Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Political & Social Machinations
Victoria's historical reputation as something of a conservative counterpoint to the more rad-
ical politics of racy Sydney was born as far back as the 19th century, when the money that
flooded the state during the gold-rush years established Victoria as one of the wealthiest
places in Australia. Family dynasties grew up and the powerful families that controlled the
business and political levers of the state made Melbourne one of the most powerful cities in
the country - hence its choice as the nation's temporary capital from 1901. By the middle
of the 20th century, Melbourne was a conservative city, the seat of the state's old-money
families and still Australia's economic capital. This history is reflected in the fact that con-
servative political forces - the Liberal Party, usually in coalition with the predominantly
rural National Party - held power in Victoria from 1955 to 1982.
A MULTICULTURAL STATE
Victoria's multicultural make-up continues to diversify. Around one out of every four Victorians was born overseas
and Melbourne is home to people from, at last count, 180 countries. Together they speak 233 languages and dia-
lects, and adhere to 116 religions. The largest group of foreign-born residents comes from the UK, more than
double that of any other country. The other main source countries are Italy, Vietnam, China, New Zealand, Greece
and India.
But things were changing. During the early 1970s, a burgeoning counterculture's experi-
ments with radical theatre, drugs and rock 'n' roll rang out through the Melbourne suburb
of Carlton. By the later years of that decade, Melbourne's reputation as a prim 'establish-
ment' city was further challenged by the emergence of a frantically subversive art, music,
film and fashion scene that launched bands like the Birthday Party onto the world stage.
During the real-estate boom of the 1980s, a wave of glamorous shops, nightclubs and res-
taurants made way for Melbourne's emergence as Australia's capital of cool. Changes to
the licensing laws in the 1990s saw a huge growth of small bars, cafes and venues - and the
birth of the laneway phenomenon.
These changes were reflected in the political arena. A left-centre Labor Party govern-
ment held power for 10 years from 1982, and it was during this period that Victoria's repu-
tation as a seat for progessive politics and as a centre for the arts was born. In 1992, the
Liberal Party, led by Jeff Kennett, won a landslide victory in statewide elections. Although
from the conservative side of politics, Kennett pursued a quite radical agenda, modernising
many government institutions but alienating large sections of the community (particularly
