What was the Commonwealth Liberal Party?
Q: What was the Commonwealth Liberal Party?
A: The Commonwealth Liberal Party (CLP) was a political party in Australia from 1909 to 1917. It was also known as The Fusion, or the Deakinite Liberal Party and is the earliest direct ancestor of the modern Liberal Party of Australia.
Q: How did the CLP come into being?
A: After the Australian Labor Party formed its second government in 1908, business leaders told Alfred Deakin, leader of the Protectionist Party, and Joseph Cook, leader of the Anti-Socialist Party, to join forces to oppose Labor. In 1909, they joined together to form the CLP.
Q: Who were some members who left and joined Labor?
A: Several of the more liberal Protectionists left and joined Labor when it formed its second government in 1908.
Q: Who became Prime Minister after CLP's formation?
A: After forming their new party with a majority in House of Representatives seats, they forced Andrew Fisher to resign and Alfred Deakin became Prime Minister for his third time.
Q: What happened at their first election?
A: At their first election less than a year later in 1910, CLP was defeated by Labor.
Q: What event led up to an early election for 5 September 1914?
A: When Joseph Cook took over from Alfred Deakin shortly before 1913 election he won government by a single seat but then introduced a bill removing special treatment for union members which he knew would be rejected by Senate twice so that he could call an early election on 5 September 1914 - this was called double dissolution election in Australia.
Q:What happened after World War I began?
A:In November 1916 ,the CLP made a deal with Prime Minister Billy Hughes who had been forced to leave ALP for supporting conscription during WWI .He set up National Labor Party and then both parties merged together to form Nationalist Party of Australia with Hughes as leader and Cook as deputy leader.
