1954 Australian Labor Party leadership spill

A leadership spill of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), then the opposition party in the Parliament of Australia, was rejected on 21 October 1954.

Background

On 5 October 1954 Evatt gave an aggressive speech against 'disloyal elements' within the Labor Party, which aimed "to deflect the Labor Movement from the pursuit of established Labor objectives and ideals." The speech caused ructions within the ALP leading many to question Evatt's position.

Labor's caucus rejected by 52 to 28 votes a motion for a spill moved by Senators George Cole and James Fraser. Deputy leader Arthur Calwell and Allan Fraser would have stood for election as Leader and deputy leader respectively in the event of a spill occurring. After the ballot, Evatt insisted on counting the names for and against, which only furthered his opponents animosity.

See also

• 1954 Australian federal election
• Australian Labor Party split of 1955

References

1. 2010 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
2. 2006 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
3. 2012 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
4. June 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
5. March 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
6. Leadership spill
7. 1983 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
8. December 1991 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
9. 1982 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
10. October 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership election
11. 2005 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
12. June 1991 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
13. 2018 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spills
14. 1976 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
15. 2003 Australian Labor Party leadership spills
16. September 2015 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill
17. 1966 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
18. 2019 Australian Labor Party leadership election
19. 1968 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
20. May 1977 Australian Labor Party leadership spill