Arthur Fadden (centre) was egged on his visit to Griffith in 1949. Photo: State Library of Victoria.
Well thank the good Lord that that’s over!
Along with the rest of the nation, Riverina and Farrer have survived five weeks of electioneering, we’ve cast our votes, eaten our democracy sausage and the majority of us can go back to ignoring federal politics for the next three years.
While it’s all been mostly banal, outspoken Australian Citizens Party candidate for Riverina Richard Foley threw a cup of diesel on the smoldering polling season, declaring on his personal Facebook account that, “the vast majority of people in this electorate are the dumbest [censored] walking on this planet”.
While attacking his potential constituents was a surprising tactic, Mr Foley doubled down to “jolt voters into some common sense” and succeeded in generating widespread coverage and plenty of supportive comments across social media.
It prompted us to look back through the archives to see what other lively election incidents jolted voters in campaigns of the past.
1949 seems to have been a busy year for the local Communist Party who were caught up in several incidents of civil disobedience.
When Country Party leader Arthur Fadden visited Griffith in November, he threatened to punch a protester when things got rowdy on the street.
“I’ll punch you straight on the nose,” quoted the Border Morning Mail as the future deputy prime minister responded to the shout of “bludger”.
His threat was met with jeers and the crowd shouted him down any time he mentioned communism.
Later, an egg was thrown from the darkness, striking Mr Fadden on the leg and staining his trousers.
Country Party delegates told the crowd that this was the worst meeting they had ever seen in Australia and Mr Fadden stormed across to a group of police officers who were watching on.
“What are you all doing here, standing around dressed up like idols?” he blustered.
“I am very concerned about this. I am the leader of party which is concerned for democracy and this is the sort of subversive thing that can happen.”
The sergeant agreed, explaining that they had been busy with a brawl at the other end of town.
Meantime, the Communist candidate for Farrer, Bill Gollan, claimed to have been attacked twice while on the road campaigning in Ganmain-Coolamon.
While addressing a crowd of around 200 in Ganmain, he claimed that a group of 30 or 40 moved among the audience creating a disturbance and handing out leaflets promoting John Mackay, the United Country Party candidate.
He and two companions departed in their car for Coolamon, the Border Morning Mail reporting that they were followed by a truck and a car.
The vehicles were full of men who pelted Mr Gollan’s car with stones and attempted to force them off the road.
At one point the attackers pulled ahead and twice attempted to blockade the road with the truck.
On the second occasion, as Mr Golan’s driver took the car off-road to get past, a large rock was thrown that shattered the windscreen and showered the occupants with glass.
The driver received cuts to his neck, face and arms that required medical treatment.
Mr Golan said they recognised many of the men in Coolamon that afternoon where they again attempted to disrupt his meeting.
“The real cause of the fascist behavior of these men is the red-baiting and anti-communist hysteria promoted by the millionaire press, the Liberal and Country parties, and the right wing of the ALP,” Mr Golan proclaimed.
After reading about the adventures of candidates in 1949, our modern, carefully staged elections pale into insignificance!
