Members of the Australian Senate, 1944–1947
This is a list of members of the Australian Senate from 1944 to 1947.[1] Half of its members were elected at the 21 September 1940 election and had terms starting on 1 July 1941 and finishing on 30 June 1947; the other half were elected at the 21 August 1943 election and had terms starting on 1 July 1944 and finishing on 30 June 1950. 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 1944
Government (22) - (3 seat majority)
Labor (22) [lower-roman 1]
Opposition (14)
United Australia Party (12) [lower-roman 2]
Country Party (2)
Changes in composition
- Labor Senator Richard Keane died in April 1946 and was replaced by Country Party member Alexander Fraser. The seat returned to Labor at the September 1946 election, when Fraser was defeated by Labor candidate Jack Devlin.
- At the September 1946 election UAP Senator Ted Mattner was defeated for a casual vacancy by Labor candidate Fred Beerworth.
On 21 February 1945, Robert Menzies announced that the parliamentary United Australia Party had been dissolved and replaced by the newly established Liberal Party.[3]
Notes
- UAP Senator Oliver Uppill resigned on 16 September 1944; UAP member Ted Mattner was appointed to replace him on 10 October, with his term expiring at the 28 September 1946 election, when he was defeated by Labor candidate Fred Beerworth for the vacancy expiring on 30 June 1947.
- Father of the Senate
- Labor Senator Richard Keane died on 26 April 1946; Country Party member Alexander Fraser was appointed to replace him on 15 May, with his term expiring at the 28 September 1946 election, when he was defeated by Labor candidate Jack Devlin for the vacancy expiring on 30 June 1950.
- 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]
References
- "The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate 1944". 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.
- LIBERAL PARTY ANNOUNCED IN PARLIAMENT, The Canberra Times, 22 February 1945.
- Journals of the Senate. Parliament of Australia. 1947.
- "Members of the Senate since 1901". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2008.