Australian Capital Territory Progress and Welfare Council
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ACT Progress and Welfare Council | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1969 |
| Dissolved | c. 1967 |
| ACT Advisory Council | 1 / 8 (1955–1965)
|
The Australian Capital Territory Progress and Welfare Council (known as the ACT Progress and Welfare Council) was a peak co-ordination body of progress associations in the Australian Capital Territory. It also operated as a political party in the ACT in the period prior to self-government in 1989.
The Federal Capital Territory (renamed the Australian Capital Territory in 1938) was created in 1911 by the Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910 out of the state of New South Wales. Residents in the FCT were disenfranchised as they were no longer entitled to vote in NSW, but there was no elected body in the FCT. This led to the creation of the Federal Territory Vigilance Association to seek to protect the interests of residents of the FCT.[1] Development was slow, as were steps towards political representation. In 1927 a FCT Representation League was formed.[2] A partially elected Advisory Council was established in 1930.[3]
Progress Associations and the Council
A feature of Canberra life as the city slowly developed was the establishment of progress associations in many of the emerging suburbs, to lobby for increased civic amenities. A number of progress associations were established in 1922: Eastlake (a temporary suburb which later became Kingston), Westridge (which later became Yarralumla) and Molonglo Settlement (which later became part of Fyshwick).[4] The next progress associations to be established were those at the temporary suburbs of Westlake (later Stirling Park in Yarralumla) and Causeway (later also part of Kingston), established in 1924.[5][6] The oldest existing Inner Canberra association is the Reid Progress Association, dating from 1930,[7] since renamed the Reid Residents' Association,[8][9] although the Hall Village Progress Association was already in existence by at least 1929.[10]
In 1944 the Associations were brought together with the establishment of the council as a representative body.[11][12][13] The initial focus for the council was bus routes, milk supply, swimming facilities in North Canberra, specialist medical visits to Canberra Hospital and play centres.[14][15] The council was slow to establish itself: in 1950 the Narrabundah-Griffith Progress Association described the council as 'moribund'.[16] By 1955 there were only 4 active progress associations remaining: Yarralumla, Duntroon, Turner and O'Connor.[17]
