The Industrial Socialist Labor Party, Industrial Labor Party and the Independent Labor Party were short lived socialist political parties in Australia in 1919 and the early 1920s. The Industrial Socialist Labor Party was founded by radical socialist members of the industrial wing of 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 t ...

(ALP), at a time when the ALP's socialist ideology was a matter of intra-party dispute. It was closely aligned with the

Industrial Workers of the World The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), members of which are commonly termed "Wobblies", is an international labor union that was founded in Chicago in 1905. The origin of the nickname "Wobblies" is uncertain. IWW ideology combines general ...

(IWW) and the One Big Union (OBE) movement. The party was formally founded at a conference in August 1919, with

Arthur Rae Arthur Edward George Rae (14 March 1860 – 25 November 1943) was a New Zealand-born Australian politician. Born in Christchurch to Charles and Ann Rae (née Beldam), he received a primary education at Blenheim before migrating to Australia in 1 ...

becoming Secretary and Albert Willis President of the party. The party subsequently announced that

George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...

and

William McCristal Timothy William McCristal (1881 – 24 June 1963) was an Australian soldier and left-wing activist, and one of the most prolific unsuccessful candidates for political office in Australian history. He was born in Bellingen into a large Cath ...

would nominate for the seats of

Illawarra The Illawarra is a coastal region in the Australian state of New South Wales, nestled between the mountains and the sea. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongo ...

and Division of Cook, Cook in the 1919 Australian federal election. They were opposed by endorsed ALP candidates and received less than 10% of the primary vote. In January 1920, the party merged with the Socialist Labor Party (Australia), Socialist Labor Party, taking the name of the Socialist Labor Party. In February 1921, the parliamentarian Percy Brookfield and several other members split from the Socialist Labor Party and formed the Industrial Labor Party, citing they were "dissatisfied with the manner in which the affairs of that party have been carried on". Michael Considine, Australian Labor Party, Labor member for Division of Barrier, Barrier in the federal Australian House of Representatives, House of Representatives from 1917, joined in 1920 after his expulsion from the ALP, and unsuccessfully contested the seat of Division of Darling, Darling for the Industrial Labor Party in 1922. Donald Grant, one of Sydney Twelve, 12 Australian IWW members gaoled in 1916, contested the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Electoral district of Sturt (New South Wales), Sturt at the 1922 New South Wales state election, 1922 state election but received only 7.88% of the primary vote. He later became a member of parliament for the Labor Party. Other members of the party who later became prominent in the ALP were Jock Garden and Jack Baddeley.

References

1919 establishments in Australia 1921 disestablishments in Australia Australian Labor Party breakaway groups Defunct political parties in Australia Defunct socialist parties Industrial Workers of the World in Australia Labour parties Political parties disestablished in 1921 Political parties established in 1919 Socialist parties in Australia {{Australia-party-stub

See also

References