Chapter 166: The Second Cabinet Government
"Very well." Butler Hunter said with a smile. "Since it will take some time to tally all the forms, from now on, each of you will have about half an hour to rest. The meeting will resume in half an hour."
The members of parliament breathed a sigh of relief, but they didn't start talking until after Arthur had left.
The real focus of the election was still ahead, and it would take several more hours before the final results could be determined.
Arthur, of course, didn't foolishly sit around waiting. He returned to the rest area on the top floor, quietly awaiting the final election results.
Half an hour passed quickly. When Butler Hunter opened the doors to the conference room again, the chatter inside immediately stopped.
"Ladies and gentlemen, after a period of tallying, the candidates for the second Australian Cabinet government election have been finalized. There are a total of 93 candidates in this election. The breakdown is as follows: six candidates for Prime Minister, seventeen for Minister of Foreign Affairs, twenty-eight for Minister of Public Affairs, twenty-one for Minister of Transportation, sixteen for Minister of Finance, seven for Minister of Defense, twenty-nine for Minister of Agriculture, sixteen for Minister of Industry, eleven for Minister of Health, eighteen for Minister of Education, and twenty-seven for Minister of Security," Butler Hunter reported.
"You will each receive a detailed list of candidates for each position. You will then have one hour to consider and select your preferred candidates for each position. After an hour, please write the name of your chosen candidate for each position and drop your ballots into the corresponding ballot box," Butler Hunter continued. "Each position allows you to vote for only one candidate, and no candidate is allowed to vote for themselves. I hope everyone will carefully consider your choices, as each vote is important to each candidate."
"The process of filling out the forms and making your selections must be done in silence. Please refrain from speaking until the final results are announced."
After announcing all the rules, Butler Hunter wisely stepped aside, leaving the members plenty of time to think.
Once they heard that no conversation was allowed, everyone quickly abandoned their thoughts of chatting. After all, this was a matter of national and royal dignity, and no one was foolish enough to break the rules, making Arthur upset or, worse, be expelled from the room.
The people in attendance were all important figures in parliament and various political parties. Being expelled would mean losing face and future prospects.
This also made the selection process much more difficult, especially for the independent members who had to decide alone.
Members of parties and those with their own small groups were generally quicker in filling out their forms. They had already discussed their choices within their parties and had clear goals. They filled out their ballots swiftly, and within half an hour, some had already raised their hands for a guard to take their forms.
About an hour later, the members had filled out their forms for all the positions and handed them over to the guards.
To ensure the fairness of the election, the tallying would be done publicly, with each candidate's name being read aloud, and the number of votes for each candidate noted next to their name.
This live announcement added to the tension in the room. Each time a name was called, the candidate's emotions were stirred. Likewise, if a candidate's name was not called for a long time, it could be mentally taxing for them.
The roll call was conducted by position, and the process took time. It was expected that each position would take at least half an hour, or even an hour, to complete. After all, there were more than two hundred people present, meaning each position would have over two hundred ballots.
The first positions to be called were the Cabinet ministers, with the Prime Minister being called last as the most important position in the Cabinet.
The audience was attentive, some eagerly waiting to hear their names, while others were focused on the final results.
Among the ten Cabinet minister positions, the most popular were those for Minister of Public Affairs, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister of Security. These three departments were considered less important than others, making them the chosen positions for many who were voting for the first time in a Cabinet election.
The least contested was the position of Minister of Defense. This was a special position for Australia, and almost all candidates lacked confidence in it.
Everyone knew that, as Duke of Australia, Arthur took military matters very seriously. Even if someone had the advantage in the election for Minister of Defense, it didn't guarantee they would become the actual Minister of Defense.
This position still depended on Arthur's decision, so aside from a few confident candidates and Arthur's own supporters, most people wisely chose other positions.
The roll call continued from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with several breaks for lunch and dinner.
Both meals were prepared by Arthur's personal chefs, with desserts alone numbering in the dozens, not to mention the countless main courses.
By around 10:30 p.m., the roll call was finally completed, and the final list for the second Cabinet government of Australia was ready.
Arthur received the list at nearly the same time, as he was at the government building.
The new Cabinet was not very different from the previous one, except for a change in the Minister of Health. All other positions remained filled by the previous members.
This was because all of Australia's political parties were still young and their influence was limited.
The exception was the Australian Labor Party. The Labor Party had a unique position in Australian politics. Although it was established early, its platform had already been fulfilled by the Australian government, which meant it was not particularly popular in Australia.
The reason why the Minister of Health, Bradford Dillman, lost his position in the election was simple. His skills in healthcare were indisputable, but his administrative skills were lacking. He was more suited to being a medical expert or deputy minister rather than managing the entire healthcare system.
The new Minister of Health was Willie Watson from the Independent Party. Watson had an impressive background, being a native Australian who studied at prestigious universities in Europe, obtaining degrees in healthcare and management, and had extensive experience in the UK.
After hearing the news of Australia's unification, Watson did not rush back to Australia. Instead, he stayed in Europe to continue his education, further improving his skills before returning.
After the recent legalization of political parties, Watson was one of the key figures behind the founding of the Independent Party. The party was founded with the aim of maintaining Australia's independence and unity, as well as securing the future of the Australian Principality.
While Watson did not become the leader of the Independent Party, his academic credentials and experience made him the ideal candidate for the Cabinet position.
With Willie Watson successfully elected as the new Minister of Health, he became the first Cabinet minister in Australia's history with a political party background.
After reviewing the list of Cabinet members, Arthur immediately stood up and prepared to go to the conference room to meet with the new Cabinet government.
The term of the second Cabinet government was now set to four years, meaning the new Cabinet would serve from June 1903 until June 1907.
Compared to the first Cabinet, the new Cabinet would face more tasks, especially with the future creation of the Dreadnought, which would join the naval forces and potentially elevate Australia's international standing and prestige.
This meant the Cabinet would have more duties, but they would also gain more accomplishments and recognition.
In the conference room, as the final list of the new Cabinet was announced, applause and chatter filled the air.
This lively scene continued until Arthur's arrival, after which the room returned to its quiet and formal state.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to witness the birth of the second Australian Cabinet government. Of course, many of you are familiar faces, and I am glad to see you continue in your roles. Those who were not successful in the election, don't be discouraged, as there will be many more opportunities in the future. Whether you become a Cabinet member or continue as a parliamentarian or party member, you will all contribute to the development of Australia and the rise of our great nation," Arthur said with a smile.
"Long live Your Highness!"
After Arthur's words, many of the attendees had indeed come to terms with their situation.
Just like the young age of Australia, many of these politicians were also relatively young.
Many of the parliamentarians were highly educated young people, some not even yet thirty years old.
At such a young age, their political careers were just beginning, and a short-term defeat did not mean the end.
Moreover, as members of the House of Commons, they already held significant power and responsibility.
While they could not make decisions for the nation like Cabinet members, they still had the ability to influence Australia in various ways and contribute their efforts.
"Besides becoming Cabinet members, the Australian government also offers many other positions, including deputy ministers and state government roles," Arthur continued with a smile. "The government will issue an announcement with specific details on how you can apply for these positions."
Apart from the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers also generally had deputy positions. This ensured that in the event of unexpected changes, no department would be left without leadership.
These roles were ideal targets for those who did not succeed in the election for Cabinet positions. Although these positions were not as high-profile as those of Cabinet ministers, they still represented a step into the higher echelons of the Australian government.
And since non-Cabinet and state government positions did not have term limits, Cabinet ministers could remain in their positions as long as they were capable, until better candidates were found or they retired.
For some people with less political experience or lesser talents, this could be a better choice, as higher positions were highly competitive and often resulted in the person taking the blame in times of disaster or accidents.
With the official announcement of the second Cabinet government, the election finally came to a close.
Overall, the new Cabinet government lineup was predictable. After all, experience was a valuable asset in a young nation like Australia.
The Cabinet members had performed well during their time in office, and Arthur had no objection to keeping them in their positions.
But as time passed, what would happen in the next election in four years was uncertain.
After four years of development, whether the political parties could attract more members and gain an advantage in the House of Commons remained a topic of concern.
Whether the second-term Cabinet officials would retain their advantage in future elections was also unpredictable.
But overall, Australia's political landscape was moving in a positive direction, and as time went on, Australia's political system was becoming more refined, giving the people more ways to assert their rights and interests.
On June 11, 1903, the day after the second Cabinet government list was officially announced, the Victoria News and the Australian Daily published the news and rushed copies to be printed and sent across the country.
The new Cabinet, largely composed of familiar faces, was met with little opposition from the Australian people.
After all, Australia had undergone significant changes in the past three years, and most of these changes had been for the better.
Rather than focusing on who the Cabinet members were, Australians were more concerned about whether these members would respect and protect their interests.
So far, the previous Cabinet had done well, with the living conditions and income of the Australian people steadily improving, and many Australians had escaped poverty and no longer had to worry about hunger or cold.
The focus was no longer on deputy ministers or other political parties. As time passed, most of the army weapons and equipment ordered by Australia for the island nation had already been completed and were about to be shipped.
It is worth noting that the equipment for the Russian Empire, which was also produced during the same period, would be shipped to different countries at different times.
Though the destinations and departure times varied, Arthur was highly confident that these two batches of weapons might end up in the same war, a war that would determine the fate of the Far East's hegemony.
Australia, lacking the strength to directly participate, could only act as an arms dealer, indirectly balancing the military powers of the two sides, all while generating revenue for Australia's arms industry.
Also noteworthy was news from the far-off United States. In June of this year, Ford Motor Company was officially established and had already begun developing cars.
Though Ford's competition with Benz was unlikely in the short term, its historical achievements made it a company worth keeping an eye on.
(End of Chapter)
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