State Government of New South Wales beginning 8 March 1889 - period in office of Premier Parkes, Henry ending on 23 October 1891
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW 17 June 1891 | Henry Parkes | Free Trade Party | Henry Parkes | Free Trade Party |
| NSW 1 February 1889 | George Richard Dibbs | Protectionist Party | Henry Parkes | Free Trade Party |
| NSW 4 February 1887 | Henry Parkes | Free Trade Party | Henry Parkes | Free Trade Party |
| NSW 18 November 1880 | Henry Parkes | Support from parliamentary factions and independents | Henry Parkes | Support from parliamentary factions and independents |
| NSW 8 December 1874 | Henry Parkes | Support from parliamentary factions and independents | John Robertson | Support from parliamentary factions and independents |
| NSW 13 February 1872 | James Martin | Support from parliamentary factions and independents | Henry Parkes | Support from parliamentary factions and independents |
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Notes
Loss of election (Dibbs): Beginning of Parkes's fifth period in office; On forming a government, Dibbs 'Immediately defeated in Legislative Assembly. Obtained dissolution and defeated at election', see Clune and Turner, vol. 1 table 3, pp. 228-229 (see 'Sources', below). Parkes was then commissioned to form a minority Free Trade government.
Defeat in parliament (Parkes): Parkes 'Resigned after defeat in Legislative Assembly', see Clune and Turner, vol. 1 table 3, pp. 228-229 (see 'Sources', below).
References: For a description and analysis of the style of parliamentary government in this period see David Clune and Ken Turner, 'Introduction: The Colonial Premiers', pp. 1-12, in Clune and Turner vol. 1 (see, 'Sources', below) and Peter Loveday and A W Martin, Parliament, Factions and Parties: The First Thirty Years of Responsible Government in New South Wales, 1856-1889, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1966); for the emergence of parties in New South Wales, note also P Loveday, A W Martin and Patrick Weller, 'New South Wales', in P Loveday, A W Martin and R S Parker, (editors), The Emergence of the Australian Party System, pp. 172-248, (Sydney: Hale and Iremonger, 1977 ISBN 0908094035).
For a survey of Parkes's political career, see Geoffrey Bolton, 'Henry (later Sir Henry) Parkes', in Clune and Turner, vol. 1, pp. 121-137 (see 'Sources', below), and A W Martin, 'Parkes, Sir Henry (1815-1896)', in Douglas Pike (general editor), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 5, pp. 399-406, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1974, ISBN 522840612).A W Martin, 'Parkes, Sir Henry (1815-1896)', in Douglas Pike (general editor), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 5, pp. 399-406, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1974, ISBN 522840612).
Sources
David Clune and Ken Turner (editors), The Premiers of New South Wales, vol. 1, (1856-1901), (Sydney: Federation Press, 2006, ISBN 186287550); Colin A Hughes and B D Graham, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964, pp. 57-85, (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968, SBN 708102700); New South Wales, Parliament, The New South Wales Parliamentary Record: Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, 1824-1999, vol. VI, pp. 246-308, (Sydney: Parliament of New South Wales, 1999). In consulting these sources, note the difference between ministries and periods in office.