First Bruce Ministry

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See also: Stanley Bruce

First Bruce Ministry
Flag of Australia.svg
16th Ministry of Australia
Nla1ndBruceMinistry.jpg
Group photo of the First Bruce Ministry
Date formed9 February 1923
Date dissolved18 December 1925
People and organisations
MonarchGeorge V
Governor-GeneralLord Forster
Lord Stonehaven
Prime MinisterStanley Bruce
No. of ministers15
Member partyNationalist–Country coalition
Status in legislatureCoalition majority government
Opposition partyLabor
Opposition leaderMatthew Charlton
History
Election(s)16 December 1922
Outgoing election14 November 1925
Legislature term(s)9th
PredecessorFifth Hughes Ministry
SuccessorSecond Bruce Ministry

The First Bruce Ministry (Nationalist–Country Coalition) was the 16th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 8th Prime Minister, Stanley Bruce. The First Bruce Ministry succeeded the Fifth Hughes Ministry, which dissolved on 9 February 1923 following the December 1922 federal election and the subsequent resignation of Billy Hughes as Prime Minister. The Nationalists had lost their majority in the election, and had no choice but to negotiate a Coalition deal with the Country Party. However, Country leader Earle Page let it be known that no deal could be made unless Hughes resigned. It is the first ministry that consists of a centre-right Coalition between the senior conservative party and the junior rural party - this Coalition has more or less endured to this day with the modern-day Liberal Party and National Party. The ministry was replaced by the Second Bruce Ministry on 18 December 1925 following the 1925 federal election.[1]

Stanley Bruce, who died in 1967, was the last surviving member of the First Bruce Ministry; Bruce was also the last surviving member of the Fifth Hughes Ministry and the Second Bruce Ministry. Earle Page was the last surviving Country minister.

The ministry meets in Canberra for the first time, at Yarralumla House, on 30 January 1924.

Ministry[]

Party Minister Portrait Portfolio
Nationalist Rt Hon Stanley Bruce MC
(1883–1967)

MP for Flinders
(1918–1929)

Stanley Bruce.jpg
Country Hon Dr Earle Page
(1880–1961)

MP for Cowper
(1919–1961)

Earle Page 1920.jpg
Nationalist Hon (Sir) Littleton Groom (KCMG) (KC)
(1867–1936)

MP for Darling Downs
(1901–1929)

Portrait of the Hon. L. E. Groom, M.H.R. (cropped).jpg
  • Attorney-General
  • Minister for Trade and Customs (from 26 May 1924 to 13 June 1924)
  • Minister for Health (from 26 May 1924 to 13 June 1924)
Nationalist Rt Hon George Pearce
(1870–1952)

Senator for Western Australia
(1901–1938)

George Pearce 1927.jpg
Nationalist Hon Austin Chapman
(1864–1926)

MP for Eden-Monaro
(1901–1926)

Austin Chapman - Swiss Studios (cropped).jpg
  • Minister for Trade and Customs (to 26 May 1924)
  • Minister for Health (to 26 May 1924)
Country Hon Percy Stewart
(1885–1931)

MP for Wimmera
(1919–1931)

Percy Stewart 1924.jpg
  • Minister for Works and Railways (to 8 August 1924)
Nationalist Hon Eric Bowden
(1871–1931)

MP for Parramatta
(1922–1929)

Eric Bowden 1925 (cropped).jpg
Country Hon William Gibson
(1869–1955)

MP for Corangamite
(1918–1929)

William Gibson - Talma & Co (cropped).jpg
  • Deputy Leader of the Country Party
  • Postmaster-General
Country Hon Llewellyn Atkinson
(1867–1945)

MP for Wilmot
(1906–1929)

Llewellyn Atkinson.jpg
Nationalist Hon Victor Wilson
(1877–1957)

Senator for South Australia
(1920–1926)

Sir Reginald Victor Wilson.jpg
  • Honorary Minister (to 16 January 1925)
  • Minister for Markets and Migration (from 16 January 1925)
Nationalist Hon Thomas Crawford
(1865–1948)

Senator for Queensland
(1917–1947) (in Ministry from 14 February 1923)

Thomas Crawford (Australian politician).JPG
  • Honorary Minister (from 14 February 1923)
Nationalist Hon Herbert Pratten
(1865–1928)

MP for Martin
(1922–1928) (in Ministry from 13 June 1924)

Herbert Pratten - May Moore (cropped).jpg
  • Minister for Trade and Customs (from 13 June 1924)
  • Minister for Health (from 13 June 1924 to 16 January 1925)
Country Hon William Hill
(1866–1939)

MP for Echuca
(1919–1934) (in Ministry from 8 August 1924)

William Hill 1926 (cropped).jpg
  • Minister for Works and Railways (from 8 August 1924)
Nationalist Hon Sir Neville Howse VC KCB KCMG
(1863–1930)

MP for Calare
(1922–1929) (in Ministry from 16 January 1925)

Neville Howse - Lafayette (cropped).jpg
Nationalist Hon Charles Marr DSO MC
(1880–1960)

MP for Parkes
(1919–1929) (in Ministry from 16 January 1925)

Sir Charles Marr (cropped).jpg
  • Chief Government Whip in the House
  • Honorary Minister (from 16 January 1925)

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ "Ministries and Cabinets". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
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