AK's Australian Election Series

The referenda resulted in a defeat for the monopoly referendum, but a victory for the trade and commerce referendum. Hence, both major parties had a mixed view in the aftermath – Labour were pleased that the trade and commerce referendum had passed, enabling them to make legislation in the fields of corporations, trade, commerce, labour, employment and monopolies, but disappointed that the monopoly referendum failed. The Commonwealth Liberals, on the other hand, were not pleased one bit with the result of the trade and commerce referendum, although the result of the monopoly referendum, there was no insult added to the injury. Joseph Cook actually mentioned how the referenda displayed the government's agenda as divisive. The Revenue Tariff Party held similar views to the Commonwealth Liberal Party regarding the referenda, as while they favoured protectionism, weren’t fans of excessive government regulation of the economy.

Moving on, the remainder of the Fisher government's second term in office involved the introduction of uniform postal charges nationwide, a land tax was introduced, arbitration now covered agricultural workers and federal public servants. In 1912, the party's name was changed to Labor, under Minister for Home Affairs, King O'Malley, a spelling reformist. O'Malley also had a major influence in 1913, regarding the name of the new national capital Canberra. A local Aboriginal word for "meeting place", it was chosen over other rejected suggestions, three of which were Cooeeton, Woolgold and Sydmeladperbrisho.

1912 also saw eligibility rules for pensions relaxed, naturalised residents no longer had to wait three months, and the value of the home was excluded from the property value assessment criterion. Trade unionists were now favoured by default when it came to federal government jobs, and the age for women to get the old age pension was lowered to 60 from 65. A maternity allowance was also introduced this term, lowering infant mortality. The Fisher government, irrespective of how someone thought of it, had been the most productive government since Federation.

An election and one referendum have been called for the 31st of May, 1913. Alfred Deakin, Revenue Tariff leader, is retiring from Parliament at this election, as he felt it was time to pursue other avenues.

Party platforms at this election:

Labor Party - Going for a third term in office, PM Andrew Fisher and Labor are running wholly on their track record in government.

Commonwealth Liberal Party - Joseph Cook, in his second term as Commonwealth Liberal leader, is running on a platform of repealing the new Commonwealth powers regarding trade and commerce, abolishing compulsory trade union preference for federal employment, and are basically very opposed to the Fisher government's reforms. The Commonwealth Liberals, who are also promising not to alter aged pensions, are campaigning on abolishing the land tax, and their usual positions on tariffs and states' rights.

Revenue Tariff Party - Now led by George Wise, the Revenue Tariff Party maintain their socially conservative, fiscally protectionist, but not socialist platform, pledging to roll back the new legislative powers regarding trade and commerce.

Voting is open for 72 hours.

Me: Commonwealth Liberal.

EDIT: Corrected election date.

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