Charles Graham (Western Australian politician)

Charles Graham
Senator for Western Australia
In office 1 July 1923 – 30 June 1929
Personal details
Born	1867 Christchurch, New Zealand
Died	27 March 1938 (aged 71) Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Occupation	Tailor

Charles Montague Graham (1867 – 27 March 1938) was an Australian politician. Graham was born in Christchurch, New Zealand and educated at state schools. He worked as a tailor and was a union official before entering parliament. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]} He was elected as an Australian Labor Party senator at the 1922 election for a term from 1 July 1923 to 30 September 1929, but was defeated for re-election at the 1929 election. ^[6] He later moved to Victoria, and died at his home in Clifton Hill, Melbourne in 1938.^[7]

Background[]

Charles Montague Graham is the eldest son of a man named Patrick Graham. His father is a horse trainer (Birman W., 2014).^[8]

Charles Graham received his education from his home country which is in New Zealand. In New Zealand, he was also trained to be a tailor but he then left New Zealand to reside in Australia. After arriving in Australia he met his wife, named Katie and married her on 17 March 1891 (Birman W., 2014).^[8] He then stayed in Pell Street, Broken Hill by the year of 1892. A few years after their marriage, the couple then left their place to move to Western Australia (Birman W., 2014).^[8]

Once the couple arrived in Australia, he set up a business in Piesse Street, Boulder then got elected as Boulder's Municipal Council. This is when his political journey starts (Birman W., 2014).

At the end of his political journey, he and his wife has one daughter named Wilmot Jane. He experienced a short illness and died in Melbourne on 27 March 1938 buried in Heidelberg Cemetery. (Birman W., 2014)

States Map of Australia

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After mention was given to the death of Charles Montague Graham. It is written that Graham has served as a member of the senate for 6 years where he was elected as a senator of Western Australia through a general selection in the year of 1922 (Australia Senate, as cited in Debates, 1938). He is also a part of several select committees (where one of it is the Joint Select Committee on Commonwealth Electoral Law and Procedure of 1926 to 1927) as a member. With his passing, he has left his wife and a daughter (Australia Senate, as cited in Debates, 1938).

In addition to this, although it is known that Charles Montague Graham is from New Zealand. He declared himself later during his political career in Australia that he is an Australian (Birman W., 2014).

Political chronology[]

Story chronology[]

An Australian politician who migrated from New Zealand to Australia before 1892 together with his wife. He then started his journey as a politician after becoming Boulder's Municipal Council in 1922 and by June 1922, he was already placed third in the electoral ticket to becoming the Senate of Western Australia which in the meantime he has also became the president of his district council. (ALP paper as cited in SAWA)

It was then mentioned by Daily News, although not much is known about Charles Graham, there are people who are assure, Charles graham have the readiness and is a person who is able to appreciate different point of view (Great Southern Herald Katanning, 1922, p. 22 and Kalgoorlie Miner, 1922, p. 4 and daily News Perth, 1923, p. 6).^[10]

Charles Graham himself believes that he was 'a representative of Western Australia' and claims himself to be ‘... an Australian'. After mentioning himself to be the representative of Western Australia, he delivered questions and beliefs on what can or should be done in Australia. This leads to the 'one big union' movement. After Graham defended and went against different issues and provide his support to the Senate, he toured around Australia as one of Western Australia's delegate. (ALP, Official report of proceedings of the eleventh Commonwealth conference, Canberra)

During his time in serving the government, he pinpoints different system within Australia which causes him to worry. With his goal to develop the Australian system. Although he also faced difficulties, as he did not have as much background about the government as he lived his whole childhood not in a political stance of life and therefore, was written by another senator that Graham may not have the same understanding of the reason behind the current decision of the Australian Government which Graham questioned. (Australia Parliament 1927.)

Canberra (AU), Parliament House -- 2019 -- 1756

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With the different political events which Graham experienced, he has successfully becoming one of Western Australia's delegate in ALP's eleventh Commonwealth Conference, although he failed to be elected in 1928's election. After failing to be elected, he decided to move to Victoria and stayed in Clifton Hill located in Melbourne (Birman W., 2014).

Work[]

During his political period, he has fought against and defended numerous beliefs and opinions. These include: Some level of profit received by Commonwealth bank should be delivered to the people, trouble of low pensions for the aged, appeal for compassion towards those suffering from work-related illnesses, to create a minor change towards the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, fight against gold bounty, supported selective immigration, and supported an area relating to the concern of Australian Women's Commonwealth Organisations. (Birman, W. 2014).

Earlier in his political career, he enunciate his central mission, which drew attention to him. He commented and professed his thoughts that the production of men's (soldier) cap should be protected as it is the 'true Australian sentiment'. This is one of his first objection to Commonwealth. With one of his first actions as a senate is to "Question: Invalid and Old-Age Pensions" on 5 July 1923, and his last actions in the political stance, is to bring upon the government 2 questions, which are about "Wireless Advertisements" and "Retiring Senators" (Sherratt, T. as cited in Historic Hansard). It was also written about Charles Graham that he is largely known as 'a party man in debate', this statement emphasise the indication that his work will cover around policy in regards to Australia, more specifically on Western Australia. (Birman W., 2014).

After his continuous political movement after this event. Eventually, his political career came to an end with his lost in the 1928 election. Before it came to an end, in 1927 he made one of his last speech which is regarding to express the hope of, that the time where men needs to crawl like snakes to approach their masters just to beg for work to have come to an end. (Birman W., 2014).

As his political career end, he moved and found a work as a storeman and lastly became the committee of the Victorian Federated Storeman and Packers Union. (Birman W., 2014).

Similar figures, history, aftermath[]

A figure who is said to have work closest with senator Charles Graham is Edward Needham. They both work as senator for Western Australia's government. They both share some common grounds. The main opinions which they share is the feeling of unsatisfaction towards the Commonwealth Parliament. (The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate, vol. 1, 1901–1929) ^[12] In the Biographical dictionary for Charles Montague Graham, it is then written how Edward Needham supported his career in terms of objecting the Commonwealth. (Commonwealth Parliament; Parliament House C., 2021).

As in the history, as a Western Australia Senator who tackles political policy. During the period where Charles Graham is an active senate representative, in different parts of Australia, such as the Northern Territory, it was brought into concern regarding to some of the parliament. This can be related to the fact that during the time, Charles Graham was one of the figure who brought up the topic of the needs of change in different rights acknowledgements. (Birman W., 2014). Major changes towards the bill and the government was brought up in the territories (Commonwealth Parliament; Parliament House C., 2021).

There are changes which are made includes a debate on the rights to vote and on the house representation. The debate on the house representation. In this matter, it is aforementioned to have similar problem which what Charles Graham addressed. Where the representation of female or the representation of different ethnicity is lacking in the government of Northern Territory. (Commonwealth Parliament; Parliament House C., 2021).^[13]

Therefore, different proposals have been put forward regarding the circumstances of representation. Although up until the 1920, which is the range of time which Charles Graham is a senator, there was no action which is actually taken into account for the proposal given by the parliament. (Commonwealth Parliament; Parliament House C., 2021). As has been mentioned in an online biographical dictionary that Charles Graham was a senate who sticks close to the matter of policy, specifically labour's policy as the way on how he worked on his political career. (Birman W., 2014).

Members from different senate brings the policy topic on the table. Although it is different figures who brought the topic differently, it is made known that policy is a major topic in the different part of Australia's government, where Charles Graham has taken part in one of the policy movement in one of Australia's territory, Western Australia. Even though Charles Graham is a political figure for Western Australia. He also talks regarding to the Common Wealth Bank. Which the mainland Common Wealth Territory is mentioned to be both Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory. (Commonwealth Parliament; Parliament House, C. 2021).

At the end of his career it was seen that there was no further actions taken towards the matter which Charles Graham has focused his political career on. Instead further actions were taken after the passing of senator Charles Graham in the year of 1968 (Commonwealth Parliament; Parliament House, C. 2021). Where by the year of 1975, the action/policy on the electoral senate between the Commonwealth and Australia is finally challenged across different territory of Australia's different government which includes: Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland (Commonwealth Parliament; Parliament House, C. 2021).

The work of Charles Graham and his belief towards the needs of change in the policy of Western Australia and the needs of change in the Commonwealth made an impact towards Australia's current government. His work is shown to have create a foundation towards the changes which is brought upon the policies in Australian government after his passing (Commonwealth Parliament; Parliament House, C. 2021).

References[]