Featured Article Summary #63

Ernest Alfred Roberts was an Australian politician who served in the South Australian House of Assembly and the Australian House of Representatives. He also served in the Second Boer War and was the editor of a left-wing newspaper. Roberts began his career in the merchant marine and later became involved in the labor movement. He was elected as a member of the Labor Party in 1896 and held various positions in politics. Roberts also served in the Boer War and was involved in capturing Boers and horses. He later became a member of the federal government and held the position of Minister for Defence. However, he tragically died in 1913 following a debate in parliament. Ernest Alfred Roberts was born in London in 1868 and grew up on the island of Guernsey. He worked as a sailor before settling in Queensland, Australia in 1886. He became involved in local workingmen's associations and was an active member of the community, including serving on the town council. In 1892, he got married and had four children. Ernest Roberts began his political career by running for a seat in the South Australian House of Assembly as an independent Labor candidate in 1893. Although he lost, he gained a significant portion of the vote. In the 1896 election, Roberts ran again, this time as a United Labor Party candidate, and was successful in winning the seat. He quickly became known for his advocacy for better working conditions and was the youngest member of the assembly at 28. In 1899, Roberts played a role in causing the fall of the Kingston ministry by crossing the floor of the assembly, a move that was heavily criticized by some. Roberts justified his actions by claiming that the government was insincere and unlikely to follow through on promised reforms. Ernest Roberts initially opposed sending troops to the Second Boer War, but changed his position in response to British defeats and volunteered for the 4th Imperial Bushmen's Contingent. He faced criticism for leaving his electoral district, but explained that he wanted to show solidarity with the British migrant workers in the Boer republics and believed that colonial troops were needed to maintain the solidarity of the British Empire. Roberts participated in several battles during the war and was issued with the Queen's South Africa Medal. After his service, he did not contest a seat in the 1902 South Australian state election and went on to become an editor for The Herald. In his later political career, Roberts ran for several elections and supported the Price-Peake coalition government. He won a by-election in 1908 and retained his seat in the 1910 and 1913 federal elections. Roberts also served as the acting minister for defence and was appointed an honorary minister.