Page 66 - Tropic Magazine Issue 26

TROPIC • REGIONAL HISTORY

Political petitions

and predicaments

ELECTIONEERING ANTICS
The appointment of
Queensland’s first Cairns MP
in 1888 was no simple affair.

Words: Nicky Horstmann 1 2
There’s no avoiding the spectre of in whatever direction their tastes and “He is too old a man for the turmoil
election campaigns at the moment, aspirations were situated.” of an election and a seat in the Lower
from Palaszczuk vs Frecklington in You have to wonder what “their tastes House. In a new and democratic colony
Queensland to Trump vs Biden in and aspirations” alludes to, don’t you? we require young men to represent the
the United States. What follows is a “If the law and condition of society manhood, the progressive spirit, and
‘cautionary tale’ describing the 1888 allowed it, we would advise Mr the unconservative independence of
election of the first Cairns representative Kingsford to collect all his chief advisers the people.”
for the Queensland Legislative Assembly. together and shoot them! Assuredly The article then refers to the Upper
The candidates were local Mayor Richard they belong to that class of friends who House as “the dismal chamber of
Ashe Kingsford and Frederick Thomas are far more to be dreaded than the moss-covered fossils of a past age”
Wimble, founder and editor of the worst of enemies.” and “a political mausoleum”. It also
former Cairns Post (a very different Is this an incitement to violence? accuses Kingsford of wanting to
publication to today’s paper), and the
campaign was conducted in a no-holds-
barred style. Wimble was the outright
winner, allegedly spending as much as
£7000 on this battle – a momentous
campaign budget at the time.
So, perhaps it’s understandable
Kingsford contested the decision,
submitting a petition “on the grounds of
bribery, corruption and double voting.”
The Court in Brisbane found in favour of
Wimble, claiming there was inadequate
detail in the plaintiff’s submission.
However, it was suggested that “it may
be necessary to extend the legislation
of the colony to the regulation and
limitation of the expenditure of the
candidates at election.” Sound familiar? 3
“The petition of R.A. Kingsford to unseat
F.T. Wimble, Member for Cairns, bring Maybe, but what follows is the classic totally destroy Wimble because he
now scattered to the four winds, and excuse for poor behaviour. Everyone couldn’t accept defeat.
drifting rapidly towards oblivion of dead was employing the same electioneering Even the apology to Kingsford for the
and buried failures, we have no intention tactics, even the would-be Premiers in nature of the article is a slap in the face.
to further refer to the subject, except so the capital city. “Mr. Kingsford will graciously pardon
far as it can be used to point a moral and “If Mr. Wimble deserved unseating us for this symbolical but irreverent
adorn a tale,” the Cairns Post wrote on for free and easy expenditure and language, which we shall probably
Wednesday 7, 1988. general hilarious hospitality to the repent in sackcloth and ashes –
As there were four separate petitions to electors, then the Premier of the whenever we have a few days to spare.”
unseat four different members of the colony is equally deserving of the same You can make your own comparisons
10th Assembly, the article continued punishment. We fail to see why the with today’s electioneering antics.
to report, “The principal effect of Member for Cairns should be sent One thing’s for sure though –
these petitions was to provide a grand out into the wilderness as a scapegoat we aren’t necessarily living in
benefit for the lawyers, to furnish a carrying the sins of all the electorates!” unprecedented times.
considerable and very miscellaneous Then there’s an absolute ripsnorter
‘job lot’ of enterprising gentlemen with of all commentary based on the idea
free steamer tickets and free board at Kingsford should never have even 1. Richard Ashe Kingsford
2. Frederick Thomas Wimble
hotels, besides sufficient cash to spend entered the race. 3. Donald Trump

66 • Tropic • Issue 26