1928 Australian federal election
The 1928 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 17 November 1928. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist–Country coalition, led by Prime Minister Stanley Bruce won a record fifth consecutive election defeating the opposition Labor Party led by James Scullin.
The election was held in conjunction with a referendum on Commonwealth–State relations, which was carried.
Future Prime Ministers John Curtin and Ben Chifley both entered parliament at this election. Both then lost their seats in the 1931 election and did not re-enter parliament until 1934 and 1940 respectively.
Background
Industrial troubles
The lead-up to the 1928 election was marked by industrial tension, including a major strike of waterside workers beginning in December 1927. After a further strike of ship's cooks beginning in March 1928 and attempts by the Waterside Workers' Federation of Australia to repudiate an industrial award ruling, the government began to crack down on union activity in the sector. The Transport Workers Act 1928 passed two months before the election, giving the government the power to terminate the employment of waterside workers who engaged in unapproved union activity.Country Party tensions
The second term of the Bruce–Page government was marked by conflict between the federal parliamentary Country Party, which supported the alliance with the Nationalists, and state branches and farmers' organisations which "questioned the coalition strategy and demanded that the Country Party return to parliamentary and electoral independence". The government imposed multiple tariff hikes, which were unpopular with the Country Party's base of small farmers. Many Country Party members considered the pact with the Nationalists to have compromised the party's independence, with "anti-pact" factions prominent in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. In 1926, former Country Party minister Percy Stewart left the party and formed a separate Country Progressive Party, sitting on the crossbench.The Nationalists and Country Party ultimately agreed to renew their electoral pact prior to the 1928 election, with the modification that both parties could stand candidates in a seat if the incumbent was not recontesting.
Campaign
The Bruce–Page government fought its election campaign "almost exclusively on industrial peace". Bruce delivered his policy speech on 9 October, seeking a "further mandate to impose law and order in the trade unions" and proposing a joint conference of workers and employers to review federal industrial law. He also promised to cut back the government's migration schemes to combat rising unemployment. The government also "strongly promoted" its National Insurance scheme, which would have provided "sickness, old age, disability and maternity benefits, mainly paid for by compulsory contributions by workers and employers, along with smaller payments to parents of children under 16 and to orphans". The National Insurance Bill 1928 had been introduced in September 1928 but failed to pass before the dissolution of parliament.Opposition leader James Scullin contested his first federal election as leader, having replaced Matthew Charlton as ALP leader in March 1928. He campaigned for higher tariffs, an expansion of the Commonwealth Bank, and for the Commonwealth Line to be kept in public ownership.
A referendum on a constitutional amendment allowing the federal government to assume state debts was held simultaneously with the federal election. Both the government and the opposition supported a "Yes" vote.
Results
House of Representatives
----Notes
- Independent: William McWilliams.
- Twelve members were elected unopposed – three Labor, five Nationalist, and four Country.
Seats changing hands
- Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.