The Labor Party before World War I
In the 1890s Parliament was dominated by free traders and protectionists. Until the Labor Party was in a position to form government it adopted the strategy of "Support in return for concessions".
One plank of the early Labor Platform was achieved with the enactment of the 1893 Electoral Act which enshrined the principle of "one man one vote" and it was "man" as women did not get the vote until 1902 throughout Australia . (Women got the vote in South Australia in 1893 and 1899 in Western Australia.)
In what was something of a paradox the protectionist Labor Party supported Reid's Free Trade Party and won a number of legislative reforms including factory and shop condition, further electoral reforms, the exclusion of coloured races, land and income taxation and the regulation of mines. The Party switched allegiance to Black and between 1895 and 1904 the following measures were introduced: old age pensions, women's franchised, encouragement of trade unionism and collective bargaining, ending of contract labour in favour of day rates and the establishment of minimum wages.
In 1910 Labor won government in NSW which moved the Party beyond the strategy of "support for concessions" and made it a major political party.