Members of the Australian Senate, 1923–1926
This is a list of members of the Australian Senate from 1923 to 1926.[1] Half of its members were elected at the 13 December 1919 election and had terms starting on 1 July 1920 and finishing on 30 June 1926; the other half were elected at the 16 December 1922 election and had terms starting on 1 July 1923 and finishing on 30 June 1929.
Senate composition at 1 July 1923
Government (25) - (7 seat majority)
Nationalist (24)
FSA/Country Party (1)
Opposition (11)
Labor (11)[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 2][lower-roman 3]
Changes in composition
- At the November 1925 election Labor senator Joseph Hannan was defeated for a casual vacancy by Country Party candidate David Andrew.
- Labor senator William Gibbs did not stand for election at the November 1925 election and the casual vacancy was won by Nationalist Josiah Thomas.
- Labor Senator James O'Loghlin died in December 1925 and was replaced by Nationalist Henry Barwell.
This period was marked by the number of casual vacancies and the filling of these vacancies was complex. While senators were elected for a six-year term, people appointed to a casual vacancy only held office until the earlier of the next election for the House of Representatives or the Senate.[2] Because the 1925 election was a half senate election, each state would ordinarily elect 3 senators. NSW however had 2 additional vacancies as a result of the death of 2 senators with terms ending in 1929. The first three elected, Cox, Duncan and Massy-Greene won the full term from 1 July 1926 to 30 June 1932, while the next two elected Abbott and Thomas won the long vacancies finishing on 30 June 1929. Massy-Greene who had been appointed to fill one of the vacancies in 1923 ceased to be a senator between 14 November 1925 and the start of his new term on 1 July 1926.[3] Victoria had 1 additional vacancy, a short vacancy with the term ending in 1926. Plain was the third senator elected and thus won both the short vacancy ending on 30 June 1926 and the full term from 1 July 1926 to 30 June 1932.[4]
Notes
- Nationalist senator Edward Millen died on 14 September 1923; Nationalist Walter Massy-Greene was appointed on 18 December to replace him until the 14 November 1925 election. Massy-Greene won the third vacancy for the term from 1 July 1926 to 30 June 1932 while Percy Abbott was elected to fill the fifth vacancy, being the remainder of Millen's term finishing in 1929.
- Labor senator Stephen Barker died on 21 June 1924; on 18 December Labor Joseph Hannan was appointed to replace him until the 14 November 1925 election, when he was defeated by Country Party candidate David Andrew for the remainder of the term finishing on 30 June 1929.
- Nationalist senator Thomas Bakhap died on 18 August 1923; on 18 December Nationalist Herbert Hays was appointed to replace him until the 14 November 1925 election, when he was re-elected to a term finishing on 30 June 1929.
- Labor Senator James O'Loghlin died on 4 December 1925; Nationalist Henry Barwell was appointed to replace him on 18 December. Barwell resigned on 22 March 1928 to become South Australian Agent-General to London; Nationalist Albert Robinson was appointed on 18 April to replace him until the November 1928 election. Robinson did not stand for re-election in 1928 and the vacancy was won by Labor candidate Mick O'Halloran.
- Appointed to a casual vacancy and only held office until the earlier of the next election for the House of Representatives or the Senate.[2]
- Nationalist Senator Benjamin Benny resigned on 26 January 1926; Nationalist Alexander McLachlan was appointed to replace him on 24 February.
- Nationalist senator George Foster resigned on 30 June 1925; Nationalist Charles Grant was appointed on 29 July to replace him until the 14 November 1925 election, when he lost the seat to fellow Nationalist Burford Sampson.
- Labor senator Allan McDougall died on 14 October 1924; Labor Jack Power was appointed on 20 November to replace him, but he died on 13 January 1925. William Gibbs was appointed on 1 April 1925 to replace him until the 14 November 1925 election, when he retired from politics. Josiah Thomas was elected to fill the fourth vacancy, being the remainder of McDougall's term finishing in 1929.
- Father of the Senate
- Nationalist senator Edward Russell died on 18 July 1925; Nationalist William Plain was appointed on 25 August to replace him until the 14 November 1925 election, when he was re-elected for a term finishing on 30 June 1932.
References
- "The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate 1923". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
- Evans, H. "Filling Casual Vacancies before 1977" (PDF). The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate, Volume 3. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
- Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive, Senate 1925 NSW. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive, Senate 1925 Vic. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- Journals of the Senate. Parliament of Australia. 1925.
- "Members of the Senate since 1901". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2008.