SIR EARLE CHRISTMAS GRAFTON PAGE

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Earle Page holds the record for the second-shortest period as Prime Minister, but he regarded himself only as a caretaker and was not the type of man to have delusions of glory. Born in Grafton, New South Wales in 1880, he was blunt, shrewd and earthy, as befitted a country man. He was also as sophisticated, ruthless and opportunistic as any other politician of his era.

Page, like Stanley Bruce, was extreme right wing by inheritance. Born into comfortable circumstances in a thriving country Centre, he said of his childhood: "In this tranquil and beautiful environment, we enjoyed the security of a happy home" His parents gave their 11 children a good education and young Earle responded by gaining scholarships to high school and university. After that, he chose to study medicine because his mother had suffered an accident when he was a child and there was no medical help available locally. He was a popular student at the University of Sydney, especially for his ability to pick winners in the Melbourne Cup, but his basic attitude to medicine is perhaps reflected in the title of his autobiography, Truant Doctor.

He qualified in 1904, and his devotion to the Clarence River region drew him back to open a practice in his home town. He established one of the first hospitals in the area. During the next 12 years he began to take an interest in state politics, especially in the move to create a separate state in northern New South Wales, and to invest in farming and grazing properties.

Eighteen months as a surgeon in the Army Medical Corps, dealing with the debris of war in Egypt and on the Western Front, made him feel he would perhaps enjoy politics better than medicine. When he returned home, he found the time was ripe for an entry into that arena.

It was the period when country folk had determined to have a louder voice in federal politics. Australia was steadily evolving into an urban-industrial nation in which labour and capitalism battled each other, with scant regard for primary producers. Hughes' alliance with the National Party made country people fear he would ‘socialise’ the Nationalists. In a nationwide movement, men of influence in the bush and outback founded the Country Party.

In this climate, Page presented himself to an electorate closely acquainted with him and his family. The voters applauded his program for national agricultural development and, in 1919, they rocketed him into the Commonwealth Parliament.

Page and other Country Party representatives quickly found they held the whip hand. After the 1923 elections, their party swung the balance of power between Labor and Nationalists. Page, as party leader, disliked Hughes and did not hesitate to say so. His price for supporting the Nationalists was dismissal of Hughes as Prime Minister in favour of Stanley Bruce and his own appointment as Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister. He also demanded select ministerial posts for a number of Country Party members. Page rose from obscurity to power even faster than Stanley Bruce, and Hughes never forgave him for his ruthless strategy.

The 1920s were golden years for the Country Party. Members held the ministerial posts which enabled them to manipulate the administration for the benefit of primary producers, while Page supported Bruce's anti-union legislation and inspired much of the financial policy. He fought so determinedly for Country Party advantages that James Scullin condemned his 'stand-and-deliver' strategy.

But the 1929 elections swept the Bruce-Page coalition out of office and the Depression eroded the Country Party's power base among primary producers. Page retained his seat, but had only minor influence until he allied his party with the United Australia Party in 1934 and became Deputy Prime Minister under Joseph Lyons.

Lyons died when his government still had about two years to run. Page advised the Governor-General to commission him as 'caretaker' Prime Minister while the United Australia Party chose a new leader. He announced that he himself supported Stanley Bruce, although Bruce seemed to be more interested in his overseas commitments than in domestic politics.

Other members of both the Country Party and the UAP canvassed for Robert Menzies as Prime Minister, but Page was determined that Menzies should not win the contest. He attacked Menzies’ credibility in a savage speech, claiming he would be a frail reed during the war which now seemed inevitable. But his attack was so violent that it swung support to Menzies. It offended Page's own supporters so much that they dismissed him as leader of the Country Party.

Menzies, a pragmatic politician, later gave Page office in his governments. Page was to introduce Australia’s first national health scheme. He died at 81, a few hours before the announcement of his defeat in the 1961 elections.

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