State Government of Tasmania beginning 15 June 1928 - period in office of Premier McPhee, John Cameron ending on 15 March 1934
Period in office of premier (see Glossary entry for 'period in office' and related terms)
Parliamentary support during period
Coalition partner 1
Majority
Result of general election
Number of ministers at beginning of period (this may vary during the period)
Assembly elections contested as premier or after which became premier (see Glossary entry for 'after election')
| Election | Premier at election | Premier's party | Premier after election | Premier's party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAS 9 May 1931 | John Cameron McPhee | Nationalist Party | John Cameron McPhee | Nationalist Party |
| TAS 30 May 1928 | Joseph Aloysius Lyons [premier] | Australian Labor Party | John Cameron McPhee | Nationalist Party |
Previous period in this series for TAS | Next period in this series for TAS
Notes
Loss of election: Beginning of McPhee's period in office: At the general election held on 30 May 1928, the Labor government of Lyons lost its majority. The Nationalists won 15 of the 30 seats and McPhee was commissioned to form a Nationalist minority government relying on the support of the Independent member B J Pearsall.
Change in parliamentary support: The McPhee ministry changed from a minority to a majority government when the Nationalists support was substantially increased at the general election of May 1931 at which the Nationalists won 19 of the 30 seats in the House of Assembly.
Change of party leader: McPhee, '[t]roubled by persistent heart problems ... resigned the premiership to Lee in March 1934 and retired from politics. He was appointed KCMG in June', R P Davis (see 'References', below).
References: For a description of the style of parliamentary government in this period, see John Reynolds, 'Premiers and Political Leaders', in F C Green (editor), Tasmania: A Century of Responsible Government 1856-1956, pp 230-231, (Hobart: L G Shea, Government Printer, [1956]), and note Terry Newman, Tasmanian Premiers 1856-1988: A Biographical Handbook, (Hobart: Tasmanian Parliamentary Library, [1988]).
For a survey of McPhee's career, see R P Davis, 'McPhee, Sir John Cameron (1878 - 1952)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10, pp 355-356, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1986), on line at: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100347b.htm?hilite=McPhee
Sources
'Ministries: Names of the Members of Successive Ministries which have held Office in Tasmania since the inauguration of Responsible Government, together with the Dates of Appointment and Retirement', Journal of House of Assembly, Second Session of the Forty-Fifth Parliament of Tasmania, Anno LIII and LV Eliz II; Session 2 of the 45th Parliament, Volume 251, 2004-2006, (Hobart: Government Printer, Tasmania); Colin A Hughes and B D Graham, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964, (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968, SBN 708102700), and the website of the Parliament of Tasmania, http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/