expand Australian industry, and at the same time provide products for the British Empire.
             Unemployment in Australia had been fluctuating during the late 1920's. In 1925, 8.8% of the trade unionists were without jobs, 1926 saw a decrease in unemployment with 7.1%, in 1927 7% of trade unionists were unemployed, in 1928 the rate leapt to 10.8% and in 1929, the year the Depression began, unemployment reached 11.1% . The unemployment levels of each individual state went to a different pattern. New South Wales decreased until 1927 - it went from 11% in 1925, to 7.4% in 1926, to 7.3% in 1927 and then up to 11.3%, which brought the rate back to the same level as the other states of Australia. Conversely, South Australia's unemployment levels increased steadily from 1925 up until 1932; 1925 had 4.3%, 1926 had 5.2%, 1927 had 7.2% and 1928 had 15% of trade unionists unemployed.
             In 1920, Australia was a founding member of the League of Nations, which was to become what we know it as today – the United Nations.
             The Labor Party had not been in power since1917, when Prime Minister Billy Hughes left the Labor Party to form the new National Party. This meant that when James Scullin came to power with the Labour party in 1929, they were somewhat 'out of practice'. Scullin had not dealt with economic problems before, so his government was not prepared for the onslaught of economic turbulence that was to face them. This negative experience with government has caused modern Australians to be critical of most politicians today.
             During the course of the Great Depression, unemployment continued to increase. By mid-1930, it was at 21% and still rising. Two years later, unemployment in Australia had reached almost 32%. Factories were suffering immensely. Their production decreased by 10% between 1929 and 1930, and another 30% between 1930 and 1931. These two factors are closely linked because with the increasing unemployment, ...