A Day Without A Prime Minister

Fifty-five years ago today, December 18, 1967, Australia experienced a singular event. For the only time since Federation in 1901, a whole day passed without a prime minister in office.

The day before, December 17, prime minister Harold Holt disappeared in the sea off Cheviot Beach, in Portsea, Victoria. On December 18, a search for his body was continuing, but little hope was held for its recovery. It was not until December 19 that Holt’s successor, John McEwen, was sworn in as prime minister.

John McEwen

Dec 18, 1967: Country Party leader John McEwen, ahead of his appointment as prime minister the next day.

Constitutional convention requires that there must always be a prime minister to advise the Governor-General. Two previous prime ministerial deaths in office were followed by same day or next day appointments of a new prime minister.

Prime ministerial resignations following retirement, party leadership challenges or electoral defeat always take place at the precise moment the new prime minister is sworn in. In this way, continuity prevails.

In 1967, Christmas was only a week away. Parliament had adjourned for the year. Politicians had left Canberra. Holt disappeared on a Sunday. Speedy appointment of a new PM was difficult.

An important complication arose because there was no such office as Deputy Prime Minister at that time. Who was the deputy to the prime minister? The deputy leader of the Liberal Party? The leader of the junior coalition party?

Ultimately, the decision about who to appoint had to be made by the Governor-General. Lord Casey, formerly Richard Casey, was a former long-time Liberal Party politician. He served as Treasurer for three and a half years under Lyons in the 1930s. In 1940, he was Minister to the United States, effectively ambassador. In 1944, he was appointed Governor of Bengal. In 1949, he returned to the Commonwealth Parliament as the Liberal member for La Trobe, a new seat in Melbourne’s outer east. Until 1960, he held portfolios in the Menzies government, including ten years as Minister for External Affairs, now called Foreign Affairs. In 1965, Menzies appointed him Governor-General.

Casey’s decision on Holt’s successor was informed by his understanding of politics, the Liberal Party and the coalition relationship. He had served alongside all the key players in the Liberal-Country Party coalition government since 1949.

Two days after Holt’s disappearance, on December 19, the Country Party leader, John McEwen, was sworn in as Australia’s 18th prime minister.

McEwen

Dec 19, 1967: John McEwen is sworn in as PM by G-G Lord Casey.

McEwen’s appointment by Casey was in accordance with the precedent established in 1939, following the death of PM Joseph Lyons on April 7. The Country Party leader, Earle Page, was appointed prime minister the same day. As the leader of the junior coalition partner, he was deemed appropriate as a temporary stand-in.

Page held office over 20 days, from April 7 until April 26, 1939. He relinquished office to the newly-elected leader of the United Australia Party, Robert Menzies.

When Labor prime minister John Curtin died in office in 1945, the choice of replacement was much easier. The deputy leader of the ALP, Frank Forde, was sworn in the next day. He served as PM over 8 days from July 6 until July 13, when he relinquished the prime ministership to the new ALP leader, Ben Chifley.

McEwen held office over 23 days as prime minister from December 19, 1967 until January 10, 1968, when he relinquished the post to the new Liberal Party leader, Senator John Gorton. Gorton subsequently won the by-election for Holt’s Melbourne electorate of Higgins and moved to the lower house. He is the only senator to have ever served as prime minister.

In 1968, the position of Deputy Prime Minister was officially created. John McEwen was the first person to hold the title, even though it had been used unofficially for many years.

Upon taking office in 1967, McEwen paid tribute to Holt. The official statement is shown below:

McEwen statement on Holt


Dr Anne Webster (Nats-Mallee) – Maiden Speech

This is the maiden speech to the House of Representatives by Dr Anne Webster, the Nationals member for Mallee, Victoria.

Webster succeeded Andrew Broad, who held the seat from 2013 to 2019.

Listen to Webster (23m):

Watch Webster (26m):

Hansard transcript of maiden speech by Dr Anne Webster, Nationals member for Mallee.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Rob Mitchell): Before I call the honourable member for Mallee, I remind the House that this is the honourable member’s first speech. I ask the House and the galleries to extend to her the usual courtesies.

Dr WEBSTER (Mallee) (12:31): Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the Ngunawal and Ngambri people on whose land we meet on today and the 11 traditional owner groups across Mallee. I pay my respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. [Read more…]


Pat Conaghan (Nats-Cowper) – Maiden Speech

This is the maiden speech to the House of Representatives by Pat Conaghan, the Nationals member for Cowper.

Listen to Conaghan (24m):

Watch Conaghan (26m):

Hansard transcript of maiden speech to the House of Representatives by Pan Conaghan, Nationals member for Cowper.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Andrews): Before I call the honourable member for Cowper, may I remind the House that this is the honourable member’s first address and that the usual courtesies should be extended to him.

Mr CONAGHAN (Cowper) (11:54): On the foreshore of Port Macquarie town green, adjacent to Lady Nelson Wharf, sits an oversized bronze statue of Australia’s first Prime Minister, Sir Edmund Barton. The figure sits staring out over the Hasting River with a backdrop of the Banda Banda mountain range. Observers might be forgiven for thinking that the statue was contemplating what might have been but for the selfless actions of one man, Francis Clark. [Read more…]


Sen. Susan McDonald (Nats-Qld) – Maiden Speech

This is the maiden speech by Senator Susan McDonald (Nationals-Queensland).

Listen to McDonald (23m):

Watch McDonald (29m):

Hansard transcript of maiden speech by Senator Susan McDonald (Nationals-Queensland).

The PRESIDENT (16:59): Pursuant to order, we’ll now move to first speeches. I call upon Senator McDonald to make her first speech and ask honourable senators that the usual courtesies be extended to her.

Senator MCDONALD (Queensland) (16:59): It is with much pride that I stand before you to make my first speech in the Senate. It is an incredible privilege to be elected by Queenslanders to be their voice in the Australian parliament in the Senate, the house that makes the ultimate determination on the passage of legislation. I take my seat in this chamber not because of any quota and not because of any faction. I do not believe in identity politics, because that leaves behind people who do not share that same identity. [Read more…]