POLITICAL UPSET POSSBLE IN AUSTRALIA

Chronicle (Levin), 30 April 1946, Page 6

POLITICAL UPSET POSSBLE IN AUSTRALIA

SYDNEY, April 29. An interesting and possibly serious political situation has arisen, aa a:re- . eult of Senator Iveane 's death in> the United States on Friday. If the new Senator to be clected by Victoria to replace Senator Keane is not of the same politieal coiour as Senator Keane, the Eederal Government's plana for holding a referendum for greater powers for the Commonwealth Government may be defeated. The referendum, which was to have been held in eonjunction with tlie Federal eleetions later thia year, cannot go L'orward until an authorising Bill has been passed by absolute majorities in both Houses. Senator Keane 's death deprives the Chifley Government of a workiug majority in the Senate. The vacanaey caused by his death will be filled by the vote of the combined Bouses of the Victorian Parliament, but in Victoria Labour has only a slen-. der majority in the Lower House and is outnumbered by more than four to one in the Upper House. This could lead to the defeat of the Referendum Bill, which provides for an alteration of the Constitution by giving the Eederal Government powers to control social su-rvice, marketing, and employnient. In the Senate, which has 36 members, the Government must assemble 19 votes to pass the Referendum Bill. At present Senatpr Keaue 's death leaves Labour with a majority of 21 to 11, but three Labour Senators are either overstas or about to leave. Senator Alexander Finlay is attending the I.L.O. steel conferenee in Cleveland (Ohio), Senator C. A. Lamp is about to leave for the I.L.O. scanien's conferenee at Seattle, and Senator Donald Grant1 is going to the Peace Confereiiee in Paris. Normally three Arictorian Senators will retire at the end of the year,' so that four will be voted for at the next election. The vacancy need not be (illcd before the next election, &s in tlie meantime the Minister of Post-war .Reconstruction (Mr. Dediuan) has takou over the trustceship qf Trade and Customs and the Treasury. Some quarters suggest that there ia au umvritten moral obligation on tlie Victorian Parliament to replace Senaor Keane with a Labour Senator, but the fact rcniaiiis tliat it need uot do so.