Lang Labor

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Lang Labor was the name commonly used to describe two successive break-away sections of the Australian Labor Party, both led by the New South Wales Labor leader Jack Lang.

In 1931 Lang, as Premier of New South Wales, announced a policy of foreign debt repudiation, known as the "Lang Plan", to combat the effects of the Great Depression. This was contrary to the policy of the federal Labor government led by James Scullin. As a result, Lang's supporters, led by Jack Beasley and Eddie Ward, were expelled from the federal Caucus.

This led to a schism between the Federal and State executives of the Labor party. In 1931 Lang's supporters voted with the United Australia Party Opposition in the House of Representatives to bring down the Scullin government. At the subsequent federal elections the Lang-controlled New South Wales Branch ran candidates as the Australian Labor Party (New South Wales), but they were generally known as Lang Labor candidates. Supporters of the federal party (led in New South Wales by Ted Theodore and Ben Chifley) were known as Federal Labor candidates.

The elections were a landslide defeat for Labor, but most of the Lang members had ultra-safe working class seats and survived, although Ward was narrowly defeated in East Sydney. (He returned at a 1932 by-election). Theodore and Chifley were both defeated, and Federal Labor won only three seats in New South Wales. The same thing happened at the 1934 federal elections, when Federal Labor won only one seat (Newcastle).

In 1935 John Curtin succeeded Scullin as federal Labor leader and in February 1936 he brought about a reconciliation with the New South Wales Branch. At the 1937 elections Labor ran as a united party in New South Wales.

Lang's lack of success at state elections (he was defeated in 1932, 1935 and 1938) eroded his support within the labour movement and in 1939 he was replaced as state leader by William McKell. Left-wing forces gained control of the New South Wales Branch, and in 1940 the state executive adopted a resolution calling for a "Hands off Russia" policy, which was seen as opposing Australian involvement in World War II. Lang denounced this policy, and he and supporters again seceded from the Labor Party. The Federal Executive then intervened in the NSW Branch, and the left-wing elements were expelled (some joining the Communist Party of Australia).

Lang meanwhile had formed a new party called the Australian Labor Party (Non-Communist), which contested the 1940 federal election. But this time he was in a minority in New South Wales, many of his old supporters such as Ward remained loyal to Curtin, and Lang candidates polled poorly. In 1941 the Non-Communist Labor Party was wound up and its members, with the exception of Lang himself, were re-admitted to the Labor Party. This allowed Curtin to become Prime Minister at the head of a united party in October 1941.

Lang Labor's final appearance in federal politics came when Lang was elected to the House of Representatives for the federal seat of Reid at the 1946 election, being elected with the benefit of Liberal Party preferences. Lang was a nuisance to the Labor government of Ben Chifley, and his personal attacks on Chifley did Labor some damage. Lang was defeated at the 1949 election. In the double dissolution 1951 election he stood for the Senate, but was not elected.

[edit] References

• "The Light on the Hill: The Australian Labor Party 1891-1991" Ross McMullin, O.U.P. 1991
• "The Turbulent Years" J.T. Lang, Alpha Books 1970