State Government of Victoria beginning 28 October 1952 - period in office of Premier Hollway, Thomas Tuke ending on 31 October 1952
Period in office of premier (see Glossary entry for 'period in office' and related terms)
Parliamentary support during period
Coalition partner 1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIC 13 May 1950 | Thomas Tuke Hollway | Liberal Party | Thomas Tuke Hollway | Liberal and Country Party |
| VIC 8 November 1947 | John Cain [snr] | Australian Labor Party | Thomas Tuke Hollway | Liberal Party |
Previous period in this series for VIC | Next period in this series for VIC
Notes
Defeat in parliament (McDonald): Beginning of Hollway's third period in office; In October 1950, universal franchise had been adopted for the Legislative Council (Wright, p.187, see 'Sources', below) and, on 21 June 1952, '... the first Legislative Council election since the the expansion of the franchise saw the ALP win an additional eight provinces -- seven from the [Liberal and Country Party] and one from the Country Party.' Costar, p.248 (see 'References' for previous period in office). Electoral redistribution for the Assembly had been one of the conditions for Labor's support of the McDonald ministry, and the Labor Party used its increased support in the Legislative Council, together with two of Hollway's supporters to deny supply. The motion read: 'That this House is of the opinion that, in view of the inequitable electoral system at present operating in this State and of the Government being not fairly representative of the people, the Supply sought by this Bill should not be consented to at present' Victoria Parliamentary Debates,1950-51 Session, vol. 232, 21 October 1952, pp 2630-2684, at p.2683; the motion passed 17 to 16.
'McDonald sought a dissolution, and when this was refused, resigned. Hollway, then leader of a group of dissident Liberals known as the Electoral Reform [League], was commissioned to form a government which he did by employing all the members of his group.' Hughes and Graham, p.134 (see 'Sources', below).
Defeat in parliament (Hollway): On 28 October 1952, the Hollway ministry was defeated on a procedural motion in the Assembly 31 to 33, by Country Party party members and those of the Liberal and Country Party, the Australian Labor Party members supporting Hollway; Victoria Parliamentary Debates, 1951-52 Session, vol. 240, 28 October 1952, pp 2773-2790. The following day, a motion of no confidence was moved by the leader of the opposition, McDonald, and a vote taken in the early hours of 30 October; the government was again defeated 33 to 31; Victoria Parliamentary Debates, 1951-52 Session, vol. 240, 29 October 1952, pp 2794-2863.
'[Hollway] then sought, but did not obtain a dissolution. The Governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, obtained Hollway's resignation, commissioned McDonald to form a government, and then granted a dissolution.' Hughes and Graham, p.135 (see 'Sources', below); note Victoria Parliamentary Debates, 1951-52 Session, vol. 240, 29 October 1952, p.2864.
References: For a study of Hollway's periods in office, see Brian Costar, 'Tom Hollway: The Bohemian', in Strangio and Costar (editors), ch. 18, (see 'Sources', below), and Kate White, 'Hollway: An Atypical Liberal Leader?', Politics, 8 (2) November 1978: 320-323. A survey of Hollway's career can be found in Barry O Jones, 'Hollway, Thomas Tuke (Tom) (1906–1971)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 14, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1996), on line here [accessed 21 April 2014].
Sources
Colin Hughes and B D Graham (editors), A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964, (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968, SBN 708102700); Parliament of Victoria, One Hundred Years of Responsible Government 1856-1956, (Melbourne: Government Printer, 1957, Parliamentary Paper No. 40 of 1956-58); Paul Strangio and Brian Costar (editors), The Victorian Premiers 1856-2006, (Sydney: Federation Press, 2006, ISBN 9781862876019); Raymond Wright, A People's Counsel: A History of the Parliament of Victoria 1856-1990, (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1992, ISBN 0195533593). Victoria Hansard (Record of Parliamentary Debates) on line here .
In consulting these sources, note the difference between ministries and periods in office.