Members of the Australian Senate, 1951–1953
Encyclopedia
This is a list of members of the Australian Senate
from 1951 to 1953. The 28 April 1951 election
was a double dissolution
called by Prime Minister of Australia
Robert Menzies
in an attempt to gain control of the Senate and to pass a bill to ban the Communist Party of Australia
, if necessary at a joint sitting of both houses. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives
, and all 60 seats in the Senate
were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia
led by Menzies with coalition
partner the Country Party led by Arthur Fadden
defeated the Australian Labor Party
led by Ben Chifley
and gained control of the Senate with 32 seats to Labor's 28.
In accordance with section 13 of the Constitution terms for Senators was taken to commence on 1 July 1950. Half the Senators representing the States were allocated terms finishing on 30 June 1953 and the other half on 30 June 1956.
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
from 1951 to 1953. The 28 April 1951 election
Australian federal election, 1951
Federal elections were held in Australia on 28 April 1951. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, due to a double dissolution called after the Senate rejected the Commonwealth Bank Bill...
was a double dissolution
Double dissolution
A double dissolution is a procedure permitted under the Australian Constitution to resolve deadlocks between the House of Representatives and the Senate....
called by Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
in an attempt to gain control of the Senate and to pass a bill to ban the Communist Party of Australia
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
, if necessary at a joint sitting of both houses. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
, and all 60 seats in the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
led by Menzies with coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
partner the Country Party led by Arthur Fadden
Arthur Fadden
Sir Arthur William Fadden, GCMG was an Australian politician and, briefly, the 13th Prime Minister of Australia.-Introduction:...
defeated the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
led by Ben Chifley
Ben Chifley
Joseph Benedict Chifley , Australian politician, was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia. He took over the Australian Labor Party leadership and Prime Ministership after the death of John Curtin in 1945, and went on to retain government at the 1946 election, before being defeated at the 1949...
and gained control of the Senate with 32 seats to Labor's 28.
In accordance with section 13 of the Constitution terms for Senators was taken to commence on 1 July 1950. Half the Senators representing the States were allocated terms finishing on 30 June 1953 and the other half on 30 June 1956.
Senator | Party | State | Years in Office |
---|---|---|---|
Stan Amour | ALP Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
1938–1965 |
Hon John Armstrong John Armstrong (Australian politician) John Ignatius Armstrong, AC was an Australian politician and federal minister.Armstrong was born in the Sydney suburb of Ultimo and ducated at St Bede's School, Pyrmont, and Marist Brothers' High School, Darlinghurst... |
ALP | New South Wales | 1938–1962 |
Hon Bill Ashley | ALP | New South Wales | 1938–1962 |
James Arnold James Arnold (Australian politician) James Jarvist Arnold was an Australian politician. Born in Wallaroo, South Australia, he was educated at Christian Brothers College in Adelaide before becoming a railway worker and firefighter. Moving to Newcastle, New South Wales, he qualified as an accountant. In 1940, he was elected to the... |
ALP | New South Wales | 1941–1965 |
Archie Benn | ALP | Queensland Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean... |
1950–1968 |
Bill Aylett | ALP | Tasmania Tasmania Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart... |
1938–1965 |
Hon Gordon Brown Gordon Brown (Australian politician) Gordon Brown was a long-serving Australian politician.Born in Derbyshire, England, he was educated at Clay Cross Grammar School before becoming a printer and engineer. He migrated to Australia in 1912, where he became an organiser of the Shop Assistants' Union and of the Socialist Party... |
ALP | Queensland | 1932–1965 |
Condon Byrne Condon Byrne Condon Bryan Byrne , Australian politician, was a Senator with the Australian Labor Party and later the Democratic Labor Party... |
ALP | Queensland | 1951–1959, 1968–1974 |
Hon Don Cameron | ALP | Victoria Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively.... |
1938–1962 |
Jack Chamberlain | Liberal | Tasmania | 1951–1953 |
George Cole George Cole (Australian politician) George Ronald Cole was an Australian politician. Born in Don, Tasmania, he was raised in the Methodist faith of his mother, educated at state schools and then the University of Tasmania, before becoming a teacher and headmaster in state schools.As an Australian rules footballer with New Town, Cole... |
ALP | Tasmania | 1950–1965 |
Magnus Cormack Magnus Cormack Sir Magnus Cameron Cormack KBE was a Scottish-born Australian politician.Born in Caithness-shire, he migrated to Australia as a child, and was educated at St Peter's College in Adelaide. He became a farmer and grazier in the western district of Victoria before serving in the military during World... |
Liberal | Victoria | 1951–1953, 1962–1978 |
Joe Cooke | ALP | Western Australia | 1947–1951, 1952–1965 |
Hon Walter Cooper | Country National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... |
Queensland | 1928–1932, 1935–1968 |
Hon Ben Courtice | ALP | Queensland | 1937–1962 |
Jack Critchley | ALP | South Australia South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland... |
1947–1959 |
Jack Devlin | ALP | Victoria | 1946–1957 |
Alexander Finlay Alexander Finlay Alexander Finlay was an Australian politician. Born in Melbourne, he moved to South Australia as a child and received a primary education in Adelaide. He became a carriage painter, and an organiser with the Coachbuilders' Union... |
ALP | South Australia | 1944–1953 |
Hon James Fraser James Fraser (Western Australian politician) James McIntosh Fraser was an Australian trade unionist and politician.Fraser was born in Forres, Morayshire, Scotland and educated locally. He emigrated to Australia and married Ellen Simmons in April 1912 in Perth... |
ALP | Western Australia | 1938–1959 |
John Gorton John Gorton Sir John Grey Gorton, GCMG, AC, CH , Australian politician, was the 19th Prime Minister of Australia.-Early life:... |
Liberal | Victoria | 1950–1968 |
Donald Grant Donald Grant Donald Grant was a leader of the Industrial Workers of the World in Sydney, Australia, a member of the Sydney Twelve charged with conspiracy in 1916, and later a member of the Australian Labor Party who was elected to Sydney City Council, appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council, and... |
ALP | New South Wales | 1944–1959 |
Allan Guy Allan Guy James Allan Guy, CBE was an Australian politician who represented the Australian Labor Party in both the Tasmanian House of Assembly and the Federal House of Representatives, before leaving to represent the United Australia Party and then the Liberal Party of Australia in both the House of... |
Liberal | Tasmania | 1950–1956 |
Clive Hannaford | Liberal | South Australia | 1950–1967 |
Bert Hendrickson | ALP | Victoria | 1947–1971, 1970–1974 |
Denham Henty Denham Henty Sir Denham Henty, KBE was an Australian politician.Henty was born in Longford, Tasmania and educated at Launceston Church Grammar School. He left school at 14 to work in his fathers wholesale business. In March 1930 he married Faith Gordon Spotswood and they subsequently had three sons and a... |
Liberal | Tasmania | 1950–1968 |
Roy Kendall Roy Kendall Roy Kendall was an English-born Australian politician and intelligence agent . Born in London, he was educated at Bristol Cathedral School before becoming a merchant seaman. After serving in the military 1914–18, he was recruited by Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, in December 1941... |
Liberal | Queensland | 1950–1965 |
Keith Laught Keith Laught Keith Alexander Laught was an Australian politician. Born in Adelaide, South Australia, he was educated at Scotch College and then the University of Adelaide, becoming a barrister in 1929. He served in the military 1940-1944. In 1951, he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Liberal Senator... |
Liberal | South Australia | 1951–1969 |
Ted Maher | Country | Queensland | 1950–1965 |
John Marriott John Marriott (Australian politician) John Edward Marriott was an Australian politician. Born in Elliot, Tasmania, he was educated in Hobart at Hutchins School before serving in the military 1940-1945. He was a staff member with the Tasmanian Liberal Party from 1945 to 1949, and was Secretary to the Tasmanian Opposition Leader 1949-1953... |
Liberal | Tasmania | 1953–1975 |
Hon Ted Mattner | Liberal | South Australia | 1944–1946, 1950–1968 |
John McCallum John McCallum (Australian politician) John Archibald McCallum was an Australian politician. Born in Mittagong, New South Wales, he was educated at Sydney High School, Sydney Teachers College and the University of Sydney before becoming a teacher. He served in the military 1916-1918 and returned to become a history lecturer and... |
Liberal | New South Wales | 1950–1962 |
Hon Nick McKenna | ALP | Tasmania | 1944–1968 |
Hon George McLeay George McLeay George McLeay was an Australian politician and senior minister in the Menzies Liberal government.McLeay was born in Port Clinton, South Australia and educated at Port Clinton Public School until 1906 when he was sent to Adelaide where he continued his education at Unley Public School... |
Liberal | South Australia | 1935–1947, 1950–1955 |
Hon Alister McMullin Alister McMullin Sir Alister Maxwell McMullin was an Australian politician. Born in Scone, New South Wales, he was educated at state schools before becoming a farmer and grazier. He served in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940-1945, and when he returned served on Upper Hunter Shire Council... |
Liberal | New South Wales | 1951–1971 |
Bill Morrow | ALP | Tasmania | 1947–1953 |
Richard Nash Richard Nash (Australian politician) Richard Henry Nash was an Australian politician. Born in Melbourne, Victoria, he moved to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia as a child. After receiving a primary education, he became a tramway worker, and an official with the Tramway Workers' Union. He was Secretary of the Perth Trades Hall Council... |
ALP | Western Australia | 1943–1951 |
Theo Nicholls | ALP | South Australia | 1944–1968 |
Justin O'Byrne Justin O'Byrne Justin Hilary O'Byrne, AO was a long-serving Australian Labor Party politician who represented Tasmania in the Federal Senate from 1947 to 1981, acting as President of the Senate from 1974 to 1975.-Biography:... |
ALP | Tasmania | 1947–1981 |
Sid O'Flaherty | ALP | South Australia | 1944–1962 |
Hon Neil O'Sullivan Neil O'Sullivan Sir Michael Neil O'Sullivan KBE was an Australian politician and lawyer.O'Sullivan was born in the Brisbane suburb of Toowong and educated at Taringa State School and St. Joseph's Nudgee College and was admitted as a solicitor in December 1922. In April 1929, he married Jessie Margaret Mary... |
Liberal | Queensland | 1947–1962 |
Hon Shane Paltridge | Liberal | Western Australia | 1951–1966 |
Rex Pearson Rex Pearson Rex Whiting Pearson was an Australian politician. Born in Kadina, South Australia, he was educated in Adelaide at Prince Alfred College before becoming a farmer and grazier at Sandilands, South Australia.... |
Liberal | South Australia | 1951–1961 |
Edmund Piesse Edmund Piesse Edmund Stephen Roper Piesse was an Australian politician. Born at Katanning, Western Australia, he was educated in Perth at Guildford Grammar School before returning to Katanning as a farmer and grazier. He was also a company director. In 1949 he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Country... |
Country | Western Australia | 1950–1952 |
Dame Annabelle Rankin Annabelle Rankin Dame Annabelle Jane Mary Rankin DBE was the second woman member of the Australian Senate, the first woman from Queensland to sit in the Parliament of Australia, the first woman to have a federal portfolio and the first woman to be appointed head of a foreign mission.-Biography:Rankin was born in... |
Liberal | Queensland | 1947–1971 |
George Rankin George Rankin Major General George James Rankin DSO & Bar was an Australian soldier and politician. He served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, representing the Country Party of Australia.-Early life:... |
Country | Victoria | 1950–1956 |
Albert Reid Albert Reid Albert David Reid was an Australian politician. Born in Murrumburrah, New South Wales, he was educated at state schools before becoming a farmer and grazier at Crowther. He sat on Murrumburrah Shire Council before serving in the military in 1914.In 1927, he was elected to the New South Wales... |
Country | New South Wales | 1950–1962 |
Agnes Robertson Agnes Robertson Agnes Robertson Robertson was an Australian Senator for Western Australia.She was elected to the senate in 1950 as a Liberal Party representative; in 1955 she switched her allegiance and represented the Country Party for the remainder of her parliamentary service; for this reason she is regarded... |
Liberal | Western Australia | 1950–1962 |
Bill Robinson | Country | Western Australia | 1952–1953 |
John Ryan John Ryan (Australian politician) John Victor Ryan was an Australian politician. Born in Adelaide, South Australia, he was educated at state schools before becoming a baker. He was secretary of the Baking Trades Employees' Union before becoming South Australian Labor Party Campaign Director 1928-1950... |
ALP | South Australia | 1950–1959 |
Charles Sandford Charles Sandford Charles Walter Sandford was an Australian politician.Born in the state of Victoria, he received a primary education before becoming a railway worker. He served in the military from 1914 to 1918, and returned as an official with the Australian Railways Union... |
ALP | Victoria | 1947–1956, 1957–1966 |
Malcolm Scott Malcolm Scott Malcolm Fox Scott , was an Australian politician and government minister.Scott was born in Western Australia and was a farmer and had extensive mining interests before entering parliament.... |
Liberal | Western Australia | 1950–1971 |
Harrie Seward Harrie Seward Harrie Stephen Seward was an Australian politician. Born at Rochester, Victoria, he was educated in Ballarat at St Patrick's College. He became a bank officer, and moved to Western Australia, becoming a farmer at Pingelly from 1913. He served in the military 1915-1919... |
Country | Western Australia | 1951–1958 |
Jim Sheehan | ALP | Victoria | 1938–1940, 1944–1962 |
Hon John Spicer John Spicer (Australian politician) Sir John Armstrong Spicer was an Australian lawyer, politician, cabinet minister and judge.Spicer was born in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran, but was taken to England by his family in 1905 and educated at Chelston School, Torquay. His family returned to Australia in 1911 and he attended Hawksburn... |
Liberal | Victoria | 1940–1944, 1950–1956 |
Hon Bill Spooner | Liberal | New South Wales | 1950–1965 |
Dame Dorothy Tangney Dorothy Tangney Dame Dorothy Margaret Tangney DBE was an Australian politician and the first woman member of the Australian Senate.Dorothy Tangney started her career as a school teacher in Western Australia... |
ALP | Western Australia | 1943–1968 |
John Tate John Tate (Australian politician) John Percival Tate was a New Zealand-born Australian politician. Born in Wellington, he was educated in New Zealand before becoming an architect. Having migrated to Australia, he became a construction manager with the Allied Works Council in New South Wales 1940-1945. He served on Ryde Municipal... |
Liberal | New South Wales | 1950–1953 |
Seddon Vincent | Liberal | Western Australia | 1950–1964 |
Robert Wardlaw Robert Wardlaw Robert Wardlaw was an Australian politician. Born in Mathinna, Tasmania, he was educated at state schools before serving in the military 1914-1920. He returned to become a shopkeeper at Ringarooma and later a farmer and pig breeder. He was President of the Tasmanian Farmers' Federation 1949-1951... |
Liberal | Tasmania | 1953–1962 |
Dame Ivy Wedgwood Ivy Wedgwood Dame Ivy Evelyn Wedgwood, DBE was an Australian Senator for Victoria.Wedgwood was the first female Senator to represent Victoria. During her 21 year term, which ran from 1950 to 1971, she became the first woman to chair a Senate Committee in 1968.... |
Liberal | Victoria | 1950–1971 |
Don Willesee Don Willesee Donald Robert "Don" Willesee was an Australian politician, a member of the Australian Senate for 25 years representing Western Australia, and a Cabinet minister in the Whitlam government.... |
ALP | Western Australia | 1950–1975 |
Ian Wood Ian Wood (Australian politician) Ian Alexander Christie Wood was an Australian politician. Born at Mackay, Queensland, he was educated at state schools before becoming a travel agent. He served on Mackay City Council, including some years as mayor, 1930-1933, 1943-1953. He was also President of the Queensland Local Government... |
Liberal | Queensland | 1950–1978 |
Robert Wordsworth Robert Wordsworth Robert Hurley Wordsworth was an Australian politician. Born in Collarenebri, New South Wales, he was educated at North Sydney Grammar School before serving in the military from 1914 to 1947, retiring as a Major-General. He became a farmer at Westbury in Tasmania. In 1949, he was elected to the... |
Liberal | Tasmania | 1950–1959 |
Reg Wright | Liberal | Tasmania | 1950–1978 |
See also
- Australian House of RepresentativesAustralian House of RepresentativesThe House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
- Australian electoral systemAustralian electoral systemThe Australian electoral system has evolved over nearly 150 years of continuous democratic government, and has a number of distinctive features including compulsory voting, preferential voting and the use of proportional voting to elect the upper house, the Australian Senate.- Compulsory voting...