Third Parkes ministry | |
---|---|
19th Cabinet of the Colony of New South Wales | |
Date formed | 21 December 1878 |
Date dissolved | 4 January 1883 |
People and organisations | |
Head of state | Queen Victoria (represented by Hercules Robinson, and subsequently Lord Augustus Loftus) |
Head of government | Henry Parkes |
No. of ministers | 10 |
Member party | unaligned |
Status in legislature | Minority government |
Opposition party | unaligned |
Opposition leader | Alexander Stuart |
History | |
Predecessor | Farnell ministry |
Successor | Stuart ministry |
The third Parkes ministry was the nineteenth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by Sir Henry Parkes in a coalition with Sir John Robertson. It was the third of five occasions that Parkes was Leader of the Government. [1]
Having served in the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1854 and 1856, Parkes was elected in the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly held in 1856, however resigned from Parliament later that year. He served in the Assembly on several occasions, between 1858 and 1870, being forced to resign on at least one occasion due to his personal insolvency. He came to power as Premier on the first occasion in 1872, serving as Leader of the Government for a period of three years. However, Parkes lost the confidence of the Assembly following Governor Robinson's decision to release of the bushranger Frank Gardiner led to the defeat of the ministry in 1875. [2]
Robertson served as Leader of the Government between 1875 and 1877, before Robertson was defeated at the 1877 election. Parkes formed his second ministry in a challenging environment where both Parkes and Robertson shared equal representation in the Legislative Assembly and business was sometimes at a standstill. [3] Parkes' second term as Colonial Premier lasted just 147 days, with the Farnell ministry giving both Parkes and Robertson reprieve for 12 months, prior to Parkes and Robertson forming an alliance government in this ministry. [1]
The title of Premier was widely used to refer to the Leader of Government, but not enshrined in formal use until 1920.
There was no party system in New South Wales politics until 1887. [4] Under the constitution, ministers in the Legislative Assembly were required to resign to recontest their seats in a by-election when appointed. [5] Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested and on this occasion a poll was required for Canterbury where Sir Henry Parkes was easily re-elected with more than 90% of the vote and The Lachlan where James Watson was re-elected. The 5 other ministers, James Hoskins (The Tumut), Francis Suttor (Bathurst), William Windeyer (University of Sydney), John Lackey (Central Cumberland) and Ezekiel Baker (Goldfields South), were re-elected unopposed. [6] The 3 ministers subsequently appointed, Robert Wisdom (Morpeth), Arthur Renwick (East Sydney) and William Foster (Newtown), were also re-elected unopposed. [6] [7]
In 1880 the portfolio of Justice and Public Instruction was split into the portfolios of Justice and Public Instruction following the passage of the Public Instruction Act of 1880 which required a minister to assume the responsibilities of the former Council of Education. [8] [9]
The ministry was engulfed in a scandal in 1881. Ezekiel Baker resigned as Secretary for Mines in August 1881 following allegations concerning his conduct as a trustee of the Milburn Creek Copper Mining Co Ltd. Julian Salomons was appointed a royal commissioner to inquire into inquire into the expenditure and distribution of £17,100, paid by the Government, under the authority of a Parliamentary vote, to the company. Salomons reported that "there was an appropriation by the trustees to themselves ... but under circumstances of concealment and false statement" and that there was an inference that one of the trustees, George Waddell, had bribed a member of the Legislative Assembly, Thomas Garrett, to vote in favour of the payment. [10] Following publication of the report, on 8 November Parkes moved that Baker was guilty "of conduct unworthy of a member of this House, and seriously reflecting upon the honour and dignity of Parliament", a motion that was carried by 71 votes to 2 and the assembly then voted to expel Baker. [11] [12] Two days later Parkes moved a similar motion in relation to Garrett, however the motion was defeated by 40 votes to 38. [13] This was the end of the coalition between Parkes and Robertson, with Robertson resigning from the ministry because he could not consent to being one of the accusers of Mr Baker and Mr Garrett, and their cases should have been decided in a court of law. [12] [13]
This ministry covers the period from 21 December 1878 until 4 January 1883. [1]
Portfolio | Minister | Term start | Term end | Term length |
---|---|---|---|---|
Premier Colonial Secretary | Sir Henry Parkes | 21 December 1878 | 4 January 1883 | 4 years, 14 days |
Secretary for Lands | James Hoskins | 28 December 1881 | 3 years, 7 days | |
Sir John Robertson [lower-alpha 1] . | 29 December 1881 | 4 January 1883 | 1 year, 6 days | |
Colonial Treasurer | James Watson | 21 December 1878 | 4 years, 14 days | |
Minister of Justice and Public Instruction | Francis Suttor | 30 April 1880 | 1 year, 131 days | |
Minister of Justice | 1 May 1880 | 10 August 1880 | 101 days | |
Sir Joseph Innes MLC | 11 August 1880 | 13 October 1881 | 63 days | |
William Foster | 14 October 1881 | 4 January 1883 | 1 year, 82 days | |
Minister of Public Instruction | Sir John Robertson MLC | 1 May 1880 | 10 November 1881 | 1 year, 193 days |
Francis Suttor | 14 November 1881 | 4 January 1883 | 1 year, 51 days | |
Attorney General | William Windeyer | 21 December 1878 | 10 August 1879 | 232 days |
Robert Wisdom | 13 August 1879 | 4 January 1883 | 3 years, 231 days | |
Secretary for Public Works | John Lackey | 21 December 1878 | 4 years, 14 days | |
Postmaster-General | Saul Samuel MLC | 10 August 1880 | 1 year, 233 days | |
Francis Suttor | 11 August 1880 | 13 November 1881 | 94 days | |
Stephen Brown MLC | 14 November 1881 | 22 August 1882 | 281 days | |
Alexander Campbell MLC | 30 August 1882 | 4 January 1883 | 127 days | |
Secretary for Mines | Ezekiel Baker | 21 December 1878 | 11 October 1881 | 2 years, 294 days |
Arthur Renwick | 12 October 1881 | 4 January 1883 | 1 year, 84 days | |
Vice-President of the Executive Council Representative of the Government in Legislative Council | Sir John Robertson MLC | 21 December 1878 | 10 November 1881 | 2 years, 324 days |
Frederick Darley MLC | 14 November 1881 | 4 January 1883 | 1 year, 51 days |
Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.
Sir John Robertson, was a London-born Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales on five occasions. Robertson is best remembered for land reform and in particular the Robertson Land Acts of 1861, which sought to open up the selection of Crown land and break the monopoly of the squatters.
The second Cowper ministry was the fourth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and second occasion of being led by Charles Cowper.
The third Cowper ministry was the seventh ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and third occasion of being led by Charles Cowper.
The second Robertson ministry was the eleventh ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by John Robertson. It was the second of five occasions that Robertson was Leader of the Government. Robertson was elected in the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly held in March 1856.
The first Parkes ministry was the fourteenth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and the first of five occasions of being led by Henry Parkes.
The third Robertson ministry was the fifteenth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by John Robertson. It was the third of five occasions that Robertson was Premier. Robertson was elected in the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly held in March 1856.
The second Parkes ministry was the sixteenth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by Sir Henry Parkes. It was the second of five occasions that Parkes was Leader of the Government.
The fourth Robertson ministry was the seventeenth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by Sir John Robertson. It was the fourth of five occasions that Robertson led the Government. Robertson was elected in the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly held in March 1856.
The Farnell ministry was the eighteenth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by James Farnell. Farnell was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1860.
The fifth Robertson ministry was the 22nd ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by the Premier, Sir John Robertson. It was the fifth and final occasion that Robertson was Premier. Robertson was elected in the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly held in March 1856.
The fourth Parkes ministry was the 24th ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by the seventh Premier, Sir Henry Parkes. It was the fourth of five occasions that Parkes was Premier.
The fifth Parkes ministry was the 26th ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by the seventh Premier, Sir Henry Parkes. It was the fifth and final occasion that Parkes was Premier. The title of Premier was widely used to refer to the Leader of Government, but was not a formal position in the government until 1920. Instead the Premier was appointed to another portfolio, usually Colonial Secretary. Having served in the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1854 and 1856, Parkes was elected in the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly held in 1856, however resigned from Parliament later that year. He served in the Assembly on several occasions, between 1858 and 1870, being forced to resign on 4 occasions due to his personal insolvency. He came to power as Premier on the first occasion in 1872, serving as Premier for a period of three years. However, Parkes lost the confidence of the Assembly following Governor Robinson's decision to release of the bushranger Frank Gardiner led to the defeat of the ministry in 1875.
The See ministry was the 30th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 14th Premier, Sir John See. The title of Premier was widely used to refer to the Leader of Government, but was not a formal position in the government until 1920. Instead the Premier was appointed to another portfolio, usually Colonial Secretary.
Thomas Garrett was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, newspaper proprietor and land agent.
Ezekiel Alexander Baker was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.
James Watson was an Australian politician, Colonial Treasurer of New South Wales 1878 to 1883.
John Fitzgerald Burns was an Australian politician, member of the Parliament of New South Wales, Postmaster-General in the 1870s and Colonial Treasurer in the 1880s.
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council who served from 1880 to 1882 were appointed for life by the Governor on the advice of the Premier. This list includes members between the elections commencing on 17 November 1880 and the elections commencing on 30 November 1882. The President was Sir John Hay. Smart died, Oakes died, Innes resigned, Brown appointed, Robertson resigned, Higgins died, Onslow died, Gordon died, 11 appointed, Alderson appointed, Macarthur vacated, Rundle appointed, Brown died, Sutherland resigned,</ref></ref>
West Sydney, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales was created in 1859 and abolished in 1894.
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of West Sydney on 15 July 1877 because Sir John Robertson was appointed Colonial Secretary, forming the fourth Robertson ministry. Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested however on this occasion a poll was required in Central Cumberland, East Sydney, Orange and West Sydney. Each minister was comfortably re-elected. Only Camden and Goldfields South were uncontested.