Donaldson ministry

The Donaldson ministry was the first ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by Stuart Donaldson. Despite the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly being held in March 1856, it took over two months for Donaldson to form Government. It was sworn in on 6 June 1856, after the 1856 election and lasted just eighty days.^[1]

Donaldson ministry
First ministry of the Colony of New South Wales
Premier Stuart Donaldson and the Colony of New South Wales (1856–1859)
Date formed	6 June 1856 (1856-06-06)
Date dissolved	25 August 1856 (1856-08-25)
People and organisations
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Governor	William Denison
Head of government	Stuart Donaldson
No. of ministers	6
Member party	unaligned
Status in legislature	Minority government
Opposition party	unaligned
Opposition leader	Charles Cowper
History
Election	1856
Successor	First Cowper ministry

The title of Premier was widely used to refer to the Leader of Government, but not enshrined in formal use until 1920.

There was no party system in New South Wales politics until 1887. Under the constitution, ministers were required to resign to recontest their seats in a by-election when appointed.^[2] Stuart Donaldson comfortably won the by election for Sydney Hamlets,^[3] and John Darvall comfortably won the by-election for Cumberland North Riding.^[4] Thomas Holt (Stanley Boroughs)^[5] and Bob Nichols (Northumberland Boroughs)^[6] were re-elected unopposed. William Manning was not required to resign as he held the office of Solicitor-General at the time of his election.^[7]

This ministry covers the period from 6 June 1856 until on 25 August 1856, when Donaldson resigned his commission, having lost the confidence of the Assembly.^[8]

Composition of ministry

Portfolio	Minister	Term start	Term end	Term length
Premier Colonial Secretary	Stuart Donaldson	6 June 1856	25 August 1856	80 days
Colonial Treasurer	Thomas Holt
Attorney General	William Manning
Solicitor General	John Darvall
Auditor-General Secretary for Lands and Works	George Nichols
Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council [a]	William Mayne MLC	6 August 1856		19 days

  Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.

1. A member of the government without a seat in the Cabinet.^[9]

1 2 3 4 5

1 Thomas Holt (Treasurer) 2 William M. Manning (Attorney-General) 3 Stuart Donaldson (Premier) 4 John Darvall (Solicitor-General) 5 Bob Nichols (Auditor-General)

Executive Council of New South Wales, 1856, photographed by Freeman Brothers

See also

• New South Wales portal
• Politics portal

• Self-government in New South Wales
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1856–1858