VARDON, Edward Charles (1866–1937)
Senator for South Australia, 1921–22 (Nationalist Party)

Vardon first entered the House of Assembly as one of the three members for Sturt in 1918, representing the coalition of National Party and Liberals, but resigned in 1921 to accept appointment to a Senate casual vacancy. In 1924, he was re-elected to the Assembly as a Liberal, and again in 1927 for the Liberal‑Country Party Pact. The debates of the South Australian Parliament point to his major areas of interest—federal and state taxation systems, industrial law and the minutiae of government expenditure. He was an advocate of the parliamentary committee system and a member of the Parliament’s printing committee. In favour of conciliation in industrial relations, he said that he wished to see employers and employees brought together ‘in friendly conference’, supported workmen’s compensation and favoured the ‘living wage’. He spoke at length on the Industrial Code Bill, on occasion agreeing with points raised by the Labor Opposition. But by 1924, he was troubled by the number of strikes and opposed Labor’s industrial legislation. He remained vigilant about the estimates, but a cynic may have wondered at his recommendation that the state’s government printing office should be abolished—it would be better, he considered, to contract the work to a private firm.[2]

Appointed by the Governor-in-Council to a Senate casual vacancy on 18 February 1921, Vardon replaced Robert Guthrie, who had died in office. But his term as a senator came to a halt on 4 August due to the South Australian Parliament having failed to confirm his appointment as required under section 15 of the Constitution. Five days later, the necessary joint sitting of the South Australian Parliament occurred and Vardon was a senator once more, one of thirty-five Nationalists in the Senate to the single Labor representative—Senator Gardiner.

Vardon’s speeches in the Senate were the considered views of a thoughtful backbencher committed to government accountability, even when the government was controlled by his own party. He did not have a lot to say, but what he said was sensible, and while he was a supporter of the Prime Minister, W. M. Hughes, he was prepared to criticise the Government, especially in relation to its expenditure. South Australia, he said, had heard ‘a good deal about Federal extravagance’ and of the ‘unnecessary Federal Capital out in the bush’. During debate on the Public Service Bill, he was, he declared, keen to reduce the number of public servants, but only so long as it did not reduce the efficiency of the Service. The Government should be a ‘model employer’, with ‘the best wages’ and ‘best conditions of service’ and should undertake to provide superannuation. He supported an extension of the retirement age and was worried about the duplication of some functions of government as a result of Federation.[3]

A protectionist, he wanted to see Australia ‘self-supporting’. He referred to South Australia leading the ‘Australia Week’ campaign and to his association with Senator Pratten in that campaign. He spoke proudly to the success of South Australia’s government-sponsored All-Australian Exhibition. He saw all this as part of the Australian national spirit, the spirit of Anzac, which embraced businessmen and workmen alike. During debate on the tariff, he spoke at length on matters pertaining to the printing industry, notably paper. Although an advocate of arbitration, he desired to limit the ambit of the Arbitration Court. On the need for tax reform, he referred to the disadvantage suffered by the Institutes Association of South Australia because of an entertainment tax. A South Australian to the core, he was jealous of any suggestion that the north–south railway might go through Queensland. He regretted that the Senate had become ‘as much a party House as the other branch of the Legislature’, and was in favour of proportional representation for Senate elections. He wanted the people of the Northern Territory represented in the Parliament.[4]

Vardon stood for the Senate at the 1922 federal election, but was defeated. Perhaps he was better suited to the South Australian Parliament, where, after his re-election in 1924, he remained until his defeat in 1930. Vardon died at his home in Unley Park on 23 February 1937. On 28 August 1888, he had married Ellen, née Peel, of Exeter, at the Congregational Church, Port Adelaide. There were two children—a son and a daughter—but only his daughter Daisy survived him. The view of Vardon as a kindly man is given credibility by his support of the liberalisation of divorce law in South Australia in 1918, when he commented that he could see ‘no reason to differentiate between men and women’.

In Vardon’s first speech in the Senate, he had referred to a letter sent by the President of the Senate, Thomas Givens, to his father. Edward expressed the hope that he would receive ‘a like measure of confidence and esteem’ as that accorded to Joseph. Though not as influential a politician as his father, Edward seems to have been as well respected. Unfailingly courteous, with the Australian’s love of fair play, he was a faithful representative of the people of South Australia.[5]

Ann Millar