Kidstonites

In 1903, Queensland's long-running Continuous Ministry fell and was replaced by a coalition of liberals and Labor. The government was headed by Arthur Morgan and included two Labor members, though not the party leaders.{{cite book|last=Kirkpatrick |first=Rod |chapter-url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/morgan-sir-arthur-7652 |title=Sir Arthur Morgan |publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=2018-07-01|chapter=Morgan, Sir Arthur (1856–1916) }}{{cite encyclopedia |last=Murphy |first=Denis Joseph |editor1-last=Murphy |editor1-first=Denis Joseph |encyclopedia=Labor in Politics: the state Labor parties in Australia 1880-1920 |title=Queensland |date=1975 |publisher=University of Queensland Press |isbn=9780702209390 |pages=168–169}} In 1906, Morgan was succeeded as Premier by William Kidston, one of the Labor members of the government. However, Kidston grew increasingly dissatisfied with the official direction of the Labor Party as set by the 1905 party convention on the issues of collective ownership and Crown land sales, which he felt to be impractical and electorally unrealistic.{{cite book|author=D. J. Murphy |chapter-url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kidston-william-6949 |title=William Kidston |publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=2018-07-01|chapter=Kidston, William (1849–1919)}}

The 1906 federal election saw Labor do badly in Queensland at the hands of the Anti-Socialist Party, confirming Kidston's views as conflict grew between pursuing an efficient reformist government and the pursuit of Labor's stated interests and ideology.{{cite encyclopedia |last=Bolton |first=G.C. |editor1-last=Murphy |editor1-first=Denis Joseph |editor2-last=Joyce |editor2-first=Roger Bilbrough |encyclopedia=Queensland Political Portraits 1859-1952 |title=Robert Philp: Capitalist as Politician |date=1978 |publisher=University of Queensland Press |isbn=9780702211270 |page=213}} Kidston demanded greater loyalty to himself but the 1907 party convention reaffirmed the socialist objective, resulting in a split.{{rp|173}}{{cite encyclopedia |last=Wanka |first=K.J. |editor1-last=Murphy |editor1-first=Denis Joseph |editor2-last=Joyce |editor2-first=Roger Bilbrough |editor3-last=Hughes |editor3-first=Colin A. |encyclopedia=Prelude to Power: The Rise of the Labour Party in Queensland 1885-1915 |title=William Kidston - The Dilemma of the Powerful Leader |date=1970 |publisher=Jacaranda Press |isbn=9780701603120 |page=205}}

All but fourteen members of the Labor parliamentary party rallied to Kidston's banner, and in the 1907 state election, the Kidstonites won twenty-four seats. Because neither they nor Labor nor Robert Philp's Conservative group had a majority, a three-party system operated in the state over the next two years, with no party able to govern alone.{{rp|173–4}} Kidston secured some support from Labor on common issues, but the conservative Queensland Legislative Council obstructed much legislation.{{rp|205–206}} Kidston tried to appoint more supportive members to the council but the Governor of Queensland Lord Chelmsford refused, leading to Kidston's resignation. Philp formed a government which was promptly denied supply by parliament, and was forced to a new election in February 1908 at which the balance in the parliament was barely altered.{{cite book|author=W. Ross Johnston |chapter-url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/philp-sir-robert-8040 |title=Sir Robert Philp |publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=2018-07-01|chapter=Philp, Sir Robert (1851–1922) }}

Kidston resumed office and, with the support of Labor, passed reforms including the Parliamentary Bills Referendum Act, which allowed for bills blocked repeatedly in the Council to be submitted to a referendum. Other legislation passed involved pensions, wages boards and electoral reform, but the alliance with Labor came to an end, and later bills, such as to allow private railway construction, were passed with the support of Philp's Conservatives.{{rp|206}} Increasingly, the Kidstonites and the Conservatives were drawn together and, in October 1908, they merged, reviving the name Liberal Party.{{cite book |last=Hughes |first=Colin A. |date=1980 |title=The Government of Queensland |publisher=University of Queensland Press |page=30 |isbn=978-0702215155 }} Not all Kidstonite parliamentarians accepted the merger, and a group called the "Independent Opposition" emerged, headed by former Attorney General James Blair, which included former Labor leaders Peter Airey and George Kerr.{{cite book|author=J. C. H. Gill |chapter-url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/blair-sir-james-william-5266 |title=Sir James William Blair |publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=2018-07-01|chapter=Blair, Sir James William (1870–1944) }}{{cite book|last=Sullivan |first=Martin |chapter-url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/airey-peter-4984 |title=Peter Airey |publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=2018-07-01|chapter=Airey, Peter (1865–1950) }}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Hughes |first=Colin A. |date=1980 |title=The Government of Queensland |publisher=University of Queensland Press |isbn=978-0702215155 }}
• {{cite encyclopedia |editor1-last=Murphy |editor1-first=Denis Joseph |editor2-last=Joyce |editor2-first=Roger Bilbrough |editor3-last=Hughes |editor3-first=Colin A. |title=Prelude to Power: The Rise of the Labour Party in Queensland 1885-1915 |date=1970 |publisher=Jacaranda Press |isbn=9780701603120 }}
• {{cite encyclopedia |last=Murphy |first=Denis Joseph |editor1-last=Murphy |editor1-first=Denis Joseph |title=Labor in Politics: the state Labor parties in Australia 1880-1920 |date=1975 |publisher=University of Queensland Press |isbn=9780702209390 |pages=127–228}}

Category:Defunct political parties in Queensland

Category:Political parties established in 1907

Category:Political parties disestablished in 1908

Category:1907 establishments in Australia

Category:1908 disestablishments in Australia