Protectionist Party

The party advocated protective tariffs, arguing it would allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment.

Its most prominent leaders were Sir Edmund Barton and Alfred Deakin, who were the first and second prime ministers of Australia.

The party was initially centred on New South Wales, where its leaders were George Dibbs and William Lyne.

On 25 August 1903, legislation to set up the High Court of Australia consisting of three judges was finally passed.

Then, on 5 October 1903, Deakin appointed Barton, as well as the party's Senate leader, Richard O'Connor, to be justices of the High Court, before calling the 1903 federal election for December and going into caretaker government mode.

Free Trade leader George Reid declined to take office, leaving Watson and Labour to form its first minority government, which lasted for four months.

Deakin and the new CLP now held a majority on the floor of the House of Representatives and the Fisher government fell in a vote on 27 May 1909.

While the party itself disappeared into history, many of its key legislative initiatives, such as the White Australia policy and tariff protection for industry, were maintained by successive Australian governments for a large part of the 20th century.