Cahill ministry (1953–56)

The Cahill ministry (1953–1956) or Second Cahill ministry was the 56th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 29th Premier, the Honourable Joe Cahill, MLA, of the Australian Labor Party. The ministry was the second of four consecutive occasions when the Government was led by Cahill, as Premier.

Cahill was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1925 and served until 1932, representing the seats of St George and Arncliffe before being defeated. He was re-elected in 1935, again representing Arncliffe, and then represented Cook's River between 1941 and 1959. Having served continuously as Secretary for Public Works in the first, second, and third ministries of Jim McGirr, when Deputy Premier Jack Baddeley resigned, Cahill was appointed as McGirr's deputy on 21 September 1949. McGirr resigned as Premier several years later, on 2 April 1952, and Cahill was elected as Labor Leader and became Premier.

This ministry covers the period from 23 February 1953 when Cahill won the 1953 state election, until 15 March 1956[1][2] when Cahill led Labor to victory at the 1956 state election and the Third Cahill ministry was formed.

Composition of ministry

First arrangement

The composition of the ministry was announced by Premier Cahill following the 1953 state election on 23 February 1953, and covers the period until 16 September 1953, when there was a minor rearrangement of the ministry. Ministers are listed in order of seniority and in most cases, serve the full term of this ministry.

Portfolio Minister Party Term commence Term end Term of office
Premier
Colonial Treasurer		 Hon. Joseph Cahill, MLA   Labor 23 February 1953 15 March 1956 3 years, 21 days
Minister for Transport 1   7 September 1953 16 September 1953 9 days
Deputy Premier
Minister of Education		 Hon. Bob Heffron, MLA   23 February 1953 15 March 1956 3 years, 21 days
Secretary for Mines 2   16 September 1953 205 days
Minister for Transport Hon. Captain Clarrie Martin, MEc, LLB, AAlS 1   5 September 1953 194 days
Minister for Justice
Vice-President of the Executive Council
Representative of the Government in Legislative Council		 Hon. Reg Downing, MLC   15 March 1956 3 years, 21 days
Minister for Housing
Minister for Co-operative Societies		 Hon. Clive Evatt, KC, LLB, MLA 5   1 April 1954 1 year, 37 days
Colonial Secretary
Minister for Immigration		 Hon. Gus Kelly, MLA   15 March 1956 3 years, 21 days
Minister for Health Hon. Maurice O'Sullivan, MLA  
Minister for Agriculture
Minister for Food Production		 Hon. Eddie Graham, MLA  
Attorney–General Hon. Bill Sheahan, QC, MLA  
Secretary for Lands Hon. Frank Hawkins, MLA  
Secretary for Public Works
Minister for Local Government		 Hon. Jack Renshaw, MLA  
Minister for Conservation Hon. George Enticknap, MLA  
Minister for Labour and Industry
Minister for Social Welfare		 Hon. Abe Landa, MLA  
Minister without portfolio Hon. John McGrath, MLA   2 September 1954 1 year, 191 days
Assistant Minister in the Legislative Council Hon. Francis Buckley, MLC 2   16 September 1953 205 days
^1 Martin dies while in office, serving as Minister for Transport.[3] Cahill serves briefly as Minister for Transport in addition to other portfolios before rearranging the ministry.
^2 Heffron served as Secretary for Mines before Buckley, who was without portfolio, was appointed to the role.
^5 After voting against the Government, in 1954 Evatt was forced to resign from the ministry and later expelled from the Labor Party.[4]

Second arrangement

The rearrangement of the ministry was triggered by the death of the Minister for Transport, Captain Clarrie Martin, who died in office on 5 September 1953.[3] Cahill briefly held the Transport portfolio for nine days before he took the opportunity to make a minor rearrangement of the ministry. Ministers are listed in order of seniority. Only changes in portfolios are shown and covers the period until 1 April 1954, when a further rearrangement was made.

Portfolio Minister Party Term commence Term end Term of office
Secretary for Mines Hon. Francis Buckley, MLC 2 6   Labor 16 September 1953 30 June 1954 287 days
Minister for Transport Hon. Ernest Wetherell, MLA 3   15 March 1956 2 years, 181 days
Minister without portfolio Hon. William Gollan, MLA 4   1 July 1954 288 days
^2 Buckley, who was without portfolio, was appointed as Secretary for Mines, replacing Deputy Premier, Bob Heffron.
^3 Wetherell was appointed to the ministry, replacing the recently deceased Martin, as Minister for Transport.
^4 Gollan was appointed to the ministry, replacing the promoted Buckley, as Minister without portfolio.
^6 Buckley's term in the Legislative Council expired on 30 June 1954.

Third arrangement

The rearrangement of the ministry was triggered by the actions of the Minister for Housing and Minister for Co-operative Societies, Clive Evatt. In Parliament Evatt voted against the Government's measures to increase fares on public transport. Cahill forced Evatt to resign from the ministry and Evatt was later expelled from the Labor Party.[4] Cahill made a minor rearrangement of the ministry. Ministers are listed in order of seniority. Only changes in portfolios are shown and covers the period until 15 March 1956, when the 1956 state election was held.

Portfolio Minister Party Term commence Term end Term of office
Minister for Co-operative Societies Hon. Gus Kelly, MLA 5   Labor 1 April 1954 15 March 1956 1 year, 349 days
Minister for Housing   2 September 1954 154 days
Hon. John McGrath, MLA 5   2 September 1954 15 March 1956 1 year, 195 days
Secretary for Mines Hon. William Gollan, MLA 6   1 July 1954 1 year, 258 days
Minister without portfolio 7 Hon. Roger Nott, MLA   10 May 1954 1 year, 310 days
Hon. James Maloney, MLC   1 July 1954 1 year, 258 days
^5 Evatt's former portfolios were both initially assumed by Kelly, before McGrath taking the Housing portfolio in late 1954.
^6 Buckley's term in the Legislative Council expired. Gollan was appointed as Secretary for Mines.
^7 Two new ministers, without portfolio, were appointed.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Former Members - Chronological List of Ministries 1856 to 2009 (requires download)". Project for the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in NSW. Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original (Excel spreadsheet) on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  2. ↑ Wah, Malvyne Jong; Page, Jeffrey E. (November 2007). "New South Wales Parliamentary Record 1824 – 2007" (PDF). VIII. Parliament of New South Wales: 276–277. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Major Clarence Edward Martin (1900 - 1953)". Former members of the New South Wales Parliament, 1856-2006. New South Wales Parliament. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  4. 1 2 Cunneen, Chris; McLaughlin, John Kennedy (2007). "Evatt, Clive Raleigh (1900–1984)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
Preceded by
Cahill ministry (1952–1953)		 Cahill ministry (1953–1956)
1953–1956 		Succeeded by
Cahill ministry (1956–1959)
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