Book Review Andrew Fisher

I have just finished David Day's excellent biography on Andrew Fisher, The ALP leader during WW1 where he won majorities in both the lower house and upper house.

As with a lot of early Labour party MPs both here and the UK he was a christian. Being from Scotland he was a fervent Presbyterian.

In Scotland and when he came to Australia where he settled in Queensland he was a coal miner. He did studies which meant found employment further up the pole than most miners.
Again like a lot of early ALP members he read a lot and therefore could debate people very easily in a number of areas.

He started off in Queensland parliament but gravitated to Federal Parliament  once federation occurred.

Although not leader at first he eventually made leader and seemed a natural leader.

It is interesting that the first ALP Governments were dominated by people who were confirmed Protestants. Indeed the woeful Billy Hughes hated catholics with a passion.

With Fisher in charge the ALP seemed to be the natural party of government in Australia.
However his statement that Australia would back England with their last man and last shilling came back to haunt him as it became apparent the Allied Generals had little clue of how to win the war.

Fisher retired from politics perhaps too young because of this.
Billy Hughes then went on to become the ALP leader and proceeded to split the ALP on conscription.

In a saddening development he succumbed to dementia . like Cook before him,

The Seat he held has never been held by the ALP since.

In ending I should comment on all parties at that time trying to be the all white party of the time. I would be intrigued how Fisher who was such a fervent Presbyterian could reconcile this with his biblical beliefs.

I highly recommend this book.