Progressive Party (1901)

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Progressive Party
LeaderJohn See
Thomas Waddell
Founded1901 (1901)
Dissolved1907 (1907)
HeadquartersSydney
IdeologyProtectionism
Social liberalism
National affiliationProtectionist Party

The Progressive Party was an Australian political party, active in New South Wales state politics. The question of tariff policy which, had created and divided the Free Trade Party and Protectionist Party in New South Wales in the 1890s, became a federal issue at the time of federation. Deprived of their main ideological difference, the two parties were recreated as the Liberal Reform Party aligned with the federal Free Trade Party and the Progressive Party aligned with the federal Protectionist Party.

There was a rapid decline in the parliamentary representation of the party, from a high of 42 seats at the 1901 election,[1] to 16 at the 1904 election,[2] In April and May 1907 the party had negotiated a coalition agreement with the Liberal Reform Party however this was rejected by a vote of parliamentary members.[3] The party leader Thomas Waddell resigned and joined the Liberal Reform Party,[4] and was followed by John McFarlane, Brinsley Hall, John Gillies and John Perry. Of the remaining 10 former Progressive Party members, a further 5 lost their seats at the 1907 election,[5]

In 1919, the Farmers' and Settlers' Association and the Graziers' Association founded a new Progressive Party, which won metropolitan and rural seats in the 1920 election.[6]

State election results[]

Election Seats won ± Total votes % Position Leader
1901
42 / 125
 Decrease10 44,817 22.9% Minority government John See
1904
16 / 90
 Decrease26 75,297 18.9% Third party Thomas Waddell
1907
5 / 90
 Decrease11 21,759 4.7% Third party

References[]

  1. ^ Green, Antony. "1901 totals". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  2. ^ Green, Antony. "1904 totals". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  3. ^ "No coalition: Progressives reject the terms". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 May 1907. p. 9. Retrieved 3 December 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "The Progressive Party: Mr Waddell tenders his resignation". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 May 1907. p. 8. Retrieved 1 December 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ Green, Antony. "1907 totals". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  6. ^ Clune, David. "Facts and Figures – Political Parties of NSW (Overview)". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
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