Australian Capital Territory Progress and Welfare Council explained

ACT Progress and Welfare Council
Colorcode:
  1. 4B0083
Dissolved:c. 1967
Country:Australia
Seats1 Title:ACT Advisory Council

The Australian Capital Territory Progress and Welfare Council (known as the ACT Progress and Welfare Council) was a peak co-ordination body of progress associations in the Australian Capital Territory. It also operated as a political party in the ACT in the period prior to self-government in 1989.

Background

The Federal Capital Territory (renamed the Australian Capital Territory in 1938) was created in 1911 by the Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910 out of the state of New South Wales. Residents in the FCT were disenfranchised as they were no longer entitled to vote in NSW, but there was no elected body in the FCT. This led to the creation of the Federal Territory Vigilance Association to seek to protect the interests of residents of the FCT.[1] Development was slow, as were steps towards political representation. In 1927 a FCT Representation League was formed.[2] A partially elected Advisory Council was established in 1930.[3]

Progress Associations and the Council

A feature of Canberra life as the city slowly developed was the establishment of progress associations in many of the emerging suburbs, to lobby for increased civic amenities. A number of progress associations were established in 1922: Eastlake (a temporary suburb which later became Kingston), Westridge (which later became Yarralumla) and Molonglo Settlement (which later became part of Fyshwick).[4] The next progress associations to be established were those at the temporary suburbs of Westlake (later Stirling Park in Yarralumla) and Causeway (later also part of Kingston), established in 1924.[5] [6] The oldest existing Inner Canberra association is the Reid Progress Association, dating from 1930,[7] since renamed the Reid Residents' Association,[8] [9] although the Hall Village Progress Association was already in existence by at least 1929.[10]

In 1944 the Associations were brought together with the establishment of the council as a representative body.[11] [12] [13] The initial focus for the council was bus routes, milk supply, swimming facilities in North Canberra, specialist medical visits to Canberra Hospital and play centres.[14] [15] The council was slow to establish itself: in 1950 the Narrabundah-Griffith Progress Association described the council as 'moribund'.[16] By 1955 there were only 4 active progress associations remaining: Yarralumla, Duntroon, Turner and O'Connor.[17]

Presidents

ACT Advisory Council

An early President of the council, the journalist and political activist Ulrich Ellis, had been a member of the ACT Advisory Council from 1947 to 1951, but as an Independent rather than as a representative of the council. The council's principle was of 'no party politics in civic affairs'.[27] The Council first ran a candidate for the Advisory Council election in 1951 (W C Cottingham), but without success.[28] [29]

Kevin Mulherin and Jim Pead were Progress and Welfare Council candidates for the Advisory Council election in 1953, but were unsuccessful.[30] [31] They both stood again in 1955 and Pead was elected, and re-elected in 1957, 1959, 1961, and 1964. Pead's election in 1955 was despite only being second on the council's ticket (after the president, Mulherin).[32] No other Council candidates were ever elected. In 1957 Pead asserted that the council would be successful in getting at least two candidates, if not three, elected.[33] At the time there were only six elected positions. As usual, however, only Pead was elected.

The Council still existed in 1965,[34] [35] but by the time of the 1967 Advisory Council election Pead, who was re-elected, was an Independent candidate and the Council appears to have been dissolved.[36] Pead was again re-elected in 1970 as an Independent.[37] Pead was also a candidate in the 1970 Australian Capital Territory by-election, also as an Independent (although his election agent was Kevin Mulherin).[38] [39] Pead was elected to the Advisory Council's replacement, the Legislative Assembly, in 1975, again as an independent.

Council members were elected to other bodies. In 1964, the council's FH Brown was elected Chairman of the ACT Road Safety Council.[40]

Legacy

See main article: Residents Rally. By the 1980s the remaining Progress Associations had morphed into Residents' Associations. In 1987 the Residents' Associations, together with anti-casino groups and the Conservation Council of the ACT, came together and formed the Residents Rally.[41] The Rally was successful in getting four MPs elected to the first self-government Legislative Assembly at the 1989 election; from later that year until 1991 the Rally formed a coalition government with the Liberal Party. Its support collapsed at the 1992 election, and no Rally candidates were elected, although a former Rally MP, Michael Moore, was elected as an Independent.

Notes and References

  1. Wood. Greg. Brian Maher . October 2009. Canberra Historical Journal. Title fights: Jeremiah Keeffe and the Federal Capital Territory Vigilance Association. 62.
  2. News: CANBERRA MILESTONES . . 37 . 10,482 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 12 March 1963 . 12 April 2021 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: CANBERRA MILESTONES . . 37 . 10,482 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 12 March 1963 . 12 April 2021 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: THE PROGRESS ASSOCIATIONS . . I . 1 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 14 October 1925 . 19 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Westlake . . New South Wales, Australia . 28 July 1925 . 19 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: THE PROGRESS ASSOCIATIONS . . I . 1 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 14 October 1925 . 19 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  7. Greig, Alastair, The Accommodation of Growth: Canberra's 'Growing Pains' 1945-1955, (1996: Australian National University – Urban Research Program Working Paper No 53), ISBN 0-7315-2455-1, p 26 n 60. Greig conflates the Reid Progress Association, established in 1930, with the ACT Progress and Welfare Council, which was established in 1944.
  8. Web site: Reid Residents' Association: Timeline. 12 April 2021.
  9. News: REID PROGRESS ASSOCIATION . . 4 . 803 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 19 May 1930 . 19 April 2021 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: HALL NEEDS . . 3 . 465 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 15 April 1929 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: What People Are Doing . . 35 . 9,878 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 5 April 1961 . 13 April 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  12. News: CANBERRA MILESTONES . . 37 . 10,482 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 12 March 1963 . 12 April 2021 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  13. News: WELFARE COUNCIL CONSTITUTED . . 18 . 5010 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 March 1944 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  14. News: WELFARE MEETING . . 18 . 5016 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 5 April 1944 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  15. News: WELFARE COUNCIL CONSTITUTED . . 18 . 5010 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 March 1944 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: WELFARE COUNCIL MORIBUND IS COMPLAINT . . 24 . 6871 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 3 April 1950 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  17. Greig, Alastair, The Accommodation of Growth: Canberra's 'Growing Pains' 1945-1955, (1996: Australian National University – Urban Research Program Working Paper No 53), ISBN 0-7315-2455-1, p 26 n 60.
  18. News: WELFARE COUNCIL CONSTITUTED . . 18 . 5010 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 March 1944 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  19. News: MR. C. P. HILAND NEW PRESIDENT OF WELFARE COUNCIL . . 19 . 5166 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 28 September 1944 . 19 April 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  20. News: MR. U. ELLIS TO LEAD PROGRESS COUNCIL . . 21 . 6,230 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 28 March 1947 . 19 April 2021 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  21. News: Welfare Secretary To Resign . . 24 . 6,844 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 2 March 1950 . 19 April 2021 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  22. News: MR. U. ELLIS TO LEAD PROGRESS COUNCIL . . 21 . 6,230 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 28 March 1947 . 19 April 2021 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  23. News: Welfare Secretary To Resign . . 24 . 6,844 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 2 March 1950 . 19 April 2021 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  24. News: "COUNCIL OF ACTION" URGED . . 26 . 7516 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 20 September 1951 . 19 April 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  25. News: What People Are Doing . . 35 . 9,878 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 5 April 1961 . 13 April 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  26. News: Two Progress Candidates For Election . . 34 . 9,398 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 18 September 1959 . 19 April 2021 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  27. News: PROGRESS CANDIDATES CONFIDENT . . 31 . 9,247 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 14 August 1957 . 19 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  28. News: Welfare Council Wants Member On Advisory Council . . 26 . 7780 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 July 1952 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  29. News: CANDIDATES FOR COUNCIL CHOSEN . . 27 . 8,046 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 11 June 1953 . 19 April 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  30. News: SATURDAY FEATURES AND BOOK REVIEWS . . 43 . 12,290 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 19 April 1969 . 12 April 2021 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  31. News: Welfare Council Candidates For Both Elections . . 29 . 8,588 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 14 July 1955 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  32. News: Welfare Council Announces Voting Tickets . . 30 . 8,636 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 8 September 1955 . 19 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  33. News: PROGRESS CANDIDATES CONFIDENT . . 31 . 9,247 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 14 August 1957 . 19 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  34. News: CANBERRA'S DEVELOPMENT Council 'should have say in planning' . . 40 . 11,299 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 October 1965 . 19 April 2021 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
  35. News: SATURDAY FEATURES AND BOOK REVIEWS . . 43 . 12,290 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 19 April 1969 . 12 April 2021 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  36. News: PEAD STANDING AGAIN Advisory Council role defended . . 41 . 11,769 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 17 August 1967 . 19 April 2021 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  37. News: MEETING OF NEW COUNCIL SOON . . 45 . 12,705 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 24 September 1970 . 19 April 2021 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  38. News: By-election and personalities . . 44 . 12,634 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 May 1970 . 19 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  39. News: Advertising . . 44 . 12,635 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 30 May 1970 . 19 April 2021 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  40. News: Road safety chairman . . 38 . 10,921 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 11 August 1964 . 12 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  41. News: Canberra groups to rally against city planning . . 62 . 19,017 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 October 1987 . 19 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.

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