Arthur Fadden

294 Pages·2017·1.8 MB·English

Arthur Fadden: a political silhouette
Author
Arklay, Tracey M
Published
2011
Thesis Type
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
School
Griffith Business School
DOI
https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/1758
Copyright Statement
The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
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Arthur Fadden: a political silhouette

Tracey M Arklay
BComm (Hons) (Griffith University)
Department of Politics and Public Policy,
Griffith Business School
Griffith University

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

October 2010

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Abstract
This thesis examines the political legacy of Sir Arthur Fadden, leader of the federal
Country Party (1940–58), prime minister (1941) and, until his record was surpassed by
Peter Costello, Australia’s longest serving treasurer (1940–41 and 1949–58). It traces
his life story from ordinary beginnings in north Queensland, through his foray into
business as an accountant and his long career in politics – local, state and federal. The
thesis argues that Fadden was integral to the establishment of the enduring coalition
arrangement between the Liberal Party and the Country (later National) Party that
remains in place to this day.
This thesis employs the methodology of political biography, building a portrait of
Fadden by looking at the influences that shaped him as a person and a politician. Yet it
is not a standard ‘life’ biography but rather a political inquiry into a political figure,
focusing particularly on his contribution to the coalition and his role as party leader. As
such the thesis contextualises Fadden very much as a man belonging to a particular
time and place in Australian history. Fadden has gone down in folklore as one of the
great characters in the Australian parliament. This thesis aims to bring his personality
and wit back to life, as part of the explanation for his political success.
Fadden held public office for close to three decades. Yet to date he remains a largely
forgotten figure in public discourse. This thesis hopes, in some part, to redress this lack
of attention. When Fadden entered the federal parliament in 1936 the conservative
parties were a loose grouping of fractious interests. By the time he retired in 1958 the
coalition was an entrenched feature of conservative politics. This thesis argues that
Fadden, through a unique blend of personal traits, such as his strength of character and a
belief in compromise and consensus, laid the foundations for an enduring coalition
arrangement that has seen successive conservative governments hold office federally for
forty-two of the last sixty years. Yet while he was conciliatory, Fadden showed that he
was not averse to pursuing his objectives with a degree of relentlessness. He was no
pushover, a fact recognised by prime minister Menzies and the Liberal members of
cabinet during policy debates in the early 1950s.
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The most important explanation for Fadden’s success lies in his capacity for fostering
relationships. This thesis unpacks his relationships with political colleagues, party
leaders, public officials, the press and his constituents, and concludes that his
interpersonal skills are crucial to understanding his political longevity. Fadden’s career
proves that even at its most ruthless, politics is an intensely personal endeavour.
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Statement of originality
This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any
university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material
previously published or written by another person except where due reference is
made in the thesis itself.

Tracey M Arklay
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Table of contents
Abstract .................................................................................................................3
Statement of originality .........................................................................................5
Table of contents ...................................................................................................6
Acknowledgments ...............................................................................................10
Interviews ............................................................................................................12
Abbreviations ......................................................................................................14
1 A political silhouette ....................................................................................15
A forgotten legacy ...............................................................................................15
The contribution of this thesis ..............................................................................18
Studying conservative coalition relations in Australia ..........................................21
Fadden in the context of coalition politics ............................................................22
The man and the politician ...................................................................................26
Studying political leadership ................................................................................28
Sources ................................................................................................................32
Fadden and Menzies ............................................................................................35
An overview of the thesis ....................................................................................35
2 Destined to be ordinary: 1895–1931 ........................................................40
School days .........................................................................................................41
To the mill ...........................................................................................................41
Town council .......................................................................................................44
Private enterprise .................................................................................................46
Politics ................................................................................................................46
3 A promising start: 1932–1935 ...................................................................50
Picking sides in Queensland ................................................................................52
On the campaign trail ..........................................................................................54
One to watch .......................................................................................................57
In the Queensland parliament ..............................................................................59
A promising start cut short ...................................................................................68
4 A novice in Canberra: 1936–1939 ............................................................70
An interloper from the North ...............................................................................71
No ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ for the Downs .........................................................72
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Country Party to his boot straps ...........................................................................74
All bets are off .....................................................................................................75
Jockeying for position .........................................................................................77
First speech .........................................................................................................79
Out on the hustings ..............................................................................................80
Making up the numbers for government ..............................................................81
National health insurance: good policy, bad timing ..............................................82
‘A nest of impatient egos’ ....................................................................................86
A matter of principle ...........................................................................................87
5 A lucky break: 1939–1941 ..........................................................................90
Fadden joins the federal ministry .......................................................................102
Serendipitous escape .........................................................................................103
Creating a sound coalition ................................................................................. 104
Becoming treasurer ............................................................................................ 105
What you see is what you get .............................................................................108
First budget as treasurer ..................................................................................... 108
Acting prime minister ........................................................................................115
Fadden for PM! .................................................................................................120
The meteoric rise ............................................................................................... 123
6 Prime minister Fadden: 1941 ..................................................................125
A generosity of spirit .........................................................................................127
No time to celebrate ........................................................................................... 128
The Fadden cabinet ........................................................................................... 129
The Tobruk garrison .......................................................................................... 132
Cabinet meetings and independents ...................................................................135
Winkler’s case against the government .............................................................. 136
Fadden’s second budget: a domestic battleground ..............................................138
Passing the baton ............................................................................................... 141
7 The political wilderness: 1941–43 .......................................................... 142
Fadden’s budget take two .................................................................................. 144
Opposition business ........................................................................................... 149
Unity through the supreme war council ............................................................. 150
1942: a new and dangerous year ........................................................................ 152
Australia under attack ........................................................................................153
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Conscription ......................................................................................................156
Disunity in the ranks .......................................................................................... 158
The Brisbane line (or the Brisbane lie) ............................................................... 160
The gloves are off .............................................................................................. 162
Fadden’s election blues ..................................................................................... 163
8 Working with the leader of leaders: 1943–49 .....................................166
Chifley’s 1943–1944 budget...............................................................................168
Leading the Country Party ................................................................................. 170
The fourteen powers referendum .......................................................................172
Political tactics ..................................................................................................174
A new prime minister, another election .............................................................. 178
An abuse of privilege? .......................................................................................181
Unification of the conservatives ......................................................................... 183
‘Empty out the Chifley socialists and fill the bowsers’ .......................................185
9 A second chance: 1950–1952 ...................................................................188
Fadden and the public servants .......................................................................... 189
Deja vu: history repeats in another ‘phoney’ war ...............................................196
Fadden as treasurer – prepared to back himself .................................................. 197
Still riding on the sheep’s back .......................................................................... 201
Budgeting for a recession .................................................................................. 208
Sparring with the ghosts of inflation ..................................................................209
The ‘horror budget’ of 1951 ..............................................................................212
10 Equilibrium restored: 1952–1955 .......................................................... 217
‘Twice a knight ain’t bad!’ ...............................................................................220
‘A 100 per cent incentive budget’ ......................................................................227
Happy days are here again ................................................................................. 231
The Gwydir by-election...................................................................................... 233
The winner is Sydney ........................................................................................235
Researching the bomb .......................................................................................235
A new parliamentary session .............................................................................238
Proceeding with a cautious optimism .................................................................241
The Menzies–Fadden era ................................................................................... 243
‘You can’t kill Santa Claus’ ...............................................................................245
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11 Coasting to retirement and beyond: 1956–1973 ................................ 246
A record is broken ............................................................................................. 249
The last hurrah ...................................................................................................254
A real Australian democrat ................................................................................254
Free at last ......................................................................................................... 257
Looking to the future .........................................................................................258
Fadden and Black Jack McEwen .......................................................................259
Journey’s end ....................................................................................................263
12 Reflections on a political life ....................................................................269
Fadden and ideas ............................................................................................... 271
Fadden and Menzies .......................................................................................... 272
Fadden as a coalitionist ...................................................................................... 272
Fadden and his constituents ...............................................................................274
Fadden and his officials ..................................................................................... 275
Fadden and the media ........................................................................................276
Fadden’s contribution: an enduring coalition ..................................................... 277
Bibliography .......................................................................................................279
Primary sources .................................................................................................279
Secondary sources ............................................................................................. 281