Charles Kingston

Colonial politics

In April 1881, Kingston was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly as a Radical (left-leaning liberal) representing West Adelaide. He favoured reform of the Legislative Council (which was dominated by wealthy landowners and leaned conservative), government intervention in economic affairs, and Australian federation. He was described by William Maloney as the originator of the White Australia policy; he was heavily involved in developing legislation which restricted the immigration of Chinese laborers.

In economic matters, Kingston's government was progressive and statist; it established State Bank of South Australia, regulated factories, imposed death duties, and increased land tax and progressive income taxes. The establishment of the new Commonwealth of Australia, however, now loomed over events.

The Liberal and Democratic Union was not formed until the 1906 election.

Federal politics

When the Constitution came into effect on 1 January 1901, Barton formed the first federal ministry, and Kingston was appointed Minister for Trade and Customs. In March 1901, he was elected as one of seven statewide members of the Division of South Australia in the first Australian House of Representatives. Kingston topped the poll, with 65% of the vote; South Australia was not divided into electoral divisions in time for that election. In 1903, he became the first member for the Division of Adelaide. It is claimed that Kingston was ostracised by Adelaide society for his sexual indiscretions and that he fathered at least six illegitimate children.

Statue

A statue of Kingston stands in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga, in the centre of Adelaide, with the plaque reading "patriot and statesman". After the Black Lives Matter gained pace in June 2020, with various statues representing slave traders and various perpetrators of racism being removed or defaced both in the US and in the UK during the George Floyd protests, archaeologist and historian Jacinta Koolmatrie pointed out what she saw as the irony of the statue being so close to the Aboriginal flag in the square, which was also the site of the Adelaide Black Lives Matter protest.