The National Citizens' Reform League was formed in Melbourne in April 1902. It sought to reduce the size of the Victorian government, following the recent creation of the Australian Government. Its cause attracted those opposed to the

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms the f ...

and the

Alexander Peacock Sir Alexander James Peacock (11 June 1861 – 7 October 1933) was an Australian politician who served as the 20th Premier of Victoria. Early Years Peacock was born of Scottish descent at Creswick, the first Victorian Premier born after ...

led group of

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

supporters. Within one month it had 90 branches. Its leader, William Irvine, soon replaced Premier Peacock in June and went on to win the 1902 Victorian state election in October. Within six months of its founding, the League had over 15,000 members. The League's cause was greatly progressed by the passing of the Constitution Act 1903 (also known as the "Constitution Reform Act"). Its changes included reducing the number of seats in the

Victorian Legislative Assembly The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria in Australia; the upper house being the Victorian Legislative Council. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The presiding ...

from 95 to 67, and those in the Legislative Council from 48 to 35. Irvine retired from the role of Premier in February 1904, being replaced by the similarly minded

Thomas Bent Sir Thomas Bent (7 December 1838 – 17 September 1909) was an Australian politician and the 22nd Premier of Victoria. Early life Bent was born in Penrith, New South Wales the eldest of four sons and two daughters of James Bent, a hotel-keeper ...

. He contested the 1904 Victorian state election in June and was successful. In July 1904, the Catholic newspaper The Advocate reported that "The National Citizens' Reform League had its birth in Kyabram. It exercised a great influence in its brief day, but to-day it is, for most practical purposes, as dead as Julius Caesar." Branches of the group held fundraising events in July and August that year. In May 1907, Table Talk reported that the League had ultimately been unsuccessful: "Five years ago, amid a flourish of-trumpets, citizens reform leagues were formed to sweep away the abominable spendthrift practices of State legislatures. It has all ended in smoke." An August 1907 article in the

Punch Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pun ...

of Melbourne noted that while its philosophy lived on, the National Citizen's Reform League had not.

References

{{reflist Defunct political parties in Victoria (state)