Nicholas Edward "Nick" McKenna (9 September 1895 – 22 April 1974) was an Australian politician.
McKenna was born in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton and was educated at Christian Brothers' College, North Melbourne—Arthur Calwell was a fellow student. At 17 he joined the Commonwealth Public Service in the Auditor General's office. He earned an LL.B. from the University of Melbourne in 1923 and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1928. He moved to Hobart in 1929 and married Kathleen Mary Coghlan in January 1930—they had a son and daughter.[1]
McKenna was elected as a senator for Tasmania at the 1943 election, representing the Australian Labor Party. He was appointed as Minister for Health and Minister for Social Services in the second Chifley Ministry in November 1946 and held those positions until the defeat of the Chifley government at the 1949 election. He campaigned energetically for the 1946 referendums and, with the passage of the social services proposal, he was in charge of the government's attempt to introduce a national health scheme.[1]
McKenna was leader of the opposition in the Senate from 1951 to 1966. He took an active part in the fight against the banning of the Communist Party of Australia in the 1951 referendum. He considered that it was a high point in his career that Australia has "decided not to become a police state". He retired from the Senate in July 1968.[1]
McKenna's wife and son both died in 1969. He died in the Sydney suburb of Crows Nest, New South Wales, survived by his daughter.[1]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Fraser |
Minister for Health 1946–1949 |
Succeeded by Earle Page |
| Minister for Social Services 1946–1949 |
Succeeded by Bill Spooner |
|
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Bill Ashley |
Leader of the Australian Labor Party in the Senate 1951–1966 |
Succeeded by Don Willesee |