Parliamentary Leaders

Parliamentary Leaders 1920 to 2010

Notes and Sources:
* Page and McEwen tied in the ballot for the leadership. To break the deadlock, the party room agreed to proceed with the election of its deputy leader – for which Fadden had overwhelming support – and then appoint the deputy as acting leader. With the deepening war crisis and Prime Minister Menzies overseas, the party room confirmed Fadden as leader on 12 March 1941. It also agreed to leave the deputy’s position vacant. John McEwen – His Story, pages 8, 27, 28; Fadden, They called me Artie, pages 43-45; Ellis, Country Party, page 257; The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 March 1941, page 6.

** Gregory resigned as deputy leader over a disagreement on Coalition strategy. As the parliament rose for the summer recess on 10 December (and was subsequently prorogued twice) and did not resume until 28 June 1922, the deputy leader’s position was not filled until the pre-sessional Country Party meeting on 27 June 1922, when Fleming was elected. His tenure was short-lived as he lost his NSW seat of Robertson at the election on 16 December 1922. Gibson was elected to replace him at the pre-sessional party meeting on 16 January 1923. The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 December 1921, page 17, 17 January 1923, page 13; The Argus, Melbourne, 28 June 1922, page 11; Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook, 2005, page 589.

*** The eldest of Page’s three sons, Earle junior, was killed by lightning while moving cattle on the family property, Heifer Station, Grafton, in January 1933. As a result Page was absent from parliament for nine months until 4 October 1933. The party room appointed Paterson acting leader in the meantime. Truant Surgeon, Page, page 263; Ellis, A Pen in Politics, pages 162, 163; Australian Dictionary of Biography (www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs) Bridge, C, Page, Sir Earle Christmas Grafton (1880-1961), vol 11, 1988, pages 118-122; Commonwealth Parliamentary Debates, 4 October 1933, page 3195.

**** With the confirmation of Fadden as leader, the party room agreed that ‘with the party reuniting and in light of international events, there was no need for a Deputy to be appointed’. The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 March 1941, page 6.

***** Anthony as Trade minister embarked on a series of international visits in 1976, including to the Soviet Union. He returned unwell to Australia in July. Unable to shake his illness, ultimately identified as hepatitis, he was granted leave from parliament from 20 October and did not return until 1 February 1977. During that period, the party room appointed Ian Sinclair acting leader and Peter Nixon acting deputy. Doug Anthony interviews with author; Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook, 21st edition, Commonwealth Parliamentary Library, 1982.

+ Scullion is a member of the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party and sits with the National Party in the Commonwealth Parliament. He was the first Senator to hold the Deputy Leader’s position, all others, as with Leaders, having come from the Party in the House of Representatives.

Additional sources:
The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 February 1920, page 2; 6 April 1921, page 10; 3 December 1921, page 17; 17 January 1923, page 13; 20 November1929, page 17; 13 March 1941, page 6; 23 September 1943, page 4. Australian Dictionary of Biography, various volumes – see www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs; Graham, BD, The Formation of Australian Country Parties; Davey, P, The Nationals; Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook, 6th issue 1901-1930, 7th issue 1932, 8th issue, 1931-1935, 16th edition 1965-1968, 21st edition 1982; 28th edition 1999; 30th edition 2005; Who’s Who in Australia, various volumes; Golding, P, Black Jack McEwen, page 333; Transcript, Doug Anthony news conference, Canberra, 2 February 1971; Lundie, R, Commonwealth Parliamentary Library Research Service, Canberra.

Senate Leaders 1920 to 2010

Party Whips, House of Representatives 1920 to 2010

Notes and abbreviations:
Since its formation as the Australian Country Party in January 1920, the party has declared parliamentary party positions, including that of whip, vacant after each election for the House of Representatives. Up to the 1950s, the whip was also referred to as the secretary of the party. From the mid-1970s the party elected a deputy whip. The contemporary party elects a chief whip and a whip. The above list nominates those parliamentarians who have been elected to the senior whip position.

def - defeated at Federal election
res - resigned as whip
ret - retired from parliament