1951 in Australia
See also: 1950 in Australia, other events of 1951, 1952 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.
Incumbents
State Premiers
State Governors
Events
- 1 January – The 50th anniversary of Australian federation is celebrated.
- 19 February – Jean Lee becomes the last woman to be hanged in Australia, when she, Robert Clayton and Norman Andrews are executed in Melbourne for the murder of a 73-year-old man.
- 1 March – The Bank of Australasia merges with the Union Bank of Australia to form the ANZ Bank.
- 9 March – The High Court of Australia rules in the case Australian Communist Party v Commonwealth that the Communist Party Dissolution Bill 1950, passed by the parliament to ban the Communist Party of Australia, was unconstitutional.
- 19 March – The Governor-General, William McKell, issues a double dissolution of parliament for the second time in its history, citing the Senate's referral of the Commonwealth Bank Bill as a "failure to pass" the bill.
- 12 April – Conscription begins as the first call-up notice is issued under the National Service Act (1951), requiring Australian 18-year-old males to undergo compulsory military training.
- 28 April – A federal election is held. The Liberal government of Robert Menzies retains power.
- 8 June – The first lessons of the School of the Air are broadcast from the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Adelaide.[1]
- 16 August – The Australian Financial Review is first published.
- 1 September – The Anzus Treaty, between Australia, New Zealand and the United States, is signed.
- 9 September – Australia signs the Treaty of San Francisco, formalising peace with Japan.
- 22 September – A federal referendum is held, proposing to alter the Australian Constitution to allow the banning of the Communist Party. The referendum was not carried.
- 4 October – Francis McEncroe sells the first Chiko Rolls at the Wagga Wagga agricultural show.
- 13 November – William McKell is gazetted a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, becoming the only Governor-General of Australia to be knighted during their term.
Science and technology
Arts and literature
Film
Sport
- Athletics
- 5 March – Gordon Stanley wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:59:44.6 in Hobart.
Births
- 19 January – Charles Blunt, politician
- 20 January – Clyde Sefton, road cyclist
- 26 February – Wayne Goss, Premier of Queensland
- 29 April – Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister of the ACT
- 29 May – Don Baird, pole vaulter
- 4 July – John Alexander, tennis player and politician
- 6 July – Geoffrey Rush, actor
- 31 July – Evonne Goolagong Cawley, tennis player
- 5 August – John Jarratt, actor
- 6 August – Daryl Somers, television personality
- 30 August – Daniel Clark, track cyclist and road bicycle racer
- 9 September – Alexander Downer, politician
- 27 September – Geoff Gallop, Premier of Western Australia
- 1 December – Doug Mulray, radio personality
- 18 December – Andy Thomas, astronaut
- 22 December – Jan Stephenson, professional golfer
Deaths
References