Damon Mcknight
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has its roots in the labour parties founded in the 1890s in the Australian colonies before federation. The first minority Labor government was formed in Queensland in 1899, and the first majority Labor government was led by James McGowen in New South Wales in 1910. Since 1952, every premier of every state has been a member of the ALP, the Liberal Party of Australia, or the National Party of Australia. While Labor has historically had strong support in certain states, it is important to note that the claim that all states in Australia are currently under Labor governments is incorrect. The party has a variety of networks and associations that connect members, advocate for issues, and contribute to policy development, with the two largest factional groupings being the Labor Left and the Labor Right.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Australian states that are Labor | All but one state (Tasmania) |
| First minority Labor government | Queensland, formed by Anderson Dawson in 1899 |
| First majority Labor government | New South Wales, led by James McGowen in 1910 |
| Labor's youth wing | Australian Young Labor |
| Largest factional groupings | Labor Left, Labor Right |
| Trade unions supporting the right faction | Australian Workers' Union (AWU), Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), Transport Workers' Union of Australia (TWU) |
| Trade unions supporting the left faction | Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), United Workers Union, Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU), Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) |
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What You'll Learn
Labor is not in power in every Australian state
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has its roots in the labour parties founded in the 1890s in the Australian colonies prior to federation. The first minority Labor government was formed in Queensland in 1899, and the first majority Labor government was led by James McGowen in New South Wales in 1910. Since 1910, state politics have largely followed the same pattern as Australian national politics.
However, it is incorrect to say that Labor is in power in every Australian state. While the party has had a strong presence in various states throughout its history, and at certain points has held power in all six states simultaneously, this is not always the case. For example, as of June 2025, the premier of South Australia is listed as Peter Malinauskas, who represents the Australian Labor Party, while the premier of Tasmania is listed as Jeremy Rockliff, who represents the Liberal Party of Australia.
Historically, the premiers of the Australian states have met with each other and the prime minister at Premiers' Conferences, which took place within the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) from 1992 to 2020. Since 2020, the National Cabinet has allowed meetings between the prime minister, state premiers, and chief ministers of the territories. These meetings shape the political landscape of the country and influence the distribution of power between the states and the federal government.
It is worth noting that women have played a significant role in the leadership of Australian states, with female chief ministers elected in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT). Clare Martin of the Labor Party was the only one of these women to lead a majority government and gain re-election after completing a full term.
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The first majority Labor government was elected in 1910
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has its roots in the labour parties founded in the Australian colonies in the 1890s, prior to federation. The 1891 shearers' strike is considered one of the factors for the formation of the ALP.
In 1893, the United Labor Party (ULP) won 10 of 54 lower house seats in the South Australian elections, giving it balance-of-power status. This allowed the liberal government of Charles Kingston to be formed, ousting the conservative government. In 1905, Thomas Price became the first Labor Premier of South Australia, forming the world's first stable Labor government.
In 1904, Chris Watson became Australia's first Labor Prime Minister, leading a minority government that lasted four months. He was succeeded by Andrew Fisher, who led Labor to victory in the 1910 federal election. This represented several milestones: it was Australia's first elected federal majority government, the first elected Senate majority, and the world's first Labour Party majority government at a national level. Fisher's government won 50% of the vote and 42 seats, marking the first time a Labor Party controlled any house of a legislature, and also the first time it controlled both houses of a bicameral legislature.
At the state level, the Labor Party formed its first majority governments in New South Wales and South Australia in 1910, followed by Western Australia in 1911, Queensland in 1915, and Tasmania in 1925.
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The Australian Labor Party has its origins in the 1890s
The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also known as the Labor Party or simply Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia. It is one of the two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The Labor Party is often referred to as the "party of unions" due to its historical founding by and close ties with trade unions.
In 1892, the Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party was read out under the famous Tree of Knowledge in Barcaldine, following the Great Shearers' Strike of 1891. This strike is credited as one of the factors for the formation of the Australian Labor Party. The Balmain, New South Wales branch of the party claims to be the oldest in Australia.
In the following years, the Labour Party continued to gain traction and influence in the Australian colonies. By the 1893 South Australian elections, the ULP had gained significant support, winning 10 out of 54 lower house seats and forming a liberal government with Charles Kingston as premier. This marked a shift away from the conservative government led by John Downer.
The early 1900s saw the Labour Party solidify its position in Australian politics, with the election of Chris Watson as Australia's first Labor Prime Minister in 1904, followed by the formation of the world's first stable Labor government in South Australia in 1905.
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Labor's youth wing is called Australian Young Labor
The youth wing of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) is called Australian Young Labor (AYL), also known as the Young Labor Movement or simply Young Labor. It represents party members aged between 14 and 26 and operates as a federation with branches in all Australian states and territories. Young Labor is the oldest continuously operating youth wing of any political party in Australia, founded in 1926. It is very closely connected and integrated with its mother party, and many members of the organisation have gone on to successful political careers.
The Labor Guild of Youth was established in Victoria in 1926, and by the 1960s, most states had created young labour organisations, usually called the Young Labor Association (YLA). In the early 1970s, there was a push to establish a national organisation, and in 1971, leaders of several state YLAs met in Adelaide to form a national body. Australian Young Labor was included in the definition of the ALP in 1973.
Australian Young Labor promotes a mix of social democracy and democratic socialism, focusing on issues relevant to younger Australians. AYL advocates for social justice, aiming to reduce inequality and improve access to essential services like healthcare and education. The youth wing is most active during state and federal elections, campaigning in marginal seats. Members may be organised to door-knock electorates or set up stands in shopping centres to distribute political party notes. Each year, Australian Young Labor holds a conference in a capital city, usually at a university campus, featuring guest speakers from the ALP.
While the Labor Party has a strong presence across Australia, it is not in power in every state. As of my last update in June 2025, Tasmania was noted as an exception, indicating that the Labor Party does not govern all Australian states.
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Labor's two largest factional groupings are Labor Left and Labor Right
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is noted for its highly structured and organised factions across the ideological spectrum. The two largest factional groupings within the ALP are the Labor Left and the Labor Right. These factions are formalised groups within the party that advocate for certain policies and ideas within the greater framework of the party. They have names, charters, membership logs, internal office bearers, publications, and policy positions.
The Labor Left is a membership-based organisation that includes members with a range of political perspectives, including Keynesianism, confrontational trade unions, Fabian social democracy, New Leftism, and democratic socialism. Their policy positions include party democratisation, economic interventionism, progressive tax reform, refugee rights, gender equality, and same-sex marriage. The Labor Left faction includes members who are socially and economically left-wing, and they are known to be more progressive. The Hard Left faction within the Labor Left is closely aligned with external left-wing groups, such as the Communist Party of Australia, and they favour a top-down approach to negotiation with the Labor Right. On the other hand, the Soft Left faction, which emerged from the Baldwinites, advocates for a bottom-up strategy of mobilising grassroots membership.
The Labor Right, on the other hand, is a slightly more economically conservative faction. They generally support social democratic traditions. Important unions supporting the Labor Right include the Australian Workers' Union (AWU), the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), and the Transport Workers' Union of Australia (TWU).
These factions play a crucial role in determining the leadership of the ALP, allocating frontbench portfolios, choosing candidates to run for Parliament, and deciding the party's policy positions. They bring order and organisation to the caucus, managing internal policy fights and forming cohesive groups to advance policy positions. While factions are important, it is worth noting that not every member of the ALP aligns with a side, and some members remain independent.
Despite the differing opinions and perspectives within the ALP, the party remains united as it is backed and funded by workers and unions, fundamentally supporting the interests of workers.
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Frequently asked questions
Not all states in Australia are under Labor governments.
Yes, between 6 March 2002 and 23 September 2008, there were Labor Premiers in all six Australian states.
With the exception of South Australia, every state and territory of Australia has had a female head of government, all but three of whom have represented the Australian Labor Party.
The two largest factional groupings are the Labor Left, supportive of democratic socialist ideals, and the Labor Right, which generally supports social democratic traditions.
The Australian Labor Party has its origins in the Labour parties founded in the 1890s in the Australian colonies prior to federation. The 1891 shearers' strike is credited as being one of the factors for the formation of the party.
