Richard Butler's exit in 1938 sees Tom Playford as unanimous choice to be the next LCL premier of South Australia
When South Australia premier Richard Llayton Butler (at left) resigned to contest the federal seat of Wakefield, it opened the way for Tom Playford (right) to succeed him in 1938. Playford was regarded as a compromise transition candidate who appealed to urban voters and the rural section that was unhappy at Bulter's moves towards industrialising the state.
mage courtesy State Library of South Australia
Richard Layton Butler resigned as South Australian premier in 1938 to contest the safe federal parliamentary seat of Wakefield, opening the way for Tom Playford to start his Australian record term of 26 years and 216 days as the state leader.
The Liberal and Country League parliamentarians unanimously elected Playford as their leader, and he became premier, treasurer and minister for immigration. Playford was regarded as a compromise transition candidate who appealed to both urban voters and the rural section that was unhappy at Bulter's moves towards industrialising the state.
Seven months earlier, Butler had invited his troublesome backbencher Playford to join his cabinet ministry as commissioner of crown lands, minister of repatriation and minister of irrigation.
During the previous five years, Playford had been the scourge of his own government, statutory corporations, country hospitals, the police force and unfair bureaucrats. Playford attacked ministers who played the parish pump, delayed in answering parliamentary questions or accepted everything public servants told them. He closely studied the auditor general’s annual reports. He opposed the spending money on public works simply to relieve unemployment, insisting in 1934 that government spending could only be "based on some definite benefit to the state".
Playford criticised Butler for persisting with South Australia afforestation, saying it could never become profitable due to cheaper Scandinavian timber. He also denounced subsidising dairying in districts where the industry was uneconomic. He mocked the commonwealth court of conciliation and arbitration for basing its awards on living standards: "The standard of efficiency has never been considered, except perhaps in a few industries’".
When Playford agreed with government initiatives, he proved a valuable ally in debate as an effective, though not polished, speaker.