Arthur Edward Moore
Encyclopedia
Arthur Edward Moore, CMG
(9 February 1876 – 17 January 1963) was an Australia
n politician. He was the Country and Progressive National Party
Premier of Queensland
, from 1929 to 1932. He was the only Queensland Premier not to come from the ranks of the Labor Party
between 1915 and 1957. Although successful in achieving the unity of the conservative forces in Queensland for an extended period, Moore's abilities were tested by the onset of the Great Depression
and like many other governments in Australia and elsewhere his was unable to endure the formidable challenges it posed.
, New Zealand
in 1876. His family moved to Australia when his father became a bank manager in Melbourne
. The younger Moore arrived in Queensland in 1898, where he was a wheat
farmer on the Darling Downs and the owner of two cheese
factories. He followed what was to be the standard National Party road to office for many years - a career in local government, becoming chairman of the Rosalie Shire Council and the president of the Queensland Local Authorities Association.
Moore entered the Queensland Legislative Assembly
in 1915 representing the Farmers Union (a forerunner to the Country Party
) in the seat of Aubigny. This election saw the defeat of the government of Digby Denham
and the election of the Labor government of Thomas J. Ryan. The non-Labor forces in Queensland were in a period of chronic disunity, with the Country Party coming into conflict with what was then known as the Queensland Liberal Party but would later also be called the Nationalist
and then the United Party. Bitter strife within and between these various parties was a contributing factor to Labor's election victories in 1918, 1920, and 1923.
Moore, who had been made Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1920, was among those Country Party members who, suspicious of United Party motives, refused to join a proposed Country-United merger mooted in the January 1923. The feuding had begun to subside by 1924, when on 9 April Moore was elected Leader of the Opposition, and then in the next year the Country and United parties joined to form the Country Progressive Party, amid criticisms from members of the organisational wings of both former organisations. The Party changed its name in December 1925 to the Country and Progressive National Party (CPNP). The CPNP gained sixteen seats in the elections of 1926 without winning government, and in 1929, amid threats of further division within the CPNP ranks, Moore won a large victory against William McCormack
, plagued with his own internal problems, to become Premier.
that was wreaking havoc on the economy throughout Australia. Moore responded by following a policy of deflation, limiting government expenditure and attempting to scale back wages and worker's entitlements. In order to assist the state's finances he implemented an income tax
, much to the chagrin of many supporters. His proposals for economic assistance to wool growers in 1931 met with opposition from banks and financial institutions. He also came under fire in 1931 when divisions in the CPNP's parliamentary party emerged over the restoration of the Legislative Council, abolished in 1921. Moore came under repeated attack from the conservative Brisbane Courier.
During his term, Moore also redrew the electoral boundaries, becoming one of the many Queensland premiers accused of gerrymandering
. The size of the Legislative Assembly was reduced from 72 to 62 seats, mainly accomplished by the abolition of sitting Labor members' seats.
In 1932 Moore instituted a Royal Commission
to investigate former Labor Premier E.G. Theodore
over his alleged corruption in what was known as the Mungana affair
. Moore was accused by many in the Labor movement of orchestrating the Commission's activities in such a way as to deal maximum political damage to the Scullin
federal government. The elections of that year confirmed his party's loss of standing with the onset of the Great Depression, as well as continued internal bickering. The CPNP was defeated by Labor under William Forgan Smith
.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(9 February 1876 – 17 January 1963) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was the Country and Progressive National Party
Country and Progressive National Party
The Country and Progressive National Party was a short-lived conservative political party in the Australian state of Queensland.-History:It was created in 1925 as the result of a merger between the state's two conservative parties, the United Party and the Country Party, in an attempt to end...
Premier of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, from 1929 to 1932. He was the only Queensland Premier not to come from the ranks of the Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
between 1915 and 1957. Although successful in achieving the unity of the conservative forces in Queensland for an extended period, Moore's abilities were tested by the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and like many other governments in Australia and elsewhere his was unable to endure the formidable challenges it posed.
Early career
Moore was born in NapierNapier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1876. His family moved to Australia when his father became a bank manager in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. The younger Moore arrived in Queensland in 1898, where he was a wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
farmer on the Darling Downs and the owner of two cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
factories. He followed what was to be the standard National Party road to office for many years - a career in local government, becoming chairman of the Rosalie Shire Council and the president of the Queensland Local Authorities Association.
Moore entered the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
in 1915 representing the Farmers Union (a forerunner to the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
) in the seat of Aubigny. This election saw the defeat of the government of Digby Denham
Digby Denham
Digby Frank Denham was an Australian politician, businessman and leading Queensland Orangeman. He was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 1902 until 1915 representing the seat of Oxley, and was Premier of Queensland from 7 February 1911 to 1 June 1915...
and the election of the Labor government of Thomas J. Ryan. The non-Labor forces in Queensland were in a period of chronic disunity, with the Country Party coming into conflict with what was then known as the Queensland Liberal Party but would later also be called the Nationalist
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
and then the United Party. Bitter strife within and between these various parties was a contributing factor to Labor's election victories in 1918, 1920, and 1923.
Moore, who had been made Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1920, was among those Country Party members who, suspicious of United Party motives, refused to join a proposed Country-United merger mooted in the January 1923. The feuding had begun to subside by 1924, when on 9 April Moore was elected Leader of the Opposition, and then in the next year the Country and United parties joined to form the Country Progressive Party, amid criticisms from members of the organisational wings of both former organisations. The Party changed its name in December 1925 to the Country and Progressive National Party (CPNP). The CPNP gained sixteen seats in the elections of 1926 without winning government, and in 1929, amid threats of further division within the CPNP ranks, Moore won a large victory against William McCormack
William McCormack
William McCormack , was Premier of Queensland, Australia, from 1925 to 1929.He was born in Purnam, Queensland and died in Brisbane on 21 November 1947....
, plagued with his own internal problems, to become Premier.
The Moore government
Moore's government soon had to deal with the effects of the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
that was wreaking havoc on the economy throughout Australia. Moore responded by following a policy of deflation, limiting government expenditure and attempting to scale back wages and worker's entitlements. In order to assist the state's finances he implemented an income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
, much to the chagrin of many supporters. His proposals for economic assistance to wool growers in 1931 met with opposition from banks and financial institutions. He also came under fire in 1931 when divisions in the CPNP's parliamentary party emerged over the restoration of the Legislative Council, abolished in 1921. Moore came under repeated attack from the conservative Brisbane Courier.
During his term, Moore also redrew the electoral boundaries, becoming one of the many Queensland premiers accused of gerrymandering
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
. The size of the Legislative Assembly was reduced from 72 to 62 seats, mainly accomplished by the abolition of sitting Labor members' seats.
In 1932 Moore instituted a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
to investigate former Labor Premier E.G. Theodore
Ted Theodore
Edward Granville Theodore was an Australian politician. He was Premier of Queensland 1919–25, a federal politician representing a New South Wales seat 1927–31, and Federal Treasurer 1929–30.-Early life:...
over his alleged corruption in what was known as the Mungana affair
Mungana affair
The Mungana Affair involved the selling of some mining properties in the Chillagoe-Mungana districts of northern Queensland, Australia to the Queensland government, at a grossly inflated price...
. Moore was accused by many in the Labor movement of orchestrating the Commission's activities in such a way as to deal maximum political damage to the Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
federal government. The elections of that year confirmed his party's loss of standing with the onset of the Great Depression, as well as continued internal bickering. The CPNP was defeated by Labor under William Forgan Smith
William Forgan Smith
William Forgan Smith , generally known as Forgan Smith, was Premier of the Australian state of Queensland from 1932 to 1942. He came to dominate politics in the state during the 1930s, and his populism, firm leadership, defence of states' rights and interest in state development make him something...
.
After defeat
Moore kept the CPNP together as leader until the disastrous defeat of 1935, where it won sixteen out of 62 seats. In the aftermath the Queensland Country Party was formed in March 1936 and subsequently accepted most of the rural members of the CPNP. The Queensland Country Party insisted on Moore's resignation as leader and he was replaced by Ted Maher. He remained on the opposition front bench until his retirement in 1941.Further reading
- Costar, Brian. "Arthur Edward Moore: Odd Man In". In Murphy D, Joyce R, Cribb M, and Wear, R (Ed.), The Premiers of Queensland pp. 184–206. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0-7022-3173-8.