Date 29 November 1917 Causes Conscription | Location Warwick, Queensland Methods Civil disobedience | |
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The Egg Throwing Incident occurred on 29 November 1917 in Warwick, Queensland, Australia. An egg was thrown at the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes at the Warwick railway station during his campaign for the 1917 plebiscite on conscription. The egg was thrown by Patrick Michael Brosnan, possibly assisted by his brother Bartie Brosnan.
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Background
Pressured by British leaders for increased Australian participation in the war effort, Labour Prime Minister Billy Hughes announced his intention to hold a national referendum on compulsory military conscription in October 1916. After a particularly bitter campaign, a majority of Australians voted against the proposal, the issue splitting the Federal Labor Party. After joining with the conservative Opposition to form a nationalist government in February 1917, Hughes resolved to hold a second conscription referendum the following December.
The campaign was just as volatile as the first, and with the Queensland Government under Premier T.J. Ryan strongly anti-conscription, Hughes decided to tour southern Queensland in a bid to whip up support for his cause.
Warwick speech
On 29th November, 1917, Hughes attempted to give a speech to the people of Warwick at the local railway station. During the speech an egg was thrown at Hughes, knocking off his hat. Enraged, Hughes lunged into the crowd, reaching into his coat for a revolver, which fortunately had been left behind in his railway carriage. Realising his weapon was not available, Hughes ordered the local police officer, Sergeant Kenny, to arrest Brosnan for a breach of Commonwealth law but the policeman said "you have no jurisdiction".
Aftermath
This incident has been associated with the forming of the Commonwealth Police. There had been plans to create such a police force for over a decade but it is felt that this incident acted as a catalyst for it to happen.
In November 2007 the 90th anniversary of the Warwick Egg Incident was celebrated with an historic re-enactment at Warwick railway station.