Country and Progressive National Party

History

The party was formed on 12 May 1925 as the result of a merger between the state's two conservative parties, the United Party (the Queensland branch of the Nationalist Party) and the Country Party, in an attempt to end a decade of Labor domination in the state. Initially called the Country Progressive Party it was formed by all of the Country MLAs and all but four United MLAs; the outstanding four joined in December when the party took the name Country and Progressive National Party. The party was led throughout the entirety of its existence by Arthur Edward Moore, previously the leader of the Country Party. In the 1929 state election the party won power, defeating Labor in a landslide. The election was further notable for the surprise victory of Irene Longman, a Country and Progressive National candidate and the first woman ever to be elected to the Queensland parliament. However, the government floundered amidst the difficulties of the Great Depression, and was swept from power in 1932 by the Labor Party, led by William Forgan Smith. It contested the 1935 state election, but was severely beaten, being reduced to sixteen seats, which left Labor with a massive majority. As a result, in 1936, the party again split, leaving two state-based parties - the Country Party and the United Australia Party, each aligned with the federal parties of the same names. The two parties continued in a coalition, with the Country Party as senior partner.

From 1941-1944 another merger was attempted via the Country-National Organisation but this failed within a few years.

A later merger between the two parties' successors, the Liberal and National parties, gave birth to the Liberal National Party of Queensland in 2008.

Election results

References

References

1. (23 May 1925). "COUNTRY PROGRESSIVE PARTY". The Western Champion.
2. (13 May 1925). "A COUNTRY PROGRESSIVE PARTY". Townsville Daily Bulletin.
3. (14 May 1925). "Country Progressive Party". The Bundaberg Mail.
4. B. J. Costar, 'Moore, Arthur Edward (1876–1963)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/moore-arthur-edward-7632/text13343, published first in hardcopy 1986, accessed online 19 June 2018.
5. Hughes, Colin A.. (1980). "The Government of Queensland". University of Queensland Press.
6. Margaret Bridson Cribb, 'Fadden, Sir Arthur William (1894–1973)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fadden-sir-arthur-william-10141/text17907, published first in hardcopy 1996, accessed online 19 June 2018.
7. Margaret Bridson Cribb, 'Hunter, James Aitchison Johnston (1882–1968)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hunter-james-aitchison-johnston-6770/text11707, published first in hardcopy 1983, accessed online 19 June 2018.
8. Green, Antony. (2008-07-30). "The Liberal-National Party - a new model party?". ABC News.