Australian Fabian Society
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The Australian Fabian Society was established in 1947. It is Australia's longest running political think tank. Inspired by the Fabian Society in the United Kingdom, it is dedicated to Fabianism, the focus on the advancement of socialist ideas through gradual influence and patiently insinuating socialist ideology into intellectual circles and groups with power.
The Australian Fabian Society has had close historical ties with the Australian Labor Party, also known as the ALP. This is evident in the number of past Australian Labor Party Prime Ministers, Federal Ministers and State Premiers who were, and are, active members of the Australian Fabian Society. The current President of the Australian Fabian Society is former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam[1].
The Australian Fabian Society has had a significant influence on public policy development in Australia since the Second World War, with many of its members having held the highest levels of political power and influence in the land.
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[edit] Political Platform
The Australian Fabian Society cites their 'Four General Aims' on their organisation's website as being:
1. To contribute to a renaissance of left of centre and progressive thought, by generating and disseminating ideas that are original, meet the challenge of the times, and are of high intellectual quality.
2. To contribute, by getting these ideas into the public domain, to the creation of a left of centre political culture and consensus.
3. To help create an active movement of people identifying with the left of centre and engaged in political debate.
4. To influence the ideas and policies of the Labor Party (and other parties) and Labor Governments to encourage progressive reform in practice.[2]
[edit] Notable members
- Gough Whitlam (ALP Prime Minister 1972–75)
- Bob Hawke (ALP Prime Minister 1983–1991)
- Paul Keating (ALP Prime Minister 1991–1996)
- John Cain (ALP Premier of Victoria)
- Jim Cairns (ALP Deputy Prime Minister)
- Don Dunstan (ALP Premier of South Australia)
- Neville Wran (ALP Premier of NSW 1976–86)
- Frank Crean (ALP Deputy Prime Minister)
- Arthur Calwell (ALP Former ALP Leader)
- Henry Hyde Champion (Journalist)
- John Percy Jones (Businessman)
- Nettie Palmer (Writer)
- Ernest Besant-Scott (Historian)
- Lucy Morice (Feminist)
- Charles Strong (Clergyman)
- William Henry Archer (Statistician)
- Edward Shann (Economist)
- Charles Marson (Clergyman)
- David Charleston (Trade Unionist)
- John Howlett Ross (Teacher)
- Bernard O'Dowd (Writer)
[edit] References
- Australian Fabian Society - Executive Members of the Australian Fabian Society for 2005/06.
- Australian Fabian Society - 'Who We Are', 'Our Aims'.
