Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Council, 1949–1951
This is a list of members of the Northern Territory Legislative Council from 10 December 1949 to 28 April 1951.
The council consisted of 14 members. Six members were elected to four single-member electorates (Alice Springs, Batchelor, Stuart and Tennant Creek), and one two-member electorate (Darwin). Seven members (called Official Members) were appointed by the Australian government, all of whom were senior public servants in the Northern Territory. The Administrator of the Northern Territory, Arthur Driver, served as presiding officer (or president) of the council.[1]
The Commonwealth Act establishing the Legislative Council contained a provision that elections for the non-appointed seats would occur on the same day as federal elections for the House of Representatives. In 1951, the Menzies government called an early federal election for 28 April. On 23 March, the acting Administrator stated that there was doubt over this interpretation of the Act, and that the Administrator had decided not to hold a council election that year, which would result in the council term continuing until the next federal election in 1954—however, this five-year term would be a breach of the Act which specified a three-year term length. Additionally, the federal electoral office in Canberra issued a telegram which stated that it was 'expected' that an election would be held to coincide with the federal one.[1] On 29 March, the Administrator announced that an election would be held on 28 April.[2]
| Name | Party | Electorate/Title | Years in office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick Austin | Independent | Darwin | 1949–1951 |
| Hugh Barclay | Appointed | Director of Lands | 1948–1963 |
| William Braitling | Independent | Stuart | 1949–1951 |
| Robert Coxon | Appointed | Director of Mining | 1948–1954 |
| Les Dodd [2] | Appointed | Director of Education | 1949–1951 |
| Frederick Dowling | Labor | Batchelor | 1949–1954 |
| Arthur Driver | Appointed | Administrator | 1947–1951 |
| William Flynn | Appointed | Deputy Crown Solicitor | 1948–1951 |
| John Higgins [1] | Independent | Tennant Creek | 1950–1951 |
| John Huthnance | Appointed | Chief Clerk | 1949–1955 |
| Frank Johnson | Labor | Alice Springs | 1949–1954 |
| Robert Jones MBE | Appointed | Apprentice Board Member | 1950–1951 |
| Reg Leydin | Appointed | Government Secretary | 1948–1952, 1953–1954, 1963 |
| Matthew Luke | Independent Labor | Darwin | 1947–1954 |
| Francis Moy | Appointed | Director of Native Affairs | 1948–1953 |
| Dr Stephen Watsford [2] | Appointed | Chief Medical Officer | 1951–1954 |
| Victor Webster [1] | Independent | Tennant Creek | 1947–1950 |
- 1 Victor Webster, the elected member for Tennant Creek, resigned from the council on 17 May 1950 (before the first meeting of the term) after losing his job as a medical officer with the federal Department of Health when the Chifley government was defeated at the 1949 federal election, and having to leave the Territory. On 16 November 1950, Administrator Arthur Driver appointed John Higgins as his replacement, ignoring Charles Priest who had contested the seat against Webster at the 1949 election.[1]
- 2 Appointed member Les Dodd resigned on 15 March 1951. His place on the council was filled by Chief Medical Officer Dr Stephen Watsford.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Jaensch, Dean (1990). The Legislative Council of the Northern Territory: An Electoral History 1947–1974. Darwin: Australian National University.
- ^ "Advertising". Northern Standard. Vol. 6, no. 251. Northern Territory, Australia. 30 March 1951. p. 10. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Watsford, Stephen and Penny: Much have I seen and known (NTRS 3030), Northern Territory Archives.