Minister for National Emergency Services (New South Wales)

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Minister for National Emergency Services of New South Wales
Coat of Arms of New South Wales.svg
Bruxner FL19080753 (2).jpg
Minister Michael Bruxner testing air raid sirens
AppointerGovernor of New South Wales
Formation1 February 1939
First holderMichael Bruxner
Final holderJim McGirr
Abolished21 September 1949

The Minister for National Emergency Services was a ministry in the government of New South Wales during World War II, with the two principal activities being a) the provision of measures for the protection of the life and property of the people, such as provision of air raid warnings, lighting control, air raid shelters, protection of vital plant and numerous other schemes to meet emergency conditions; and b) operational activities, including the organisation of personnel trained in specialist duties to cope with the immediate effects of enemy attack.[1] While the agency was created in 1939 and Michael Bruxner, the Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport, was the first responsible minister,[1] it was not created as a formal portfolio until the first McKell ministry in 1941.[2]

Role and responsibilities[]

The National Emergency Services, New South Wales commenced operation on 1 February 1939. The agency was formed in response to a request from the Prime Minister that the Australian states devise a scheme for the protection of the civilian population against possible attacks from the air in the event of a national attack.[1] Bruxner, the first minister, had been a member of the Australian Imperial Force in World War I and had finished that war promoted to lieutenant colonel.[3]

The first task of the department was to prepare a scheme of organisation for the State. The scheme provided for the formation of a Civil Defence Organisation upon a municipal or shire basis. Each municipality or shire became an "Area". A Chief Warden was appointed, to take charge of each Area. The Chief Warden and all of the area staff served in a voluntary capacity.[1]

The Headquarters’ staff, under a Director, who was responsible to the Minister, were Public Sector Employees. In addition to a Secretary and clerical staff, officers included a Controller of Training, a Supervisor of First Aid Training, Liaison Officers and an Executive Officer of the Technical Committee who was an officer of the professional staff of the Department of Public Works. Arrangements were made for the establishment of a Special Control Staff at Headquarters to assist in the event of an attack. In order that the best technical advice should be available, committees directly responsible to the Director, were appointed. The personnel of these committees were also volunteers.[1]

The National Emergency Act 1941 received assent on 20 March 1941,[4] and remained in force for the duration of hostilities with Germany and for a period of six months thereafter. The Act provided for preparing and implementing Raid Precautions Schemes and Regulations. The first Raid Precautions Scheme was gazetted on 6 June 1941,[5] and the first Regulations on 13 June 1941.[6] The legislation was amended in October 1941,[7] to bring navigable waters under the scope of the Act.[1]

List of ministers[]

Title Minister [2] Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes
Minister in Charge of
National Emergency Services 		Michael Bruxner   Country Stevens (3)
Mair 		1 February 1939 11 February 1941 2 years, 10 days [3][8]
Hubert Primrose   United Australia Mair 11 February 1941 16 May 1941 94 days [9][10]
Minister for National Emergency Services Bob Heffron   Labor McKell (1) 16 May 1941 8 June 1944 3 years, 23 days [11]
Jack Baddeley McKell (2)
McGirr (1) (2) 		8 June 1944 8 September 1949 5 years, 92 days [12]
Jim McGirr McGirr (2) 8 September 1949 21 September 1949 13 days [13]
Air raid sirens tested at Fire Headquarters in 1940

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "AGY-640 National Emergency Services, New South Wales". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 28 November 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  2. ^ a b Part 6 Ministries since 1856 (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b Aitkin, Don. "Bruxner, Sir Michael Frederick (1882–1970)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 5 April 2007 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  4. ^ "National Emergency Act 1941 No 1" (PDF). NSW legislation. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Raid precaution scheme No 1 (74)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 6 June 1941. p. 2167. Retrieved 28 November 2021 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "National Emergency Act, 1941. (76)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 13 June 1941. p. 2188. Retrieved 28 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "National Emergency (Amendment) Act 1941 No 41" (PDF). NSW legislation. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Emergency service". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 February 1939. p. 13. Retrieved 28 November 2021 – via Trove.
  9. ^ "N.E. service on statutory basis". The Northern Star. 12 February 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 7 January 2021 – via Trove.
  10. ^ "New N.E.S. Chief welcomed". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 February 1941. p. 13. Retrieved 7 January 2021 – via Trove.
  11. ^ "Mr Robert James Heffron (1890–1978)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  12. ^ "Mr John Marcus Baddeley (1881–1953)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  13. ^ "Mr James McGirr (1890–1957)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
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