McGowen ministry

Not to be confused with First McGowan ministry or Second McGowan ministry.

The McGowen ministry was the 34th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 18th Premier, James McGowen. This ministry marks the first Labor ministry in the state of New South Wales.

McGowen ministry
34th Cabinet of the State of New South Wales
Premier James McGowen
Date formed	21 October 1910 (1910-10-21)
Date dissolved	29 June 1913 (1913-06-29)
People and organisations
Monarch	George V
Governor	Lord Chelmsford / Sir Gerald Strickland
Head of government	James McGowen
No. of ministers	11
Member party	Labor
Status in legislature	Majority government
Opposition party	Liberal Reform
Opposition leader	Charles Wade
History
Election	1910 New South Wales election
Outgoing election	1913 New South Wales election
Predecessor	Wade ministry
Successor	Holman Labor ministry

McGowen was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1891, serving until 1917, before being appointed to the Legislative Council. He succeeded in defeating the government of Charles Wade at the 1910 state election and was commissioned to form government by Lord Chelmsford, Governor of New South Wales.^[1]

In March 1911 Walter Bevan, a public servant employed as a Crown prosecutor, was appointed Solicitor General, however he was not a member of parliament, nor was this a cabinet role.^[2] In April 1912 David Hall resigned his seat in the House of Representatives was appointed to the Legislative Council and as Minister of Justice on 2 April 1912. It was initially intended that Bevan would retain his role as Solicitor General,^[3] however two days later however Hall was appointed to replace Bevan in the role.^[4]

The ministry covers the period from 21 October 1910 until 29 June 1913,^[5] when McGowen resigned due to his health and misjudgment in attempting to settle a gasworkers strike and was succeeded by his deputy, William Holman.^[1][6][7]

Composition of ministry

The composition of the ministry was announced by Premier McGowen on 21 October 1910.

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Term start	Term end	Term length
Premier	James McGowen		Labor	21 October 1910	29 June 1913	2 years, 251 days
Treasurer Collector of Internal Revenue					26 November 1911	1 year, 36 days
	John Dacey [c]			27 November 1911	11 April 1912	136 days
	Campbell Carmichael			17 April 1912	5 May 1912	18 days
	John Cann			6 May 1912	29 June 1913	1 year, 54 days
Chief Secretary Registrar of Records	Donald Macdonell [b]			21 October 1910	26 October 1911	1 year, 5 days
	Fred Flowers MLC			7 November 1911	26 November 1911	19 days
	James McGowen			27 November 1911	29 June 1913	1 year, 214 days
Attorney General	William Holman			21 October 1910		2 years, 251 days
Minister of Justice					1 April 1912	1 year, 163 days
	David Hall MLC			2 April 1912	29 June 1913	1 year, 88 days
Solicitor General				4 April 1912		1 year, 86 days
Minister for Agriculture	Donald Macdonell [b]			21 October 1910	10 September 1911	324 days
	John Treflé			7 November 1911	29 June 1913	1 year, 234 days
Secretary for Lands	Niels Nielsen [a]			21 October 1910	1 August 1911	284 days
	Fred Flowers MLC			4 August 1911	26 November 1911	117 days
	George Beeby [d]			19 September 1911	9 December 1912	1 year, 81 days
	John Treflé			10 December 1912	29 June 1913	201 days
Secretary for Public Works	Arthur Griffith			21 October 1910		2 years, 251 days
Minister of Public Instruction	George Beeby				10 September 1911	324 days
	Campbell Carmichael			11 September 1911	26 November 1911	76 days
	Fred Flowers MLC			27 November 1911	29 February 1912	94 days
	Campbell Carmichael			1 March 1912	29 June 1913	1 year, 120 days
Minister for Labour and Industry	George Beeby			21 October 1910	10 September 1911	324 days
	Campbell Carmichael			11 September 1911	26 November 1911	76 days
	George Beeby [d]			27 November 1911	9 December 1912	1 year, 12 days
	Campbell Carmichael			10 December 1912	29 June 1913	201 days
Secretary for Mines	Alfred Edden			21 October 1910		2 years, 251 days
Vice-President of the Executive Council Representative of the Government in Legislative Council	Fred Flowers MLC					2 years, 251 days
Minister without portfolio	Campbell Carmichael				10 September 1911	2 years, 251 days
	John Treflé				6 November 1911	1 year, 16 days
	John Dacey			10 November 1911	26 November 1911	16 days

Ministers were members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.

See also

• New South Wales portal
• Politics portal

• • Members of Legislative Assembly
  • (1910-1913)
• • Members of Legislative Council
  • (1910–1913)

Notes

1. On 25 July 1911, two Labor Members of the Legislative Assembly resigned from the Labor Party and Parliament in protest at legislation on land ownership introduced by Secretary for Lands, Niels Nielsen. As a result Labor was left without a majority in the house and rather than face a vote of no confidence, the Ministry and Speaker resigned. Labor policy was reversed and Nielsen resigned from the cabinet on 1 August 1911.^[8]
2. Donald Macdonell was absent from the parliament from 1 March 1911 due to illness. He was automatically expelled for non-attendance during an entire session but was re-elected unopposed. He died on 26 October 1911, while in office.
3. John Dacey died on 11 April 1912, resulting in another reshuffle in McGowen's senior Ministers.
4. George Beeby resigned from the ministry, parliament and party in protest at the power of the extra-parliamentary Labor Party executive in December 1912, necessitating a further reshuffle.^[9]
5. The causes of changes to the composition of the ministry, in chronological order, were Nielsen resigned,^[a] McDonnell died,^[b] Dacey died,^[c] and Beeby resigned.^[d]