Cahill ministry (1959)

The Cahill ministry (1959) or Fourth Cahill ministry was the 58th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 29th Premier, Joe Cahill, of the Labor Party. The ministry was the fourth and final of four consecutive occasions when the Government was led by Cahill, as Premier.

Cahill ministry

58th Cabinet of the State of New South Wales
Premier Joe Cahill
Date formed1 April 1959
Date dissolved22 October 1959
People and organisations
MonarchElizabeth II
GovernorSir Eric Woodward
PremierJoe Cahill
Deputy PremierBob Heffron
No. of ministers15
Member partyLabor
Status in legislatureMajority government
Opposition partyLiberal/Country coalition
Opposition leaderPat Morton
Robert Askin
History
Election1959 New South Wales election
PredecessorThird Cahill ministry
SuccessorFirst Heffron ministry

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.[1]

Cahill led Labor to victory at the 1953, 1956, and 1959 state elections. Ministers mostly retained their portfolios from the second Cahill ministry. The main changes were that John McGrath retired at the 1959 election, William Gollan was dropped from the ministry, while Pat Hills and Norm Ryan were promoted.[2] Some ministerial titles were changed, dropping colonial and changing secretary to minister for lands, mines and public works.[3]

This ministry covers the period from 1 April when Cahill won the 1959 state election, until 28 October 1959.[2] On 22 October 1959 Cahill, a heavy smoker, died at Sydney Hospital of a myocardial infarction while still serving as Premier.[4] Cahill's deputy, Bob Heffron succeeded Cahill as Premier.

Composition of ministry

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The composition of the ministry was announced by Premier Cahill following the 1959 state election on 1 April 1959, and covers the period until 28 October 1959, when the ministry was reconfigured as the First Heffron ministry.

Portfolio Minister Party Term commence Term end Term of office
Premier
Treasurer
Joe Cahill[a]   Labor 1 April 1959 22 October 1959 204 days
Bob Heffron[a] 23 October 1959 28 October 1959 5 days
Deputy Premier 1 April 1959 23 October 1959 205 days
Minister for Education 28 October 1959 210 days
Attorney–General
Minister for Justice
Vice-president of the Executive Council
Representative of the Government in Legislative Council
Reg Downing, MLC[a]
Chief Secretary
Minister for Tourism Activities
Gus Kelly[b]
Minister Assisting the Premier and Treasurer Pat Hills
Minister for Health Bill Sheahan[a]
Minister for Child Welfare
Minister for Social Welfare
Frank Hawkins[a]
Minister for Local Government
Minister for Highways
Jack Renshaw[a]
Minister for Transport George Enticknap[a]
Minister for Housing
Minister for Co-operative Societies
Abe Landa[a]
Minister for Conservation Ernest Wetherell[a]
Minister for Agriculture Roger Nott[a]
Minister for Labour and Industry Jim Maloney, MLC[a]
Minister for Mines Jim Simpson[a]
Minister for Lands John McMahon
Minister for Public Works Norm Ryan

  Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.

See also

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  • Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
  • 1959–1962
  • Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council
  • 1958–1961

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Retained portfolios from third Cahill ministry.
  2. ^ Retained portfolio of Chief Secretary from third Cahill ministry

References

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  1. ^ Clune, David. "Cahill, John Joseph (Joe) (1891-1959)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Part 6 Ministries since 1856" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  3. ^ Ministers of the Crown Act 1959 No 4 (NSW)
  4. ^ "Mr John Joseph Cahill (1891-1959)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 May 2019.

 

New South Wales government ministries
Preceded by Fourth Cahill ministry
1959
Succeeded by