Steele Hall

South Australian politics has always had a flair for characters and "A Liberal Awakening" covers a few of them, and includes some of the political machinations which has made Australian politics famous.

The genesis of the Liberal Movement (or "LM" for those in the know) derives from the Liberal and Country League (LCL), the conservative party that dominated politics in South Australia through its leader, Premier Sir Tom Playford, for over thirty years. The LCL was dominated by rural interests, although there was a growing number of city-based small 'l' liberals who sought to take control of the LCL.

This book charts that struggle and you can probably guess, by the name of this book, which faction won and which faction split from the party to form the Liberal Movement.

No doubt somewhat rare these days, the book does give a good snapshot of Australian politics and the way that the small 'l' liberals around Australia sought to build their strength and take on the (they believed) union dominated Labor Party and the conservative wing of the Liberal parties around the country.… (altro)