In this lecture Professor Alan Reid explores political life in South Australia in the 1870s, particularly the lives and contributions of the seven Premiers during that decade. The presentation is the third in a series tracing how South Australia’s democracy was shaped by personalities, ideas and events in colonial times. The lecture will examine who became parliamentary representatives and how they were elected, and will explore the frequent conflicts between the House of Assembly and the Legislative Council. There will be a particular focus on the factions which caused the famous political instability (and which were a precursor to political parties), and the characters who organised them.
Presented by Professor Alan Reid