Editing Hal Colebatch (section)

===Premier===
[[File:Hal Colebatch.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Colebatch {{circa|1919}}|alt=Black and white photograph of man with moustache in suit]]

In April 1919, Lefroy resigned as premier, and Colebatch took over, becoming the only premier to come from the Legislative Council. Colebatch made himself [[Treasurer of Western Australia|Colonial Treasurer]], the [[Minister for Education (Western Australia)|minister for education]] and the [[Minister for Railways (Western Australia)|minister for railways]]. He reinstated Mitchell in the cabinet, making him the [[Minister for Lands (Western Australia)|minister for lands]].{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|pp=62–63}}

The largest issue during his premiership was the [[1919 Fremantle Wharf riot]]. Stevedores from two different [[Trade union|unions]] — the National Waterside Workers Union (NWWU) and the [[Fremantle Lumpers Union]] (FLU) — were working at [[Fremantle Harbour]]. The two unions often disagreed with each other and the [[Commonwealth Arbitration Board]] favoured the NWWU. Western Australia had a shortage of many essential goods such as medical supplies and food as a result of the earlier shipping strike and the need to quarantine. When the SS ''Dimboola'' arrived in Perth from Melbourne, carrying passengers (including Lefroy) and cargo, the passengers and most of the crew went into quarantine, but the federal government allowed some of the crew to berth the ship before going into quarantine. Fremantle Harbour officials did not allow the ship to berth and forced it to be fumigated at anchor. The NWWU workers then began to unload the ship but the FLU workers attacked them and started [[picketing]],{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=63}} wanting to remove all NWWU workers from working at the wharf.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=64}} Colebatch implored Watt to try and settle the dispute, as industrial relations were the responsibility of the federal government and the state had little power to do anything other than to use police to diffuse violence. Watt disagreed and said it was up to the state to solve the issue. He also said that if the issue was not fixed quickly, then he would stop shipping to Fremantle.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=64}} His son, [[Hal Colebatch (author)|Hal G. P. Colebatch]], posited in his 2004 biography that Watt was "probably trying to get revenge on Colebatch for impounding the Commonwealth train and his earlier criticism of the Commonwealth Government during the ''Boonah'' affair."{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=64}}

On 1 May, Colebatch told the FLU that he would get the police if they did not come to an agreement or cease picketing the wharf. The union did not do this, and so on 4 May, a group of people travelled down the [[Swan River (Western Australia)|Swan River]] in two [[Launch (boat)|launches]]. Among the people on the boats were Colebatch, the [[List of commissioners of the Western Australia Police Force|commissioner of police]], small businessmen and consignees desperate to get the ''Dimboola'' unloaded.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=65}} As the boats travelled under a bridge, the FLU members dropped rocks, scrap iron and other objects onto the boats in an attempt to sink them. The larger objects missed the boats, but several people were injured by smaller objects. [[University of New South Wales]] Professor of History Francis Keble Crowley said that "the premier came close to being assassinated when masonry hit the deck of his launch."{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|pp=65–66}} When the boats reached the wharf, a riot broke out between the union workers and the police, who were trying to push the crowd back from the ship. During this, a man named Thomas Edwards was injured and later died.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=66}} The police commissioner told Colebatch that the police could not control the situation without shooting their guns, but Colebatch did not want to authorise that. Colebatch, the police commissioner, the businessmen and consignees soon left, unsuccessful. In total, approximately 26 police officers and six FLU workers were injured, excluding Edwards. The following day, there was further violence between police and union members.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=67}} Colebatch announced on 8 May 1919 that the NWWU had agreed to withdraw from the wharf to avoid any further conflict.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=73}}

Colebatch resigned as premier on 15 May 1919 as he was unable to find a Legislative Assembly seat and his health was deteriorating{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=74}} due to undiagnosed diabetes.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=63}} On 17 May, [[James Mitchell (Australian politician)|James Mitchell]] was sworn in as premier and Colebatch was appointed the [[Minister for Agriculture and Food (Western Australia)|minister for agriculture]], minister for education, [[Minister for the North-West|minister for the north-west]] and the new position of [[Minister for Health (Western Australia)|minister for health]], a role which he had performed before that as the colonial secretary.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=74}} He was also the deputy premier and leader of the government in the Legislative Council again.{{sfn|Colebatch|2004|p=75}}