State Government of New South Wales beginning 3 April 1952 - period in office of Premier Cahill, John Joseph ending on 28 October 1959
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW 21 March 1959 | John Joseph Cahill | Australian Labor Party | John Joseph Cahill | Australian Labor Party |
| NSW 3 March 1956 | John Joseph Cahill | Australian Labor Party | John Joseph Cahill | Australian Labor Party |
| NSW 14 February 1953 | John Joseph Cahill | Australian Labor Party | John Joseph Cahill | Australian Labor Party |
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Notes
Change of party leader (McGirr): Beginning of Cahill's period in office; 'On 1 April 1952 McGirr tendered his resignation. Caucus elected Cahill leader on 2 April, and he was commissioned to form a ministry on the same day', Hughes and Graham, p. 80, (see 'Sources', below).
Change in parliamentary support: When Cahill became premier, his government was dependent on the support of the two Independent Labor members of the Legislative Assembly (see previous entry in this series for New South Wales). At the general election held on 14 February 1953, the Australian Labor Party won majority support in the Legislative Assembly; see David Clune, '1953', in Michael Hogan and David Clune (editors), The People's Choice: Electoral Politics in 20th Century New South Wales, vol. 2 (1930-1965), pp. 297-322, at p. 318, (Sydney: Parliament of New South Wales and University of Sydney, 2001, ISBN 0909907404).
Death of premier (Cahill): 'On 22 October 1959 Cahill died. Heffron was immediately commissioned as Premier subject to being confirmed as leader of the Labor Party. On 28 October caucus elected him leader unopposed and filled the vacancy in the ministry', Hughes and Graham, p. 80, (see 'Sources', below).
References: For an analysis of the role of Premier in New South Wales, see David Clune and Ken Turner, 'Introduction: The Changing Role of the Premier in the 20th Century', pp. 1-14, in Clune and Turner vol. 2 (see, 'Sources', below).
For a survey of Cahill's political career, see David Clune, 'John Joseph Cahill', in Clune and Turner, vol. 2, pp. 295-312 (see 'Sources', below), and David Clune, 'Cahill, John Joseph (1891-1959)', in John Ritchie (general editor), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 13, pp. 331-333, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993, ISBN 0522845126).
Sources
David Clune and Ken Turner (editors), The Premiers of New South Wales, vol. 2, (1901-2005), (Sydney: Federation Press, 2006, ISBN 186287551); 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.