AS YOU WERE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 141, 11 December 1929, Page 13

AS YOU WERE

VICTORIAN ELECTIONS

LABOUR MAY RULE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, sth December.

Although the Victorian elections failed to bring about a decisive result, it seems that the M'Phcrson Nationalist Government will have to make way for Labour once again. Not because Labour has an absolute majority, but because the four Country Progressives are likely to give Labour the support that it requires. When Labour was last-in power in Victoria, the mQst conservative of all the. States, it had to rely on these same four Progressives, who are distinct from the Country Party proper—really they are a breakaway section —and as soon as Labour* did something to displease them they transferred their support to the Nationalists, and the Nationalists have been able to retain it for some time. Then the Nationalists did the aispleasing, and the Government was forced to the country.

The elections on Saturday produced a state of parties little different to that which ruled before the elections were held. The results are not quite complete, but Labour may gain one or two seats at the expense of the Gov.ernment, wher ( eas they expected to gain at least six or seven. . Still no party has an absolute majority, and this tinsatisfactory position has existed in Victoria for many years. Certainly since 1927 no party has held power except by the grace of a small section of Independents. At one time it was supposed that this situation was attributable to abstention of many electors from the polls. But the introduction of compulsory voting has not produced any alteration.

Victoria has a record peculiar among Australian States, in the difficulty which the Labour Party seems to find there in winning a majority verdict. Its numbers have climbed gradually from 16 in 1917 to 30 to-day in a House of 65. There was a time when Labour seemed doomed to perpetual opposition. Even when the Hogan Government took office after the 1927 elections, it existed only at the pleasure of the breakaways. There have been many changes in the personnel of the House, but tho Independents have always been there to cause trouble or embarrassment. Another peculiar feature of Victorian politics is the large number of uncontested seats. In the last election candidates were returned unopposed in 20 out of the 65 seats, and 13 of them were Labour candidates. It is regarded as a sign of the times as far as the Nationalist Party is concerned that so many Labour men .were not opposed.

Meanwhile the Nationalist Press are saying cruel things about Independents in. general, with special reference to those Independents who broke up the Federal Government and caused the Nationalist debacle.