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| membership_year = June 1931
| membership_year = June 1931
| membership = 130,000{{sfn|Matthews|1969|p=139}}
| membership = 130,000{{sfn|Matthews|1969|p=139}}
| ideology =
| ideology = Anti-establishment
| position = Right-wing<ref>{{cite web|author= Carole Ferrier|title=A red revolutionist and ranter|work=[[Australian National University]]|url=http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/interventions/devanny.htm|accessdate=15 July 2008|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080828195107/http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/interventions/devanny.htm| archivedate= 28 August 2008 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
| position = Right-wing
| blank1_title =
| blank1_title =
| blank1 =
| blank1 =
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| country = Australia
| country = Australia
}}
}}
The '''All for Australia League''' ('''AFAL''') was an Australian political movement during the [[Great Depression in Australia|Great Depression]]. It was founded in early 1931 and claimed to have amassed 130,000 members by June 1931. Right-wing and anti-establishment in nature, the league had the backing of a number of prominent businessmen and industrialists. It was critical both of the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]] and the right-wing [[Nationalist Party (Australia)|Nationalist Party]]. It primarily operated in Sydney, but also had branches in country New South Wales and absorbed a similar organisation in Victoria. The league eventually chose to co-operate with the existing Nationalist organisation at the [[1931 Australian federal election|1931 federal election]], helping [[preselection|preselect]] candidates for the new [[United Australia Party]] (UAP). After the election victory the league was absorbed by the UAP's state organisation.{{sfn|Robinson|2008}}
The '''All for Australia League''' was a minor [[Australia]]n political party that operated in [[New South Wales]] in 1931. The party was established in February 1931.<ref name="geor">{{cite journal|author=Geoffrey Robinson|title=The all for Australia league in New South Wales : a study in political entrepreneurship and hegemony|journal=Australian historical studies|date=2008|volume=39|issue=1|url=http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30017696/robinson-allforaustralia-2008.pdf|accessdate=7 May 2016}}</ref> It represented an alternative to the existing [[conservative]] parties the [[United Australia Party]] and the [[Australian Country Party (1920)|Country Party]], and was generally seen as more [[right-wing]] than either.<ref>{{cite web|author= Carole Ferrier|title=A red revolutionist and ranter|work=[[Australian National University]]|url=http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/interventions/devanny.htm|accessdate=15 July 2008|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080828195107/http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/interventions/devanny.htm| archivedate= 28 August 2008 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> [[Gordon Bennett (Australian soldier)|Gordon Bennett]] was prominent in the League.<ref>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography|last=Lodge|first=A. B.|year=1993|id=A130195b.htm|title= Bennett, Henry Gordon (1887 - 1962)|accessdate=15 July 2008}}</ref> The party declined after 1931. It dissolved in February 1932 when it merged with the Nationalists to establish the New South Wales division of the United Australia Party.<ref name="geor"/>


==Objectives==
==Objectives==
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Later members of the executive included:{{sfn|Matthews|1969|p=138}}
Later members of the executive included:{{sfn|Matthews|1969|p=138}}
*[[Alfred Bennett (broadcaster)|Alfred Bennett]], manager of radio station [[2GB]], founder of the Who's for Australia? League, brother of Gordon Bennett
*[[Alfred Bennett (broadcaster)|Alfred Bennett]], manager of radio station [[2GB]], founder of the Who's for Australia? League, brother of Gordon Bennett
*[[Henry Braddon|Sir Henry Braddon]], member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
*[[Henry Braddon|Sir Henry Braddon]], member of the New South Wales Legislative Council{{sfn|Matthews|1969|p=144}}
*Charles M. McDonald, president of the New South Wales Employers' Federation
*Charles M. McDonald, president of the New South Wales Employers' Federation
*Mildred Muscio, feminist, representative of the women's committee{{sfn|Robinson|2008|p=49}}
*Olof Oberg, timber merchant and president of the anti-communist Sane Democracy League
*Olof Oberg, timber merchant and president of the anti-communist Sane Democracy League


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==Sources==
==Sources==
*{{cite journal|title=The All for Australia League|first=Trevor|last=Matthews|year=1969|journal=Labour History|volume=17|pages=136-147|ref=harv}}
*{{cite journal|title=The All for Australia League|first=Trevor|last=Matthews|year=1969|journal=Labour History|volume=17|pages=136-147|ref=harv}}
*{{cite journal|first=Geoffrey|last=Robinson|title=The All for Australia League in New South Wales: a study in political entrepreneurship and hegemony|journal=Australian Historical Studies|date=2008|volume=39|issue=1|pages=36–52|ref=harv}}


{{Defunct Australian political parties}}
{{Defunct Australian political parties}}

Revision as of 17:30, 2 April 2019

All for Australia League
PresidentAlexander James Gibson
Gegründet28 January 1931
Dissolvedearly 1932
Merged intoUnited Australia Party
HauptsitzSydney, New South Wales
Membership (June 1931)130,000[1]
IdeologyAnti-establishment
Political positionRight-wing[2]

The All for Australia League (AFAL) was an Australian political movement during the Great Depression. It was founded in early 1931 and claimed to have amassed 130,000 members by June 1931. Right-wing and anti-establishment in nature, the league had the backing of a number of prominent businessmen and industrialists. It was critical both of the Labor Party and the right-wing Nationalist Party. It primarily operated in Sydney, but also had branches in country New South Wales and absorbed a similar organisation in Victoria. The league eventually chose to co-operate with the existing Nationalist organisation at the 1931 federal election, helping preselect candidates for the new United Australia Party (UAP). After the election victory the league was absorbed by the UAP's state organisation.[3]

Objectives

Five objectives were announced at the official launch of the league, held at Killara on 12 February 1931:[1]

  1. To create a unity of purpose amongst citizens and organisations to meet the economic and social crises.
  2. To exert constitutional pressure on Governments in support of the following or other necessary measures: (a) Restoration of National Credit, (b) Economy of Governmental administration and expenditure, (c) Balancing of Federal and State budgets.
  3. To set aside conflicting sectional interests for the sake of unity of purpose.
  4. To conjoin the interests of Country and City, that is, all producing and consuming interests.
  5. To bring about the whole hearted cooperation of employer and employee.

Membership

The league undertook an extensive recruiting campaign, mostly in Sydney but also in some country areas. It claimed to have gained 30,000 members within three weeks after its launch, rising to 40,000 a week later. Up to 3,500 badges were being issued each day, bearing the distinctive emblem of a six-pointed star. By the end of March 1931, the league claimed 99 branches, including fifteen outside Sydney. The membership stood at 116,000 on 14 April and 130,000 by the end of June.[1]

Most of the league's leadership had not previously been involved in politics. The executive was "strongly representative of managerial and professional men".[1] Former engineering professor Alexander James Gibson was elected president of the league. Other members of the league's provisional executive included:[4]

  • Major-General Gordon Bennett, brother of Alfred Bennett
  • Andrew Craig, treasurer of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce
  • Albert Heath, president of the Sydney and Suburban Timber Merchants' Association
  • Cecil Hoskins, managing director of Australian Iron and Steel
  • Norman Keyser, managing director of General Industries
  • Robert A. Malloch, managing director of Dangar, Gedye & Malloch, meat preservers
  • Sydney Snow, vice-president of the Retail Traders' Association
  • Frederick Walker, managing director of F. J. Walker, meat exporters

Later members of the executive included:[4]

  • Alfred Bennett, manager of radio station 2GB, founder of the Who's for Australia? League, brother of Gordon Bennett
  • Sir Henry Braddon, member of the New South Wales Legislative Council[5]
  • Charles M. McDonald, president of the New South Wales Employers' Federation
  • Mildred Muscio, feminist, representative of the women's committee[6]
  • Olof Oberg, timber merchant and president of the anti-communist Sane Democracy League

Braddon, Craig, Heath, and Oberg resigned from the executive over the league's attacks on the state Nationalist Party.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Matthews 1969, p. 139.
  2. ^ Carole Ferrier. "A red revolutionist and ranter". Australian National University. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Robinson 2008.
  4. ^ a b Matthews 1969, p. 138.
  5. ^ a b Matthews 1969, p. 144.
  6. ^ Robinson 2008, p. 49.

Sources

  • Matthews, Trevor (1969). "The All for Australia League". Labour History. 17: 136–147. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Robinson, Geoffrey (2008). "The All for Australia League in New South Wales: a study in political entrepreneurship and hegemony". Australian Historical Studies. 39 (1): 36–52. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)


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