James Scullin: Australia's Response to the Great Depression

In this video, we'll look at two prime ministers; Stanley Bruce and James Scullin, particularly looking at Scullin's response to the Great Depression in Australia. Firstly, Stanley Bruce was appointed the leader of the Nationalist Party after their coalition partner, Earl Page (leader of Country Party) refused to align if Billy Hughes remained on as leader. However, in 1929, Stanley Bruce was defeated by James Scullin and his Labor Party.

However, two days after James Scullin took office in 1929, America went through Black Thursday Stock Market Crash. Afterwrds they went through the Depression with worldwide consquences. In order to combat the Great Depression, Scullin made a number of controversial appointments such as rehiring his disgraced treasurer, Ted Theodore and appointing Robert Gibson to be head of the Commonwealth Bank.

Ultimately, his close ally Joseph Cook felt forced to defect to the Nationalists and merge to form a new United Australia Party and use the UAP to take down the Scullin's Labor.

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