Split, intervention, renewal: The ALP in Queensland 1957 – 1989

143 Pages·2015·1.19 MB·English

Split, intervention, renewal: The ALP in Queensland 1957 – 1989
Susan Terrencia Yarrow
Bachelor of Arts

A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy at
The University of Queensland in 2014
School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics
Abstract
On 1 March 1980, the National Executive of the Australian Labor Party intervened in the
affairs of its Queensland Branch, dissolving the existing party arrangements, seizing the
financial statements and party assets, and creating a new administration. The conflict that
precipitated this drastic step followed years of internal division and publicly aired disputes
while the Queensland leadership delivered poor electoral results at both state and federal
elections. This thesis examines the conflict in detail, its causes (including the lasting
impact of the 1957 split), the combatants, and what the intervention reforms eventually
delivered.
In this thesis, I analyse the factors that led to intervention including the nature and outlook
of the Queensland leaders, the ‘Old Guard’ often referred to as the Trades Hall Group, and
the background and motivations of the reformers, the ‘New Guard.’ The Old Guard finally
succumbed to reform, threatened from within by the influx of new members clamouring for
change, and by the federal intervention from without. I examine how, over time, the party
reformed, modernised and adapted to change and in so doing re-invented and renewed
itself sufficiently, after 32 years in opposition, to once again win government in
Queensland for 21 of the next 23 years.

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Declaration by author
This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published
or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text.
I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical
assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional
editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The
content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of
my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work
that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any
university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated there are no parts of my thesis
that have been submitted to qualify for another award.
I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University
Library and, subject to the General Award Rules of The University of Queensland,
immediately made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act
1968.
I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the
copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright
permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis.

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Publications during candidature
Yarrow, Sue, ‘Top Dog to Old Hat: Jack Egerton and the Trades Hall Group — 1957 –
1980,’ The Queensland Journal of Labour History, No. 16, March 2013, p. 25 - 27.
Publications included in this thesis
No publications included.
Contributions by others to the thesis
No contribution by others.
Statement of parts of the thesis submitted to qualify for the award of another degree
None

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Acknowledgements
I wish to publicly thank and acknowledge my academic supervisors, Professor Peter
Spearritt (Principal Supervisor) and Dr Danielle Miller (Associate Supervisor).
Professor Bradley Bowden and Dr Chris Salisbury read the thesis and provided
comments, for which I thank them.
I also wish to publicly acknowledge and thank all the people listed below for their
contributions to this thesis. Enthusiastic support was provided by: the 22 Queenslanders
who agreed their interviews could be publicly available on Queensland Speaks; and, the
three Interstate ALP National Executive members who participated in interviews:
Joy Ardill
Wilf Ardill
Neil Batt
Peter Beattie
Nick Bos
Ian Brusasco
David Combe
Barbara Cross
Manfred Cross
Jim Fouras
Bob Gleeson
David Hamill
Terry Hampson
Harry Hauenschild
Bill Hayden
Bob Henricks
Errol Hodder
Lindsay Jones
Norma Jones
Ian McLean
Bob McMullan
Greg Moran
Mike Reynolds
Anne Warner
Rob Whiddon

I also acknowledge the support of my family members: Wendy Turner, William Yarrow,
David Yarrow and Bill Yarrow who read and re-read thesis versions, kept the computer
going, gave helpful advice regarding the journal article mentioned above and kept
discovering great and helpful books.
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To my three ALP friends: Manfred Cross; Anne Warner and Terry Hampson, who helped
shape and focus this thesis at the outset, my grateful thanks. To my comrade Terry Wood,
thanks for editorial assistance.
Thanks also, to the many interviewees who provided primary source material including
journals, copies of letters, newsletters and photographs or lent me their books, and folders
of newspaper clippings and meeting records: Terry Hampson who loved all things
associated with the labour movement provided copies of media clippings and photographs
used by the ALP to celebrate the 30th anniversary of intervention in 2010, as well as the
DVD recording of the wake following Dr Denis Murphy’s funeral; Errol Hodder loaned me
his treasured Mark Hearn and Harry Knowles book, One Big Union, an invaluable source
of Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) history; Michael Kinnane for continuing
encouragement and enthusiastically reading chapters as they were completed as well as
for lending his copy of Cribb and Boyce, Politics in Queensland; Cath Rafferty for providing
the book she co-edited Work & Strife in Paradise; Rob Whiddon who during his years
working in Senator George George’s office sent reams of press clippings which have now
been put to good use. Rob also checked through the Factional Nomenclature Appendix,
and provided a full set of Mickey Spillall newsletters and attendance records from the
‘Bardon Meetings’; Bill Hayden shared his books on the Labor Party and labour
movement; Ian McLean provided a letter sent to him as State Secretary of the Australian
Telecommunications Employees Association (ATEA) by that union’s federal body and a
copy of the first Labor Left Review; Manfred and Barbara Cross handed to me a file of
media clippings, and copies of both state and federal ALP records relating to the
intervention conflict and Manfred was the source of an original timeline of ALP intervention
events; Anne Warner gave me a copy of her address to the gathering celebrating the 30
years anniversary of intervention; Fran Ross allowed me access to her manuscript about
Terry Hampson; John Ransley provided invaluable material relating to the Toowoomba
branches’ part in the reform process including extensive records of meetings and clippings
from the Toowoomba Chronicle, and other media sources.
To all those in the labour movement who helped shape the days and events in this thesis,
my continuing grateful thanks. I also wish to acknowledge with gratitude and appreciation
the historians upon whose works I have drawn to complete this thesis.

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Keywords
Australian Labor Party, Queensland ALP, labour movement, intervention, reform, trade
union movement, split
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC)
ANZSRC code: 160601, Australian Government & Politics, 50%
ANZSRC code: 210303, Australian History, 50%

Fields of Research (FoR) Classification
FoR code: 1606, Political Science, 50%
FoR code: 2103, Historical Studies, 50%

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Table of Contents
Abbreviations ix
Glossary xi
Chapter 1 Introducing the thesis 1
Chapter 2 Queensland ALP to the mid-1960s 7
Chapter 3 A virtual tsunami of change 24
Chapter 4 Reformers want the ALP to win 46
Chapter 5 National Executive intervention 65
Chapter 6 Focussing on victory 78
Chapter 7 A blue-print for political renewal 88
Bibliography 96
Appendix 1 Factional Nomenclature 1970s and 1980s 114
Appendix 2 Comparison of Interviewees in factions (1980 – 1989) 120
Appendix 3 Queensland election results — state and federal 1956 – 1989 124
Appendix 4 List of interviewees 126

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Abbreviations
ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation
ACTU Australian Council of Trade Unions
ALP Australian Labor Party
ADEM Australian Democrats
AWU Australian Workers’ Union (faction of the ALP) see also AWU listed in Unions
CP Country Party
DLP Democratic Labor Party
FDE Federal Divisional Executive (unit within the ALP)
FPLP Federal Parliamentary Labor Party
IND Independent
LIB Liberal Party
NP National Party
NQL North Queensland Labor
MACOS Man: A Course of Study
MHR Member of the (Australian) House of Representatives
MLA Member of the (Queensland) Legislative Assembly
MP Member of Parliament
QCE Queensland Central Executive of the ALP
QCU Queensland Council of Unions
QLP Queensland Labor Party
SDE State Divisional Executive (unit within the ALP)
SEMP Social Education Materials Project
SEQEB South East Queensland Electricity Board
SL Socialist Left (faction of the ALP)
SPLP State Parliamentary Labor Party
TAFE Technical and Further Education
TLC (Queensland) Trades and Labour Council (now the Queensland Council of
Unions)
THG Trades Hall Group
WEL Women’s Electoral Lobby
WW1 World War 1
WW2 World War 2

UNIONS
AMIEU Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union
AMWSU Amalgamated Metalworkers and Shipwrights Union
ARU Australian Railways Union
ATEA Australian Telecommunications Employees Association
AWU Australian Workers’ Union
BWIU Building Workers Industrial Union
ETU Electrical Trades Union
FEDFA Federated Engine Drivers and Firemen’s Association
FMWU Federated Miscellaneous Workers’ Union
FSPU Federated Storemen and Packers Union
HEF Hospital Employees Federation
MOA Municipal Officers Association
PKIU Printing and Kindred Industries Union
QSSU Queensland State Services Union
QTU Queensland Teachers Union
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SDAEA Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
SPU Storemen and Packers Union
TWU Transport Workers Union
WWF Waterside Workers Federation

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