided by the Labour Party led by Chris Watson, while the Anti-Socialist Party (renamed from the Free Trade Party), led by George Reid, remained in opposition.

Watson resigned as Labour leader in October 1907 and was replaced by Andrew Fisher. The Protectionist minority government fell in November 1908 to Labour, and a few days later Reid resigned as Anti-Socialist leader, being replaced by Joseph Cook. The Labour minority government fell in June 1909 to the newly formed Commonwealth Liberal Party led by Deakin; this Party was formed on a shared anti-Labour platform as a merger organised between Deakin, the leader of the Protectionists, and Cook, the leader of the Anti-Socialists, to counter Labour's growing popularity. The merger did not sit well with several of the more progressive Protectionists, who defected to Labour or sat as independents.

The merger would allow the Deakin Commonwealth Liberals to construct a mid-term parliamentary majority, however less than a year later, at the 1910 election, Labour won both majority government and a Senate majority, representing a number of firsts: it was Australia's first elected federal majority government, Australia's first elected Senate majority, the world's first Labour Party majority government at a national level, and after the 1904 Watson minority government, the world's second Labour Party government at a national level.

Results

House of Representatives

See also: Results of the Australian federal election, 1906 (House of Representatives).

Party! style="width:70px"
Votes%SwingSeatsChange
 Labour348,71236.64+6.8626 +4
 Anti-Socialist 345,78136.33+4.6026+2
 Protectionist155,99116.3916 –10
 Western Australian22,1542.33+2.332+2
 Independents/Other79,0518.31−0.465+3
 Total951,689  75
 Protectionist/LabourWin42−6
 Anti-Socialist26+2

Senate

Party! style="width:70px"
Votes%SwingSeats wonSeats heldChange
 Anti-Socialist 469,91747.4+15.61217+4
 Labour384,17138.7+5.7515+1
 Protectionist92,9319.4−6.713-5
 Independents/Other 44,8714.501 0
 Total991,850  1836

Significance

It was the third federal election in Australia following the adoption of the federal government. The election was largely important as it would demonstrate which of the parties (if any) could hold together a stable government after the unstable second term of the previous one, which saw four different governments in power. It would also see if all parties could survive the implementation of protectionist policies which differentiated the two. This was also the first election where all seats for the House of Representatives were voted for via a First-past-the-post system (at previous elections some states voted as one electorate, using a bloc vote), and the first time that Tasmania was divided into separate electorates. The election result was the continuation of a Protectionist government led by Deakin and supported by Labour, which remained in power largely due to the unwillingness of the Anti-Socialist Party to support a vote of no confidence against it.

George Reid adopted a strategy of trying to reorient the party system along Labour vs non-Labour lines – before the election, he renamed his Free Trade Party to the Anti-Socialist Party. Reid envisaged a spectrum running from socialist to anti-socialist, with the Protectionist Party in the middle. This attempt struck a chord with politicians who were steeped in the Westminster tradition and regarded a two-party system as very much the norm.[1]

Since the Protectionist primary platform of government tariffs had been dealt with by previous governments, the party had become somewhat redundant. Those who remained were largely supporting the Party's leader, Alfred Deakin, rather than its policies. Of the three, the Labour Party, led by Chris Watson, now had the most realistic chance of becoming the dominant party after their gains in the 1903 election and after their leading status in the four minor states they were looking to make the same type of gains in Victoria and New South Wales.

The first federal referendum in Australia's history was held in conjunction with the election. The proposed alteration to the Constitution, to change the start date of Senators' terms from 1 January to 1 July, passed in all states and was carried.

Seats changing hands

SeatPre-1906SwingPost-1906
PartyMemberMarginMarginMemberParty
Balaclava, Vic ProtectionistGeorge Turner100.041.84.0Agar WynneInd. Protectionist 
Barker, SA ProtectionistLangdon Bonython100.058.18.1John LivingstonAnti-Socialist 
Batman, Vicnew division1.7Jabez CoonProtectionist 
Bendigo, Vic ProtectionistJohn Quick1.151.71.7John QuickInd. Protectionist 
Brisbane, Qld LabourMillice Culpin2.113.411.3Justin FoxtonAnti-Socialist 
Capricornia, Qld LabourDavid Thomson9.615.25.6Edward ArcherAnti-Socialist 
Cowper, NSW Anti-SocialistHenry Lee13.013.90.9John ThomsonProtectionist 
Denison, Tas ProtectionistPhilip Fysh0.215.110.5Philip FyshAnti-Socialist 
Fawkner, Vicnew division13.9George FairbairnInd. Protectionist 
Franklin, Tas Revenue TariffWilliam McWilliams4.6100.0100.0William McWilliamsAnti-Socialist 
Fremantle, WA LabourWilliam Carpenter11.312.20.9William HedgesWestern Australian 
Indi, Vic ProtectionistIsaac Isaacs100.044.42.7Joseph BrownAnti-Socialist 
Macquarie, NSW Anti-SocialistSydney Smith4.051.31.3Ernest CarrLabour 
Maribyrnong, Vicnew division6.9Samuel MaugerProtectionist 
Melbourne Ports, Vic ProtectionistSamuel Mauger6.89.42.6James MathewsLabour 
Moreton, Qld Ind / LabourJames Wilkinson 5.818.312.5Hugh SinclairAnti-Socialist 
New England, NSW Anti-SocialistEdmund Lonsdale1.951.81.8Frank FosterLabour 
Oxley, Qld ProtectionistRichard Edwards2.314.316.6Richard EdwardsAnti-Socialist 
South Sydney, NSW Anti-SocialistGeorge Edwards6.012.46.4Chris WatsonLabour 
Wannon, Vic Anti-SocialistArthur Robinson2.95.72.8John McDougallLabour 
Werriwa, NSW Anti-SocialistAlfred Conroy18.720.51.8David HallLabour 
Wimmera, Vic ProtectionistPharez Phillips0.114.614.2Sydney SampsonInd. Protectionist 

Post-election pendulum

COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" Government seats
Protectionist/Labour Coalition
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" Marginal
Gippsland (Vic)George WisePROT00.3 vs AS
Calare (NSW)Thomas BrownLAB00.7 vs AS
Cowper (NSW)John ThomsonPROT00.9 vs AS
Macquarie (NSW)Ernest CarrLAB01.3 vs AS
Batman (Vic)Jabez CoonPROT01.7 vs LAB
New England (NSW)Frank FosterLAB01.8 vs AS
Werriwa (NSW)David HallLAB01.8 vs AS
Melbourne Ports (Vic)James MathewsLAB02.6 vs PROT
Laanecoorie (Vic)Carty SalmonPROT02.7 vs LAB
Perth (WA)James FowlerLAB02.7 vs WAP
Wannon (Vic)John McDougallLAB02.8 vs AS
Herbert (Qld)Fred BamfordLAB02.9 vs AS
Cook (NSW)James CattsLAB03.0 vs AS
Gwydir (NSW)William WebsterLAB03.3 vs AS
Riverina (NSW)John ChanterPROT04.1 vs AS
Wide Bay (Qld)Andrew FisherLAB04.5 vs AS
Mernda (Vic)Robert HarperPROT04.7 vs LAB
Corio (Vic)Richard CrouchPROT05.0 vs AS
West Sydney (NSW)Billy HughesLAB05.5 vs AS
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" Fairly safe
South Sydney (NSW)Chris WatsonLAB06.4 vs AS
Bourke (Vic)James Hume CookPROT06.7 vs LAB
Maribyrnong (Vic)Samuel MaugerPROT06.9 vs LAB
Kennedy (Qld)Charles McDonaldLAB07.8 vs AS
Darling (NSW)William SpenceLAB07.9 vs AS
Darwin (Tas)King O'MalleyLAB09.5 vs AS
Yarra (Vic)Frank TudorLAB09.6 vs IND
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" Safe
Melbourne (Vic)William MaloneyLAB10.4 vs AS
Hume (NSW)William LynePROT11.7 vs AS
Bass (Tas)David StorrerPROT12.3 vs AS
Darling Downs (Qld)Littleton GroomPROT15.1 vs LAB
Ballaarat (Vic)<-- NOTE: Spelt BALLAARAT until 1977 election, do not change -->Alfred DeakinPROT16.2 vs LAB
Newcastle (NSW)David WatkinsLAB17.2 vs PAS
Eden-Monaro (NSW)Austin ChapmanPROT17.8 vs AS
Maranoa (Qld)Jim PageLAB18.8 vs AS
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" Very safe
Coolgardie (WA)Hugh MahonLAB23.1 vs WAP
Barrier (NSW)Josiah ThomasLAB24.5 vs AS
Richmond (NSW)Thomas EwingPROT26.4 vs AS
Kalgoorlie (WA)Charlie FrazerLAB29.0 vs WAP
Adelaide (SA)Charles KingstonPROTunopposed
Boothby (SA)Lee BatchelorLABunopposed
Grey (SA)Alexander PoyntonLABunopposed
Hindmarsh (SA)James HutchisonLABunopposed
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="806600" Non-government seats
Anti-Socialist Party
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="806600" Marginal
Echuca (Vic)AS00.0 vs PROT
Hunter (NSW)Frank LiddellAS00.8 vs LAB
Flinders (Vic)William IrvineAS01.5 vs PROT
Dalley (NSW)William WilksAS02.7 vs LAB
Indi (Vic)Joseph BrownAS02.7 vs LAB
Wilmot (Tas)Llewellyn AtkinsonAS04.2 vs LAB
East Sydney (NSW)George ReidAS04.9 vs LAB
Capricornia (Qld)Edward ArcherAS05.6 vs LAB
Grampians (Vic)Hans IrvineAS05.8 vs LAB
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="806600" Fairly safe
Corangamite (Vic)Gratton WilsonAS06.6 vs PROT
Robertson (NSW)Henry WillisAS07.0 vs LAB
Barker (SA)John LivingstonAS08.1 vs LAB
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="806600" Safe
Denison (Tas)Philip FyshAS10.5 vs LAB
Brisbane (Qld)Justin FoxtonAS11.3 vs LAB
Kooyong (Vic)William KnoxAS12.0 vs PROT
Moreton (Qld)Hugh SinclairAS12.5 vs LAB
Nepean (NSW)Eric BowdenAS13.3 vs LAB
Angas (SA)Paddy GlynnAS13.6 vs LAB
Illawarra (NSW)George FullerAS13.8 vs LAB
Oxley (Qld)Richard EdwardsAS13.8 vs LAB
Wakefield (SA)Frederick HolderAS 13.8 vs LAB
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="806600" Very safe
Lang (NSW)Elliot JohnsonAS20.4 vs LAB
Wentworth (NSW)Willie KellyAS23.2 vs LAB
Parkes (NSW)Bruce SmithAS28.2 vs IND
Franklin (Tas)William McWilliamsASunopposed
North Sydney (NSW)Dugald ThomsonASunopposed
Parramatta (NSW)Joseph CookASunopposed
COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="gray" Others
Fremantle (WA)William HedgesWAP00.9 vs LAB
Bendigo (Vic)John QuickIND PROT01.7 vs LAB
Balaclava (Vic)Agar WynneIND PROT04.0 vs IND
Fawkner (Vic)George FairbairnIND PROT13.9 vs LAB
Wimmera (Vic)Sydney SampsonIND PROT14.2 vs LAB
Swan (WA)John ForrestWAP16.2 vs LAB

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.cis.org.au/app/uploads/2015/04/images/stories/policy-magazine/2009-autumn/25-1-09-charles-richardson.pdf Fusion: The Party System We Had To Have? - by Charles Richardson CIS 25 January 2009