Cahill ministry (1956–59)

The Cahill ministry (1956–1959) or Third Cahill ministry was the 57th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 29th Premier, the Honourable Joe Cahill, MLA, of the Labor Party. The ministry was the third of four consecutive occasions when the Government was led by Cahill, as Premier.

Cahill was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1925 and served until 1932, representing the seats of St George and Arncliffe before being defeated. He was re-elected in 1935, again representing Arncliffe, and then represented Cook's River between 1941 and 1959. Having served continuously as Secretary for Public Works in the first, second, and third ministries of Jim McGirr, when Deputy Premier Jack Baddeley resigned, Cahill was appointed as McGirr's deputy on 21 September 1949. McGirr resigned as Premier several years later, on 2 April 1952, and Cahill was elected as Labor Leader and became Premier.

This ministry covers the period from 15 March 1956 when Cahill won the 1956 state election, until 1 April 1959,[1] when Cahill led Labor to victory at the 1959 state election and the Fourth Cahill ministry was formed.

Composition of ministry

First arrangement

The composition of this arrangement of the ministry was announced by Premier Cahill following the 1956 state election on 15 March 1956, and covers the period until 22 November 1957, when there was a minor rearrangement of the ministry. Ministers are listed in order of seniority and in most cases, serve the full term of this ministry.

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Term commence	Term end	Term of office
Premier Colonial Treasurer	Hon. Joseph Cahill, MLA		Labor	15 March 1956	1 April 1959	3 years, 17 days
Deputy Premier Minister of Education	Hon. Bob Heffron, MLA
Attorney–General Minister for Justice Vice-President of the Executive Council Representative of the Government in Legislative Council	Hon. Reg Downing, MLC
Colonial Secretary Minister for Immigration Minister for Co-operative Societies	Hon. Gus Kelly, MLA
Minister for Agriculture Minister for Food Production	Hon. Eddie Graham, MLA^1				13 November 1957	1 year, 243 days
Minister for Health	Hon. Bill Sheahan, QC, MLA				1 April 1959	3 years, 17 days
Minister for Child Welfare Minister for Social Welfare	Hon. Frank Hawkins, MLA
Minister for Local Government Minister for Highways	Hon. Jack Renshaw, MLA
Minister for Transport	Hon. George Enticknap, MLA
Minister for Housing	Hon. Abe Landa, MLA
Secretary for Public Works	Hon. John McGrath, MLA
Minister for Conservation	Hon. Ernest Wetherell, MLA
Minister without portfolio	Hon. William Gollan, MLA				22 November 1957	1 year, 252 days
Secretary for Lands Secretary for Mines	Hon. Roger Nott, MLA
Minister for Labour and Industry	Hon. James Maloney, MLC
Minister without portfolio	Hon. Jim Simpson, MLA

^1 Graham died in office.

Second arrangement

The rearrangement of the ministry was triggered by the death of the Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Food Production, Eddie Graham, who died in office on 13 November 1957.[2] Cahill took the opportunity to make a minor rearrangement of the ministry. Ministers are listed in order of seniority. Only changes in portfolios are shown and covers the period until 1 April 1959, when the 1959 state election was held.

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Term commence	Term end	Term of office
Secretary for Lands	Hon. William Gollan, MLA^3		Labor	22 November 1957	1 April 1959	1 year, 130 days
Minister for Agriculture Minister for Food Production	Hon. Roger Nott, MLA^2			14 November 1957		1 year, 138 days
Secretary for Mines	Hon. Jim Simpson, MLA^4
Minister without portfolio	Hon. John McMahon, MLA^5

^2 Following the death of Graham, Nott was promoted as Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Food Production.

^3 Following the promotion of Nott, Gollan was promoted as Secretary for Lands.

^4 Following the promotion of Gollan, Simpson was promoted as Secretary for Mines.

^5 Following the promotion of Simpson, McMahon was promoted into the ministry, without portfolio.

See also

• Joseph Cahill - 29th Premier of New South Wales
• First Cahill ministry
• Second Cahill ministry
• Fourth Cahill ministry
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1956–1959
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, 1955–1958
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, 1958–1961

References

1. "Part 6: Ministries" (PDF). New South Wales Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
2. "The Hon. Edgar Hugh Graham (1897-1957)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.

Preceded by Cahill ministry (1953–1956)	Cahill ministry (1956–1959) 1956–1959	Succeeded by Cahill ministry (1959)