Members of the Australian Senate, 1935–1938
This is a list of members of the Australian Senate from 1935 to 1938.[1] Half of its members were elected at the 19 December 1931 election and had terms starting on 1 July 1932 and finishing on 30 June 1938; the other half were elected at the 15 September 1934 election and had terms starting on 1 July 1935 and finishing on 30 June 1941. The process for filling casual 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]
Senate composition at 1 July 1935
Government (33) - (15 seat majority)
United Australia Party (26) [lower-roman 1]
Country Party (7) [lower-roman 2]
Opposition (3)
Labor (3)
Changes in composition
- At the 23 October 1937 election UAP Senator Guy Arkins was defeated for a casual vacancy by Labor candidate Bill Ashley.
- At the 23 October 1937 election Country Party Senator Thomas Marwick was defeated for a casual vacancy by Labor candidate James Cunningham.
Notes
- UAP Senator Lionel Courtenay died on 11 July 1935 before he could take his seat. UAP member Guy Arkins was appointed to replace him on 26 September, with his term expiring at the 23 October 1937 election, when he was defeated by Labor candidate Bill Ashley to fill the remainder of the vacancy, expiring on 30 June 1941.
- 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]
- Country Party senator Oliver Badman resigned on 30 September 1937 to run for the House of Representatives seat of the Grey; UAP member for Grey, Philip McBride was appointed to replace him on 21 October, with his term expiring at the 23 October 1937 election, when he was re-elected with his term expiring on 30 June 1944.
- Country Party Senator William Carroll died on 30 May 1936; Country Party member Thomas Marwick was appointed to replace him on 19 August, with his term expiring at the 23 October 1937 election, when he was defeated by Labor candidate James Cunningham for the vacancy.
- Labor Senator John MacDonald died on 17 August 1937; Labor member Ben Courtice was appointed to replace him on 26 September, with his term expiring at the 23 October 1937 election, when he was re-elected with his term expiring on 30 June 1944.
- Gibson was elected to the Senate on a joint ticket with the UAP, with the support of the Victorian state executive of the Country Party. This was opposed by the federal executive, which endorsed the sitting Country Party senator Robert Elliott; he was defeated. Gibson took his seat on 1 July 1935 as a member of the Country Party. However, on 23 September the parliamentary party voted to expel him.[3][4] He was not re-admitted to the party until November 1939.[5]
- Father of the Senate
References
- "The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate 1935". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 19 March 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.
- "Senator Gibson". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 July 1935.
- "Senator Gibson expelled by the Country Party". The Advocate. 24 September 1935.
- "Senator Gibson rejoins Country Party". The Canberra Times. 22 November 1939.
- Journals of the Senate. Parliament of Australia. 1937.
- "Members of the Senate since 1901". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2008.