Executive Country Party

The Executive Country Party was a splinter group from the Western Australian branch of the Country Party of Australia that was active in the mid-1920s. It was led by the state deputy leader of the Country Party, Alec Thomson. The members of the Executive faction wanted better representation of the Primary Producers' Association by the party, while the remainder (known as the Majority Country Party) chose to primarily support the Nationalist coalition led by then Premier James Mitchell. In 1923, 3 members of the 16-member Country Party split to form the ECP.

The Executive Country Party contested the 1924 Western Australian elections, winning 6 seats in total. The Majority Country Party meanwhile was reduced from 13 seats to 7 seats, and the Nationalist Coalition was defeated at the election by the Labor opposition, led by Philip Collier.[1]

Following this defeat, the Majority Country Party amalgamated with the Nationalists to form the United Party of Western Australia. Following this, the ECP renamed itself as the Country Party of Western Australia.[2] They returned to government at the 1930 election, supporting James Mitchell's second government in a renewed coalition.

References

1. "Western Australian 1924 Election". Australian Politics and Elections Database. University of Western Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
2. "Western Australian 1927 Election". Australian Politics and Elections Database. University of Western Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2015.