During its first 70 years, the ALP became one of Australia's two main parliamentary forces, went through three major and other minor splits, and held office federally for six periods. For long stretches, Queensland, Tasmania and New South Wales almost seemed to be one party Labor states. In comparison with labour or social democratic parties in other countries, the ALP was remarkably successful. Had its years in office changed it significantly? To answer this question and to provide a point of comparison when we come to consider the Party in the 21st century in Chapter 10, this chapter assesses important features of the ALP around the time of its 70th birthday. We focus on the three most powerful elements within the organisation: the union officials, the parliamentarians and the Party machines; we also consider the rank and file members, branches and Labor voters.

Union officials

Trade unions established the Labor Party in the 1890s; 70 years later the relationship between unions and the Party was still very close. Before considering this relationship, it is worth making two points about the nature of the union movement in the early 1960s. First, workers affiliated with the Labor Party through the unions were at this time still overwhelmingly members of blue collar unions. The exceptions, in states where they remained affiliated after the 1955 Split, were mainly members of the private sector clerks' and shop assistants' unions.