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 |
|---|---|
| Henry Bolte, MLA | |
|
Deputy Premier |
Arthur Rylah, BA, LL.B., MLA |
|
Minister for Transport |
Arthur Warner, MLC |
|
(21 March 1956 – 10 April 1956:)
|
Gilbert Chandler, MLC |
|
Minister for Education |
Col. William Leggatt, DSO, MC, BA, LL.B. MLA (until 2 February 1956) |
|
Commissioner of Public Works |
Sir Thomas Maltby, MLA |
|
|
Ewen Paul Cameron, MLC |
|
Minister for Water Supply |
Wilfred Mibus, MLA |
|
Minister for Forests |
Robert Whately, MA, Dip.Ed., MLA (until 17 March 1956) |
|
(until 14 February 1956:)
Minister for Education (from 14 February 1956) |
John Bloomfield, LL.B., MLA |
|
Minister for Housing |
Horace Petty, B.Com., MLA |
|
Minister for Soldier Settlement |
Keith Turnbull, MLA |
|
Minister without portfolio (until 14 February 1956) (from 14 February 1956:)
|
George Reid, LL.B., MLA |
|
Minister without portfolio (until 10 April 1956) (from 10 April 1956:)
|
Gordon McArthur, BA (Hons), MLC (until 8 July 1958) |
|
Minister without portfolio (until 16 July 1958) |
Murray Porter, MLA (from 14 February 1956) |
|
Minister without portfolio (until 21 January 1959) (from 21 January 1959:)
|
Alexander Fraser, MLA (from 27 March 1956) |
|
Minister without portfolio |
Lindsay Thompson, BA (Hons), BEd, MLC (from 16 July 1958) |
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.[7] The ministry was reconstituted on 8 July 1964 following the 1964 election.
| Office | Minister |
|---|---|
| Henry Bolte, MLA | |
|
Deputy Premier |
Arthur Rylah, BA, LL.B., MLA |
|
|
Arthur Warner, MLC (until 5 September 1962) |
|
|
Gilbert Chandler, MLC |
|
Minister for Water Supply |
Wilfred Mibus, MLA (until 18 April 1964) |
|
Minister for Education |
John Bloomfield, LL.B., MLA |
|
Minister for Immigration (until 9 January 1962) |
Horace Petty, B.Com., MLA (until 27 May 1964) |
|
Minister for Conservation |
Keith Turnbull, MLA |
|
Minister for Labour and Industry |
George Reid, LL.B., MLA |
|
Minister for Local Government |
Murray Porter, MLA |
|
Minister for State Development |
Alexander Fraser, MLA |
|
Minister for Housing |
Lindsay Thompson, BA (Hons), BEd, MLC |
|
|
Ronald Mack, MLC |
|
Minister without portfolio (until 9 January 1962) |
Edward Meagher, MBE, JP, MLA |
|
Minister for Immigration (from 5 September 1962) |
Rupert Hamer, LL.M., MLC |
|
Minister for Water Supply |
Jim Balfour, MLA (from 28 April 1964) |
Third Ministry[]
On 8 July 1964, following the 1964 election, the Bolte Ministry was reconstituted.[8]
| Office | Minister |
|---|---|
|
Premier and Treasurer |
Henry Bolte, MLA |
|
Deputy Premier |
Arthur Rylah, BA, LL.B., MLA |
|
|
Gilbert Chandler, MLC |
|
Minister for Education |
John Bloomfield, LL.B., MLA |
|
(until 2 December 1965:)
Minister for Fuel and Power (from 2 December 1965) |
George Reid, LL.B., MLA |
|
Commissioner of Public Works |
Murray Porter, MLA |
|
Minister for Housing |
Lindsay Thompson, BA (Hons), BEd, MLC |
|
|
Ronald Mack, MLC (until 15 September 1965) |
| Edward Meagher, MBE, JP, MLA | |
| Minister for Local Government | Rupert Hamer, LL.M., MLC |
|
Minister for Conservation |
Jim Balfour, MLA |
|
Minister for Water Supply |
Thomas Darcy, MLA |
|
Minister without portfolio (until 2 December 1965) |
John Rossiter, MLA |
|
Minister for Immigration (until 2 December 1965) |
Vernon Wilcox, MLA |
|
Minister for State Development (until 2 December 1965) |
Pat Dickie, MLC (from 16 July 1964) |
|
Minister without portfolio (until 2 December 1965) |
Jim Manson, MLA (from 22 September 1965) |
References[]
- ^ "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 7 June 1955. p. 1955:2803.
- ^ "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 8 June 1955. p. 1955:2845.
- ^ "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 14 February 1956. p. 1956:1033.
- ^ "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 21 March 1956. p. 1956:1521.
- ^ "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 10 April 1956. p. 1956:1913.
- ^ "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 16 July 1958. p. 1958:1977.
- ^ "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 28 July 1961. p. 1961:2601.
- ^ "Ministers of the Crown". Victorian Government Gazette. 8 July 1964. p. 1964:2233.
- Victoria (Australia) ministries