Progressive Labor Party (Victoria)

Progressive Labor Party
Progressive Labor Party
Leader	Charlie Mutton
President	Doris Blackburn
General Secretary	B. W. McIlroy
Founded	9 October 1950
Dissolved	Late 1955
Split from	Australian Labor Party
Preceded by	Blackburn-Mutton Labor Party
Victorian Legislative Assembly	1 / 65 (1950−1955)
Broadmeadows Shire Council	2 / 12 (1954−1955)
	Politics of Victoria;

The Progressive Labor Party (PLP), alternatively spelt Progressive Labour, was an Australian political party active in Victoria.^[2]

History

The party was formed in October 1950, absorbing the Blackburn-Mutton Labor Party (BMLP), which was led by Charlie Mutton, the member for Coburg in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. Former BLMP MP Doris Blackburn became the PLP's president after its formation.^[3]^[4]

Blackburn contested the division of Wills at the 1951 federal election. She was unsuccessful, coming in third place with 17.6% of the vote.^[5]

Mutton was the only candidate endorsed by the PLP at the 1952 Victorian state election. He was re-elected despite a 4.4% swing against him.^[6]^[7]

The PLP won a second representative when it successfully contested a by-election for Campbellfield Riding on Broadmeadows Shire Council in July 1954, with Robert Warnock defeating Labor after the resignation of councillor B. Foulsham.^[8]^[9]

One month later at the statewide local government elections in August 1954, Mutton's son, Jack Mutton, was also elected to Campbellfield Riding.^[10] The seat had formerly been held by his father before his retirement from local government in 1953.^[11]

Mutton contested the 1955 state election for the PLP, and was again re-elected. However, the party faded away by the end of the year.^[12]^[13]

Elected representatives

Victorian Legislative Assembly

Charlie Mutton (1950−1955)

Broadmeadows Shire Council

Robert Warnock (1954−1955)
Jack Mutton (1954−1955)

References

^ "Absurd". The Argus. 2 April 1954.
^ "CONTACT". The Sun. The founder and sole representative of the Progressive Labor Party, Mr. Mutton.
^ "Breakaway Labor Party formed". The Argus. 10 October 1950.
^ "Breakaway Labor Party formed". Border Morning Mail. 10 October 1950. A member of the organisation claims that the new party had already absorbed the Blackburn-Mutton group in Coburg, and was now forming new branches.
^ "Prices blamed on War Plans". The Age. 17 April 1951.
^ "State election". The Age. 6 December 1952.
^ "Only candidate". The Herald. 17 November 1952.
^ "ELECTIONS FORECAST". Kilmore Free Press. 3 July 1952. The Mutton Progressive Labor Party has definitely decided to support Mr. Robert Warnock, welder, of Queen's Parade, Fawkner.
^ "Broadmeadows by-election". The Age. 12 July 1954.
^ "Defeat of 2 mayors". The Argus. 30 August 1954.
^ "Back in family". The Age. 30 August 1954.
^ "30 up, Bolte wants 3 more to go it alone". The Argus. 30 May 1955. Mr. C. Mutton (Progressive Labor) retained his seat of Coburg.
^ "WARDERS WERE HUMAN SHIELDS". The Argus. 29 August 1955. Mr. C. Mutton, Progressive Labor member for Coburg, said last night the only answer to the continual escapes from Pentridge was removal of the gaol to an inaccessible spot.