Bolte Ministry

The Bolte Ministry was a Ministry of the Government of Victoria, and was led by Liberal Premier Henry Bolte. It succeeded the Cain ministry on 7 June 1955, following the defeat of the Labor government at the 1955 election held ten days earlier. The ministry lasted over 17 years and was followed by the Hamer Ministry on 24 August 1972 after the resignation of Bolte from politics.

First Ministry

On 7 and 8 June 1955, the Governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, appointed the following ministers to the portfolios indicated.[1][2] Some changes resulted from the departure of William Leggatt,[3] who was appointed Agent-General for Victoria in London in February 1956, the death of Robert Whately the following month,[4][5] and the appointment of Gordon McArthur as President of the Victorian Legislative Council.[6] However, the ministry was stable from 1956 until its reconstitution after the 1961 election.

The list below is ordered by decreasing seniority within the Cabinet, as indicated by the Government Gazette and the Victorian Year Book.

Office Minister

Premier and Treasurer
Minister for Conservation

Henry Bolte, MLA

Deputy Premier
Chief Secretary
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Assembly
Attorney-General

Arthur Rylah, BA, LL.B., MLA

Minister for Transport
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council

Arthur Warner, MLC

Minister for Agriculture

(21 March 1956 – 10 April 1956:)

Minister for Forests
Minister for State Development and Decentralisation
Minister for Immigration
Gilbert Chandler, MLC

Minister for Education
Minister for Immigration

Col. William Leggatt, DSO, MC, BA, LL.B. MLA
(until 2 February 1956)

Commissioner of Public Works

Sir Thomas Maltby, MLA

Minister for Health

Ewen Paul Cameron, MLC

Minister for Water Supply
Minister for Mines

Wilfred Mibus, MLA

Minister for Forests
Minister for State Development and Decentralisation
Minister for Immigration (from 14 February 1956)

Robert Whately, MA, Dip.Ed., MLA
(until 17 March 1956)

(until 14 February 1956:)

Minister for Labour and Industry
Minister for Electrical Undertakings

Minister for Education (from 14 February 1956)

John Bloomfield, LL.B., MLA

Minister for Housing
Minister for Immigration (from 10 April 1956)

Horace Petty, B.Com., MLA

Minister for Soldier Settlement
Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey
President of the Board of Land of Works

Keith Turnbull, MLA

Minister without portfolio (until 14 February 1956)

(from 14 February 1956:)

Minister for Labour and Industry
Minister for Electrical Undertakings
George Reid, LL.B., MLA

Minister without portfolio (until 10 April 1956)

(from 10 April 1956:)

Minister for Forests
Minister for State Development and Decentralisation
Gordon McArthur, BA (Hons), MLC
(until 8 July 1958)

Minister without portfolio (until 16 July 1958)
Minister for Forests (16 July 1958 – 21 January 1959)
Minister for Local Government (from 16 December 1958)

Murray Porter, MLA
(from 14 February 1956)

Minister without portfolio (until 21 January 1959)

(from 21 January 1959:)

Minister for Forests
Minister for State Development
Alexander Fraser, MLA
(from 27 March 1956)

Minister without portfolio

Lindsay Thompson, BA (Hons), BEd, MLC
(from 16 July 1958)

References

  1. "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 7 June 1955. p. 1955:2803-2804.
  2. "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 8 June 1955. p. 1955:2845-2846.
  3. "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 14 February 1956. p. 1956:1033.
  4. "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 21 March 1956. p. 1956:1321.
  5. "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 10 April 1956. p. 1956:1913.
  6. "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 16 July 1958. p. 1958:1977.

Second Ministry

On 28 July 1961, following the 1961 election, the Bolte Ministry was reconstituted. Sir Ewen Cameron became Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Council, whilst Sir Thomas Maltby retired from politics. They were replaced by Ronald Mack and Edward Meagher.[1] The ministry was reconstituted on 8 July 1964 following the 1964 election.

Office Minister

Premier and Treasurer

Henry Bolte, MLA

Deputy Premier
Chief Secretary
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Assembly
Attorney-General

Arthur Rylah, BA, LL.B., MLA

Minister for Transport
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council

Arthur Warner, MLC
(until 5 September 1962)

Minister for Agriculture
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
  (from 5 September 1962)

Gilbert Chandler, MLC

Minister for Water Supply
Minister for Mines

Wilfred Mibus, MLA
(until 18 April 1964)

Minister for Education

John Bloomfield, LL.B., MLA

Minister for Immigration (until 9 January 1962)
Commissioner of Public Works

Horace Petty, B.Com., MLA
(until 27 May 1964)

Minister for Conservation
Minister for Soldier Settlement
Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey
President of the Board of Land of Works

Keith Turnbull, MLA

Minister for Labour and Industry
Minister for Electrical Undertakings

George Reid, LL.B., MLA

Minister for Local Government
Commissioner of Public Works (from 27 May 1964)

Murray Porter, MLA

Minister for State Development

Alexander Fraser, MLA

Minister for Housing
Minister for Forests

Lindsay Thompson, BA (Hons), BEd, MLC

Minister for Health

Ronald Mack, MLC

Minister without portfolio (until 9 January 1962)
Minister for Immigration (9 January – 5 September 1962)
Minister for Transport (from 5 September 1962)

Edward Meagher, MBE, JP, MLA

Minister for Immigration (from 5 September 1962)

Rupert Hamer, LL.M., MLC

Minister for Water Supply
Minister for Mines

Jim Balfour, MLA
(from 28 April 1964)

References

  1. "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 28 July 1961. p. 1961:2601.

Third Ministry

On 8 July 1964, following the 1964 election, the Bolte Ministry was reconstituted.[1]

Office Minister

Premier and Treasurer
Minister for State Development (until 16 July 1964)

Henry Bolte, MLA

Deputy Premier
Chief Secretary
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Assembly
Attorney-General
Minister for Health (15–22 September 1965)

Arthur Rylah, BA, LL.B., MLA

Minister for Agriculture
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council

Gilbert Chandler, MLC

Minister for Education

John Bloomfield, LL.B., MLA

(until 2 December 1965:)

Minister for Labour and Industry
Minister for Electrical Undertakings

Minister for Fuel and Power (from 2 December 1965)

George Reid, LL.B., MLA

Commissioner of Public Works

Murray Porter, MLA

Minister for Housing
Minister for Forests

Lindsay Thompson, BA (Hons), BEd, MLC

Minister for Health

Ronald Mack, MLC
(until 15 September 1965)
Minister for Transport Edward Meagher, MBE, JP, MLA
Minister for Local Government Rupert Hamer, LL.M., MLC

Minister for Conservation
Minister for Soldier Settlement
Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey
President of the Board of Land of Works

Jim Balfour, MLA

Minister for Water Supply
Minister for Mines

Thomas Darcy, MLA

Minister without portfolio (until 2 December 1965)
Minister for Immigration (from 2 December 1965)

John Rossiter, MLA

Minister for Immigration (until 2 December 1965)
Minister for Labour and Industry (from 2 December 1965)

Vernon Wilcox, MLA

Minister for State Development (until 2 December 1965)
Minister for Health (from 22 September 1965)

Pat Dickie, MLC
(from 16 July 1964)

Minister without portfolio (until 2 December 1965)
Minister for State Development (from 2 December 1965)

Jim Manson, MLA
(from 22 September 1965)

References

  1. "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 8 July 1964. p. 1964:2233.
Parliament of Victoria
Preceded by
Cain Ministry
Bolte Ministry
1955–1972
Succeeded by
Hamer Ministry