He was appointed to the Commonwealth Advisory Council for Science and Industry from 1916 to 1920, although his participation was limited, partly due to the distance between Perth and Melbourne.

Like his predecessor he opposed high tariffs and he publicly criticised party leader and Prime Minister, Stanley Bruce over the issue.

In 1929, he attacked the government over its failure to prosecute John Brown for illegally locking out his employees, resulting in his exclusion from party meetings.

Later in the year, he voted with Billy Hughes and three others to bring the Bruce government down over the Maritime Industries Bill—which would have abolished the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration—forcing it to the 1929 election and its defeat.

He could not regain a satisfactory position on the ABC and moved to commercial radio, particularly the Major Broadcasting Network where he continued to use the pseudonym "The Watchman".