Hansard debates during WWI and WWII

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT DURING WORLD WAR ONE

Some interesting debates and statements from Hansard 1914 - 1918
1914
Premier John Scaddan	MINISTERIAL STATEMENT — WAR BETWEEN BRITAIN AND GERMANY 5 August 1914 Premier John Scaddan announced in Parliament on 5 August 1914 the outbreak of war: Before any further business is transacted l desire to announce to the House that this morning I received from the Prime Minister the following telegram: Official information has been received that war has broken out with Germany. (signed) Joseph Cook Premier Scadden's full speech
	HIS MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY THE KING AND MOTHERLAND - MOTION OF LOYALTY 5 August 1914 The Legislative Council also had matters of war on its mind and in the adjournment debate the Colonial Secretary (Hon. J.M. Drew) moved a motion - I beg to move-- That the Legislative Council of Western Australia in Parliament assembled expresses its loyalty and devotion to the Throne and Person of His Most Gracious Majesty the King, and its determination to stand by the motherland and the Empire in the present time of stress. It seems to me that that motion will not only express the views of the Legislative Council of this State, but of the whole of the people of Western Australia.
Premier John Scaddan	INCOME TAX (WAR EMERGENCY) BILL 1914 19 September 1914 Premier John Scaddan in his second reading speech said: No measure I have been called upon to introduce into Parliament has given me so much thought, and perhaps, to be candid, I may say so much pain, as this. It is regrettable that it should be necessary to introduce a measure of this kind, because one has to appreciate the fact that it will, to some extent, change the channels through which money is already passing, and to a lesser extent will be harmful. At the same time I hold the conditions prevailing at the moment, and which are likely to, continue for sometime to come, are such that in my duty to the State and the people I am compelled to introduce this, a tax of an emergency nature.
	CABLEGRAM - SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES 10 September 1914 Premier John Scaddan provided members with an update of the war received by cablegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, London, dated 9th September: The following review of the war is sent for the information of your Ministers and for general publication. After one month of war command of sea is left unchallenged in hands of Great Britain and her allies... Read the full cablegram
1915
	GOVERNOR'S SPEECH 29 July 1915 His Excellency Major-General Sir Harry Barron, KCMG, CVO: In opening the second session of the ninth Parliament I and my advisers, and indeed the whole of the people of this State, keenly feel the sadness of the times. So many of our brave citizens have heroically fallen upon distant battlefields, and so many others are waging manly war in dire trenches. Others are in transit or preparation to continue the struggle for the security of our Empire and the maintenance of British justice in the cause, not only of Britain, her dominions and dependencies, but in the cause of humanity itself. Never has the world seen such hosts in arms, and we trust that after the triumph of our cause, the like will never be witnessed again ... Read the Governor's full speech
Premier John Scaddan	MESSAGE - WAR BETWEEN BRITAIN AND GERMANY, ANNIVERSARY OF DECLARATION 11 August 1915 I have received a letter from the Private Secretary to His Excellency the Governor, as follows: Sir- I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to inform you that His Excellency telegraphed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies the resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly on the anniversary of the declaration of war, and has this day received the following reply:- In answer to your telegram 7 August, it has been laid before His Majesty, who greatly appreciates the resolution of Parliament and people of Western Australia to continue the war to victorious end. (Sgd.) Bonar Law. read more
Premier Frank Wilson	CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT July 1915 John Scaddan's government lost a "Want of Confidence in the Government" motion in the Legislative Assembly on 25 July 1915, and Frank Wilson was commissioned by His Excellency the Governor to form a new Administration, as announced in the Legislative Assembly on 1 August 1915.
	Debate on conscription and freedom of speech, 3 October 1915 ADJOURNMENT - MILITARY REFERENDUM 3 October 1915 The PREMIER (Hon. Frank Wilson - Sussex) [4.56]: I move: That the House at its rising on Thursday next, 5 October, do adjourn until Tuesday, 31 October, in order to give Hon. members an opportunity of participating in the Referendum Campaign.
1916
Premier Frank Wilson	LEAVE OF ABSENCE 27 September 1916 On motion by the PREMIER: Leave of absence until the end of the present session granted to the member for Gascoyne (Mr. Gilchrist), the member for Albany (Mr. Price), the member for Subiaco (Mr. B.J. Stubbs), and the member for Claremont (Mr. Wisdom) on the ground that they are on active service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth.
	The federal referendum on 'Conscription' was held on 28 October 1916, with the following question asked:   "Are you in favour of the Government having, in this grave emergency, the same compulsory powers over citizens in regard to requiring their military service, for the term of this War, outside the Commonwealth, as it now has in regard to military service within the Commonwealth?" The 'No' vote won.
	PREMIERS' CONFERENCE Premier Hon. Frank Wilson left on 2 December 1916 for the commencement of the Premiers' Conference on 8 December 1916. After a delay, the conference commenced on 12 December 1916 and was again adjourned to recommence on 15 January 1917. The main matters discussed were the financial requirements of the States; the settlement of returned soldiers on the land; and the repatriation of returned soldiers. Special consideration was given to the wheat crop of 1917-18, and the Prime Minister was authorised to negotiate for the sale of the same to the Imperial Government. Subjects of lesser importance considered at the conference were the taxation of state securities, uniform taxation machinery, preference to soldiers for government employment, uniform electoral rolls etc. Read the Premier's report on the Premiers' Conference
1917
Premier Henry Lefroy	The conscription issue was not over. MOTION - EXPEDITIONARY FORCES, COMPULSORY SERVICE 31 July 1917 Mr. THOMSON (Katanning) [3.36] I move: That having regard to the overwhelming majority cast in this State in favour of conscription on the 28 October, 1916, this House is of opinion that it is the wish of the people of Western Australia that the Commonwealth Government should again submit to the people the question of compulsory military service, in order to meet the urgent need for recruits to reinforce our units at the front. The Premier Hon Henry B. Lefroy was not impressed with the motion, particularly as the 1916 referendum had been defeated. The PREMIER (Hon. H. B. Lefroy - Moore) [5.52]: I regret that the hon. member has seen fit to introduce a motion of this character at the present time. I think it is well known to the Commonwealth Government that the people of Western Australia are in favour of conscription; they expressed that opinion during the referendum. That is well known and I do not see that the mere passing by this Parliament of this motion will be of great assistance to the Federal Government. They have already had an expression of opinion from the people of Western Australia. To my mind, it is not desirable to discuss controversial matters of this character during the present short session of Parliament... Read the conscription debate Due to the lag in voluntary recruitment and the depletion of Australian forces, the Commonwealth Government held a second referendum on 20 December 1917 in which the Australian people were again asked: Are you in favour of the proposal of the Commonwealth Government for reinforcing the Commonwealth Forces overseas? Again, the question was defeated.
Mr Batholomew Stubbs	Following the death of Mr. Bartholomew Stubbs (Subiaco) on 26 September 1917 (lost in action in Belgium), a by-election for the seat of Subiaco was held on 10 November 1917. The by-election was won by Samuel McConnell Brown(Nat) who was elected with a majority of 117 votes.
1918
Premier Henry Lefroy	THE WAR - AN ARMISTICE 12 November 1918 The PREMIER (Hon. H. B. Lefroy - Moore) [8.51 am]: In moving the adjournment of this House, I should like to mention that I have just heard that the Germans have signed an armistice. Members: Hear, hear! Mr. Holman: That is a complete surrender. The PREMIER: I hope the information is correct. I have it on good authority, and I trust that peace is not far off. If it is, I shall feel recompensed' for having remained here all night. At the same time, I do not look on it as a hardship to do my duty in this Chamber during the hours of the night. My son spent four days four night's without sleep during the great Russian debacle ; and his old father can spend a night without sleep in the interests of the country. I thank hon. members for the manner in which they have dealt with the business before the House during this long sitting. I again express the hope that the information which has come to me is correct, and that it will prove, indeed, more than correct, that we shall learn there has been a complete surrender of Germany, and that before long we shall have peace with honour and freedom to the world. Members: Hear hear!
Hon Philip Collier	Opposition leader Hon. P. Collier (Boulder) stated: I have a pleasure which I am unable to express, in seconding the motion moved by the Premier for the adjournment of the House, I scarcely know what it is that I should like to say. I feel that I should like to make a speech, but my feelings are rather of a mixed nature. In fact, I feel that I should like to make a speech ; but, on the other hand, I feel utterly unable to make one. I have a feeling that, perhaps, the news is too good to be true. I understand that we have not had the news absolutely officially that an armistice has been signed, although, coming through the channel it has done, it ought to be reliable. This may be the day that will be the greatest day, possibly, in all history. Members: Hear, hear!
	Hon. T. Walker (Kanowna) said: I fear also that words cannot adequately express either my feelings of the feelings of this Assembly, or the feelings of the nation and the Empire, on an occasions like this. He followed up his speech with a poem: Go, bid the ocean cease to heave, The river cease to flow, Bid smiling spring retrace her steps And flowrets cease, to blow; Go, chase the wild wind to its home. The lightning to Its nest: Then, bid the car of progress stay Whose boulders never rest.
	The Speaker adjourned the house, but before doing so stated: Before putting the question hon. members will permit me to say I believe that few Parliaments can feel as proud as we do at this hour of the morning, after our arduous work, to know we are adjourning a Parliament belonging to the British 'Empire. We at least should be proud to know that we are able to adjourn our Parliament to meet again under the Empire. Question put and passed, members standing. [At the call of the Premier, members joined in singing "God save the King." Cheers were given for "Our Soldiers;" "Our Allies," "The Navy"and "General Foch."] House adjourned at 9.20 am. (Friday.)

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT DURING WORLD WAR TWO

The Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, on 3 September 1939 announced on every national and commercial radio station in Australia the beginning of Australia's involvement in World War Two.

Almost a million Australians served in World War Two. They fought in campaigns against Germany and Italy in Europe, in the Mediterranean and in North Africa, as well as against Japan in South-East Asia and other parts of the Pacific.

The Australian mainland came under direct attack for the first time, as Japanese aircraft bombed towns in north west Australia and Japanese midget submarines attacked Sydney Harbour.

What was said in Parliament - Major Proceedings 1939 - 1945
1939
	MINISTERIAL STATEMENT - WAR BETWEEN BRITAIN AND GERMANY 5 September 1939 THE PREMIER (Hon. J. C. Willcock - Geraldton) [4.36]: I propose to make a statement to the House about the national emergency that has arisen. All members are aware that a state of war exists between Great Britain and Germany. While we all hoped, with what proved to be unwarranted optimism, that this dreadful catastrophe would in some way have been averted, we have to face the actual reality that it has now overtaken us and we must be prepared to do our part with the utmost resolution and fortitude. The State Government has, of course, received official information that Australia is at war with Germany. During the past couple of days I have consulted with His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, the Leader of the Opposition and other members of parties in the House, and also with the Lord Mayor of Perth, to the end that we might be able to act unitedly and endeavour to take whatever steps are necessary to conserve the interests of Western Australia as an integral part of the Empire... Read the ministerial statement on WWII declaration
	MINISTERIAL STATEMENT - PRIME MINISTER'S TELEGRAM 7 September 1939 THE DEPUTY PREMIER (Hon. H. Millington - Mt. Hawthorn): Before we conclude today's sitting, I desire, with your permission, Mr. Speaker, to make available to the House the contents of a telegram received from the Prime Minister, which will supplement the information that I gave the member for Mt Magnet (Mr. Triat) yesterday. The telegram reads: Commonwealth Government would greatly appreciate if your Government would defer price fixation legislation and action pending matters being discussed at a conference of Commonwealth and State Ministers in Canberra this week. You have no doubt seen the announcement that Commonwealth Government proposed taking immediate action and desired to co-operate fully with State Governments. You will appreciate it is essential that principles and procedure should be uniform. In view of the interest taken in this question, I deemed it advisable to make that information available to members. House adjourned at 6.15 p.m.
	AIR-RAID PRECAUTIONS - QUESTION WITHOUT NOTICE 13 September 1939 Mr. NORTH asked the Premier : 1. Does the policy governing air raid precautions emanate from Federal, State or local authorities? 2. Is any plan being worked out for the evacuation of civilians from the whole or portions of the metropolitan area? 3. What is the position regarding the stock, quality, and distribution of effective gas masks? 4. If undesirable, in the opinion of those responsible, that answers to 1, 2 and 3 be published, will the Premier make the same available to the Cottesloe Citizens and Parents' Association? The DEPUTY PREMIER (for the Premier) replied: 1. The policy emanates from the Federal Government. The plans for A.R.P. are evolved by the State Government in co-operation with local authorities. 2. Preliminary planning for evacuation has been and is being considered by the State authorities. Actual evacuation depends upon the direction from the Commonwealth Government, guided by conditions varying from time to time. 3. General distribution is not a necessity at the present moment. Those available in the State are being used for training. Meanwhile the matter of stocks and standards is the subject of active correspondence with the Commonwealth Government. 4. Answered by 1-3.
1940
	CIVIL DEFENCE (EMERGENCY POWERS) BILL 1940 22 August 1940 On 22 August 1940, the Western Australian government introduced the Civil Defence (Emergency Powers) Bill 1940. The Minister for Mines, Hon. A.H. Panton, stated in moving the second reading: This is one of the most important and might also be said to beone of the most far-reaching Bills introduced into this Parliament. The Bill provided for a comprehensive civil defence structure to spring into action should the war come to our shores. Every sizeable town would have air-raid wardens, and fire and rescue services were to be expanded to cope with the aftermath of any air attack. It was a far cry from Frank Wilson’s pronouncement of August 1914: I do not think Western Australia is likely to attract the attention of the Powers with which Great Britain is at war, nor do I think they are likely to come as far as our shores to injure us.
	JAPANESE INVASION THREAT 31 July 1940 During his speech on the Address-in-Reply on 31 July 1940 Mr Lucien Triat (Mt Magnet), raised the possible of invasion of Australia by Japan and raised concerns of country areas, particularly in Western Australia, being able to defend themselves. He urged the Government to develop a civil defence in preparation for an invasion.
1941
Lieutenant-Governor Sir James Mitchell	LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR'S SPEECH 31 July 1941 The war was on everyone's mind, and the Lieutenant-Governor's Speech for the opening of the third session of the seventeenth Parliament provided an insight into the Government's agenda. Read the Leiut. Governor's opening speech
Sir Duncan Ross McLarty	FUNDRAISING EFFORTS 12 August 1941 Sir Duncan Ross McLarty was concerned about the war effort, particularly fundraising. Read about fundraising effort concerns
	AUSTRALIA AT WAR WITH JAPAN 8 December 1941 John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia, announces War with Japan on 8 December 1941
	CIVIL DEFENCE COUNCIL 12 December 1941 The resumed debate on the bill to postpone the general election of the Legislative Assembly on 12 December 1941 raised questions of civil defence. Premier John Willcockconfirmed that the Civil Defence Council had been established to provide direction in case of a war emergency, including evacuations: Members of the Civil Defence here have information of all the experience, knowledge and advice gained in places that have been subjected to bombardment and warfare of all kinds. This information has been passed on to us and to the Eastern States. It is not a matter of what we think we should do, it is a matter of what we must do in the light of that experience. The Minister has told the House that we have 6,000 people who have been trained and are capable of doing the work required.
1942
	STATE'S WAR EFFORT - PREMIER'S STATEMENT 9 April 1942 Premier John Willcock covered issues such as the up and coming Premiers' Conference and the defence of the north west of Western Australia, including evacuation of key infrastructure including ports. Read the Premier's Statement on WA's War Effort
(Sir) Charles G. Latham	UNIFORM TAXATION - QUESTION WITHOUT NOTICE 14 April 1942 The Opposition Leader (Sir) Charles G. Latham asked a question of the Premier regarding the Commonwealth Government proposal for uniform taxation.
	The Parliament was unanimous in rejecting the uniform taxation proposal by the Commonwealth Government as reported by the Kalgoorlie Miner. The Commonwealth Government introduced it anyway.
1943
	LEGISLATION REVIEW 23 April 1943 Premier Willcock provided an overview of the legislation passed during 1943 as reported in the Daily News, 23 April 1943
Lieutenant-Governor Sir James Mitchell	LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR'S SPEECH - SEVENTEENTH PARLIAMENT 5 August 1943 Lieutenant-Governor's Speech for the opening of the seventeenth Parliament of Western Australia on 5 August 1943 makes reference to the war and the magnificent victories of the United Nations have inspired the hope that the war may be brought to a successful conclusion earlier than was previously thought possible.
1944
Lieutenant-Governor Sir James Mitchell	LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR'S SPEECH - EIGHTEENTH PARLIAMENT 27 July 1944 The Lieutenant-Governor's speech for the opening of the eighteenth Parliament was very optimistic for the future, particularly with regards to the war effort, Read Lieut.-Governor's speech 1944
	REFERENDUM - COMMONWEALTH POWERS - POST-WAR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS 19 August 1944 This referendum related to giving the Commonwealth power, for five years, to legislate on 14 specific matters, including the rehabilitation of ex-servicemen, national health, family allowances and 'the people of the Aboriginal race'. The referendum was unsuccessful, although both WA and Queensland voted 'Yes'.
1945
	PREMIER - RESIGNATION 31 July 1945 HON. J. C. WILLCOCK (Geraldton) [4.32]: I would like to inform the House that since its last meeting I have waited upon His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor and tendered my resignation as Premier and Treasurer. Resignation speech
Hon. Frank Joseph Scott Wise	PREMIER - ACCEPTANCE 31 July 1945 Hon. Frank Joseph Scott Wise (Gascoyne) accepted the position of Premier. Acceptance Speech
	MOTION - THE WAR - CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES 21 August 1945 THE ACTING PREMIER (Hon. A.R.G. Hawke - Northam) [4.32]: With your permission, Mr. 'Speaker, and with the indulgence of the House, I desire to move, on behalf of the Government, the following resolution: That, following the recent unconditional surrender of Japan and thereby the complete victory of the "Allied Force", the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia in Parliament assembled expresses its profound gratitude to Almighty God, its deep and abiding loyalty to His Majesty the King, and its great admiration of all those men and women of the British Commonwealth of Nations and the other United Nations who fought and worked to destroy German and Japanese aggression and tyranny and that His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor be asked to transmit the foregoing resolution to His Majesty the King, read cessation of hostilities speech