James Fowler

Who was James Fowler?

James Mackinnon Fowler was a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1901 to 1922.

Fowler was born in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, Scotland and educated at local schools and the Glasgow Athenaeum. He migrated to Australia in 1891 and was a foundation member of the Victorian Socialist League, but moved to Perth in 1898. That year he married Daisy Winifred Bastow—they had a daughter and three sons.

Fowler was a leading supporter of federation and was elected at the first federal election in 1901 to the seat of Perth, representing the Australian Labor Party and was active on financial matters. He was a strong opponent of Billy Hughes within the party. In 1909, Fowler left the party claiming that it can become too centralising, although others suggested it was because of his failure to gain a portfolio. He joined the Commonwealth Liberal Party, remaining with that party until it was folded into the Nationalist Party when it was established in 1916 under Hughes' leadership. In 1919 he published an attack on Hughes—who was now Prime Minister —and continued to oppose him, particularly in relation to his support for high tariffs. Due in part to this, Fowler lost Nationalist endorsement at the 1922 election and lost his seat to fellow Nationalist Edward Mann. According to the Bulletin in 1921, he could have "achieved Ministerial rank long ago if he hadn't been such a good hater".