Parliamentary Speeches
THE NATIONALS 1919-1959 (16/10/2009)
Mr DONALD PAGE (Ballina)
Is it any surprise that when the Country Party was forming after the end of the First World War, those in educated political circles viewed it with scepticism? After all – what could a party representing the interests of people living in regional areas offer the country as a whole? We now know of course that this political party would not only go on to give regional people seats at the Cabinet Table and deliver substantial benefits for country people but would also confer benefits to the nation as a whole. It would be a political force that punched well above its weight and would still be a force 90 years later.
The Country Party, the National Party and the Nationals, as we are now known, has a colourful and eventful history. When we look back to the early history of the Party, certainly from 1919 to 1959, many of the issues that were important then, remain equally relevant today.
I take you back to 1919 – the First World War has ended and people living in the regions feel that Government policy in NSW is far too concentrated in Sydney at the expense of those living in regional areas. Sound familiar?
The policies, wisdom and direction of the early leaders of the party can only be described as ‘visionary’ – their insights were remarkable, and the policies they implemented are now integral to our lives and to our society.
The Australian Country Party was formed in the Federal Parliament in January 1920 – its main aim was to be a voice for people living and working in regional areas. It consisted of independent minded people whose only real connection was that they wanted a better deal for all people in regional areas. The Country Party has always been more than just a farmers’ party – though of course agriculture is very important to regional areas.
At the Federal election in 1923 the Australian Country Party won 14 seats. My grandfather, Dr Earle Page, as the Leader of the Country Party with the balance of power, knew the value of being in Government and having control of the cheque book.
The Coalition Government between Stanley Bruce’s Nationalists and Page’s Country Party was formed on the basis that the Country Party would remain a separate political party with the Deputy Prime Ministership and Treasury (in his case) going to the Leader of the Country Party and other key portfolios going to other Country Party Members. This early agreement formed the basis of subsequent Coalition Agreements, which feature a separate identity for the Country Party; agreed percentage of portfolios; and a joint ticket in the Senate or Upper House. Earle Page was to go on and serve 42 years (1919–1961) in support of regional people in the Federal Parliament, 19 of those as Federal Leader.
It is impossible to do justice to the achievements of the Country Party at Federal and State level over forty years in just five minutes. However, any objective assessment of achievements during the period from 1919 – 1959 reveals just how important the Country Party was, and is, to how things operate in Australia, even today.
At the Federal level, the Country Party reforms included:-
- the creation of the Australian Loan Council in 1923 to co-ordinate State and Federal borrowings, and assist States not to have to compete with each other for external loans
- the establishment of the Commonwealth Main Roads Development Act in 1923 which initiated joint Commonwealth/State road building on a massive scale
- the creation of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in 1926 – later known as the CSIRO
- the creation of marketing boards for the orderly marketing of agricultural products overseas
- legislation to make the Commonwealth Bank into a central bank with control over currency and powers to restore the solvency of threatened banks, a forerunner to the establishment of the Reserve Bank later in 1960
- reform of the Commonwealth Bank creating a Rural Credits department to provide low interest loans to primary producers
- the creation under Dr Earle Page as Federal Minister for Health Australia’s first comprehensive National Health Scheme, incorporating the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, free essential drugs, free medical services for pensioners, subsidised health benefits for the rest of the community, a hospital benefits insurance scheme, free milk for all school children under 13, and an independent medical profession
- under the guidance of Larry Anthony senior the building of numerous post offices and automatic telephone exchanges in regional areas and strong financial support for Qantas to become an international airline
- the negotiation by Sir John McEwen in 1957 of the Trade Treaty with Japan, a far-sighted and brave move given it was only 12 years after the conclusion of World War 2 when anti-Japanese sentiment was still strong in Australia
As you can see, many of these achievements, and this list is not exhaustive, benefited not just regional areas, but the nation as a whole.
In NSW, the Party was officially formed in October 1919, and 15 members of the Progressive Party took their seats in Macquarie Street after the election in March 1920. The Parliamentary Party split in December 1921 over whether to join a Coalition to enable the Nationalists to form a Government. The non-Coalition Progressives, led by Michael Bruxner, a Tenterfield stock and station agent and grazier, known affectionately as ‘the Colonel’ from his days in the 6th Light Horse in WW1, became known as the ‘True Blues’. They were the founding Parliamentary members of the Country Party of NSW from 1925.
They experienced Government for the first time in 1927. They were keen to emulate their Federal colleagues who had taken office in 1923.
The NSW Country party, like their Federal counterparts, were determined to exert their influence in Government.
State Country Party achievements include:
- the creation of the Main Roads Board
- the first country Teachers’ Training College at Armidale in 1928
- the creation of the Junior Farmers’ Movement in 1929
- the creation of the Western Division in 1930
- the creation of the Road Safety Council in 1936
- the creation of the nation’s first Soil Conservation Service (1938)
- the creation of the University College in Armidale in 1938 which in 1954 became the University of New England, Australia’s first regional university with Earle Page as its first Chancellor
- The Child Welfare Act in 1939 which increased the minimum working age
- The development of State Aid for independent schools which was subsequently implemented in 1961
- The building of many railway lines, dams,
- Major upgrades of the electricity supply, as well as school construction, especially in regional areas
- Increased hospital beds, old people’s homes and baby health centres
- Free bus transport to the nearest school for all children who couldn’t use the railway, and
- Requiring a minimum of only 7 children to establish a school
The Country Party in the period 1919-1959 was the most stable political party in both NSW and Federal politics. Indeed, in the first 40 years of the party’s history – two Federal Leaders, Earle Page, 19 years, and Artie Fadden, 18 years, dominated the Federal Leadership.
William McWilliams had a short time as leader when the Party was first formed in 1920 before Page was elected in 1921, and Archie Cameron had a year as Leader between Page and Fadden in 1939. Sir John McEwen succeeded Artie Fadden in 1958.
At the State level we only had four leaders in 40 years and two of those, Walter Wearne (1919-1921) and Davis Hughes (1958-1959) had relatively short periods as Leader. The State Leadership was dominated by Michael Bruxner, who served initially from 1922-1925 and then from 1932-1958, a remarkable 29 years in total, whilst Ernest Buttenshaw served as Leader from 1925-1932.
To look at the early history of the party, is to look at the vision Earle Page, Artie Fadden, Michael Bruxner and their colleagues had for the future of Australia and NSW – a desire to work for the betterment of people in regional areas.
Ladies and gentlemen, our party is mostly portrayed as a very conservative one.
Whilst I agree we are probably the most conservative party when it comes to social values, we are nevertheless a party of compassion for those who have special needs or are doing it tough.
Rather than being conservative, when it comes to getting a better deal for regional people, we have been an innovative, reforming and an energetic party, as the list of achievements I have outlined demonstrates.
In a challenge to some who would portray us as anti-environment, we were the Party that created the first Soil Conservation Service in Australia and in our 1944 Policy Statements we called for more national forests and an extension of native and softwood plantations with a policy of trees and more trees.
We were the first party to call for a Department of Natural Resources which would ensure that mining would be conducted with due regard to the interests of conservation
On a lighter note, when Dr Earle Page was being honoured by the British College of Surgeons towards the end of his life, he was asked to comment on the difference between medicine and politics. Sir Earle responded that in medicine the correct diagnosis of a problem is very important because that diagnosis determines the appropriate treatment. In politics, he said, hardly anyone does any diagnosis of the problem but everyone knows what the treatment should be!
I put it to you that because we are a specialist party for regional areas, with members who often have specialist knowledge on key problems, we are much more likely to get the diagnosis of the problem correct, and therefore the solution correct, than any other party or Independent.
I conclude by making two further brief points.
Firstly, the need to deliver better outcomes for regional people is as relevant today as it was when our great party was formed 90 years ago. Whilst many benefits have been delivered as a result of our party, there will always be new challenges for every generation and we today must rise to those challenges in the way that our predecessors did.
Secondly, the Country party may well have formed to improve the lives of regional people, but its policies and achievements have benefited not just regional people but the entire nation. We have helped shape NSW and Australia into one of the best places to live and one of the world’s great democracies.
Ladies and gentlemen, Members and supporters of our Party, we have every reason to be proud of our heritage!
Long may we continue!
