The Westralian Worker was a newspaper established in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia in 1900 and published until its demise in 1951 in Perth, Western Australia.

Westralian Worker
TypeWeekly
Founded7 September 1900 (1900-09-07)
Political alignmentWestern Australian Labor Party
LanguageEnglish
Ceased publication22 June 1951 (1951-06-22)
CityKalgoorlie, Western Australia (until 1912)
Perth, Western Australia
CountryAustralia

History

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It was established as the Official organ of the Western Australian Labor Party – with the subtitle of "A journal devoted to the interest of trade unionism, co-operation and labour in politics".[1][2]

In April 1912 it was moved to Perth and was published by the Westralian Worker Printing and Publishing Company. In 1915 the Worker and People's Printing and Publishing Company amalgamated.[3] The company also published union books and pamphlets as well as the Westralian Worker.[4]

The company was involved in broadcasting with interest in the Perth radio station 6KY.[5][6]

 
Printers mark found on rear of railway union booklet circa 1935

The newspaper attempted to balance views between conscriptionists and anti-conscriptionists in World War I, but eventually became a mouthpiece for the anti-conscriptionists.[7]

The editorial policy included tackling perceived biases of other Western Australian newspapers.[8]

The newspaper was based in Holman House.[9] The newspaper ceased publication in 1951.[10][11][12]

Notable editors

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Publishing details

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  • Vol. 1, no. 1 (7 Sept. 1900)-no. 2219 (Friday, 22 June 1951)[14][15]

Notes

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  1. ^ Australian Labor Party. Western Australian Branch (1885), Records of the Australian Labor Party WA Branch, retrieved 12 March 2013 for an example of the Newspaper archives and the ALP
  2. ^ Menagh, C. E (1900), "Westralian worker" and the AWU, retrieved 4 October 2016
  3. ^ People's Printing and Publishing Company of Western Australia; Australian Labor Party. Western Australian Branch (1906), Records, retrieved 4 October 2016
  4. ^ Westralian Worker (1920), Collection of miscellaneous political and trade union pamphlets printed by the Westralian Worker press c.1920–1950, Westralian Worker, retrieved 18 March 2013
  5. ^ "Westralian Worker and 6KY". Westralian Worker. No. 1709. Western Australia. 8 August 1941. p. 1. Retrieved 16 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Curtin Family (1942), Lovers of Australia: a series of talks sponsored by the W.A. State Executive Australian Labor Party & broadcast over Radio 6KY. Perth, WA ALP, 1942, retrieved 16 June 2023
  7. ^ Corr, Robert (2003). Sitting on the rail: the Westralian worker in wartime (Thesis). Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  8. ^ "What The "Miner" Doesn't Print!". Westralian Worker. No. 2123. Western Australia. 22 July 1949. p. 9. Retrieved 4 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ [1] Picture of Holman House front with Worker sign
  10. ^ "New 'Worker' Next Week". Westralian Worker. No. 2219. Western Australia. 22 June 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 16 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "The Worker To Close". The Daily News. Vol. LXIX, no. 23, 772. Western Australia. 22 June 1951. p. 3 (Fintal). Retrieved 16 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ ""Worker" Closes Down". Kalgoorlie Miner. Vol. 57, no. 16007. Western Australia. 27 June 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 16 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "Westralian Worker Editor – Cigarette Box presented by Worker Staff to John Curtin". January 2000. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  14. ^ The Westralian worker, Milsons Point, W. & F. Pascoe Pty. Ltd, 1900, ISSN 2203-0204 – microfilm
  15. ^ http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/title/741 online form details
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