1901: The Forgotten Election

Examining the state of Australian democracy in 1901, this account demonstrates how the election was managed in all six of the country's states. South Australia was the paradise of liberalism, Queensland and the West scored low on political trust and discriminated against Aborigines and Pacific Islanders, New South Wales and Victoria had longer histories and instited on identity papers for voters, and Tasmania experimented with proportional representation. All leaders supported a White Austrtalia Policy. Political parties still in their infancy were forced to develop formal rules and preselection procedures for the election. Labour was strongest in New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. There were few self-proclaimed conservatives and the forces of liberalism were largely split into Free Traders and Protectionists. The election resulted in the 'three elevenses' described by Deakin. However, had the result been Free Trade rather than Protectionist in a mere handful of seats, then the Australian settlement—Protection, Arbitration and White Australia—could have looked very different.