Labor politics in Coburg 1919-1940

© 1978 Carolyn Anne RasmussenThis study examines the activities and attitudes of the Coburg branch of the ALP (Victorian Branch) over the years 1919 to 1940 with particular emphasis on relations between the branch and the Central Executive, and the political representatives of the area. Until the mid 1920's branch attention was focussed principally on local activities capitalising on the strengthening Labor vote in the district, but it was already an assertive and ambitious branch. By the end of the decade the district was safe for Labor but success in municipal elections proved elusive and as the first signs of the depression appeared the branch came under the dominant influence of a group whose major concerns were international politics and socialism. Appalled at the performance of Labor Governments and radicalised by their experience of the depression the branch became extremely critical of Labor Party leadership and profoundly frustrated by its failure to provide opportunities for effective action - even to assist the unemployed. The leadership survived the crises of these years more or less intact but in the eyes of the Coburg branch it was seriously discredited. With the fall of Labor in Victoria the branch turned its attention to the Movement Against War and Fascism resulting in a series of escalating conflicts with the Central Executive which continued to moved towards the right throughout the thirties while the Coburg branch became more left-wing. In the polarisation of the ALP following the Spanish Civil War the Coburg branch became the focus of 'anti-Communist' forces whose dubious activities were more or less condoned by the Central Executive. Loyalty to the ALP however ran deep and it was not until the Central Executive cancelled the pre-selection ballot for the state seat of Coburg in 1940 that a number of activists finally decided to challenge the Party by putting forward an ‘independent' Labor candidate. Charles Mutton was successful and he held the seat until he was re-admitted to the ALP in 1956 and thereafter till he retired in 1967