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House Of Representatives Members – 15th Parliament 1937-1940

This is the full list of members who served in the Fifteenth House of Representatives from 1937 until 1940.

The United Australia Party government led by Prime Minister Joe Lyons won its third term at the October 23, 1937 election. In a 74-member House, the UAP won 27 seats (-5) and its coalition partner, the Country Party, won 16 seats (+1). The Australian Labor Party won 29 seats (+11). The nine seats won by the NSW Lang Labor group in 1934 became ALP seats, after a reconciliation between the two factions. There were two independents, plus a member with limited voting rights from the Northern Territory.

The UAP-Country Party coalition governed with 43 seats, an overall majority of 8. The UAP polled 33.71% of the primary vote, down 0.73%. The ALP polled 43.17% (+16.36%). The Country Party secured 15.55% (+2.93%).

On a two-party-preferred basis, the UAP polled 50.60% (-2.90%) to the ALP’s 49.40%.

Prime Minister Joe Lyons died on April 7, 1939. For three weeks, the Country Party leader Earle Page was prime minister, until the UAP elected Robert Menzies as its leader. Menzies became prime minister on April 26, 1939.

Three UAP Cabinet ministers, all Victorians, were amongst ten people killed in the Canberra air disaster on August 13, 1940. They were: Geoffrey Street (Corangamite-Vic), Minister for the Army and Repatriation; James Fairbairn (Flinders-Vic), Minister for Air and Civil Aviation; and Sir Henry Gullett (Henty-Vic), Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research. Rather than hold by-elections, Menzies opted to call a general election on September 21, 1940, thus bringing the Fifteenth Parliament to an end.

There were four by-elections in the Fifteenth Parliament, including in Prime Minister Joe Lyons’ seat. The ALP won all of the by-elections and took three seats from the UAP.

  • 1938: Wakefield (NSW) – Charles Hawker (UAP) died in an aircraft crash; replaced by Sydney McHugh (ALP).
  • 1939: Griffith (Qld) – Francis Baker (ALP) died; replaced by William Conelan (ALP).
  • 1939: Wilmot (Tas) – Joe Lyons (UAP) died; replaced by Lancelot Spurr (ALP).
  • 1940: Corio (Vic) – Richard Casey (UAP) resigned; replaced by John Dedman (ALP).

The first table shows the state-by-state breakdown of the House following the 1937 election.

The second table lists the 79 members who served in the 15th House of Representatives, 75 elected in 1937 and four who entered via by-elections. *The Northern Territory member (Adair Blain-Ind) had voting rights only for matters affecting the territory and is therefore excluded from the calculations of party strength in the House.

1937 Federal Election Results
Party NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT Totals
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
11
7
5
1
2
3
29
UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY
10
9
2
3
1
2
27
COUNTRY PARTY
6
3
3
2
2
16
INDEPENDENTS / OTHERS
1
1
1*
2
TOTALS
28
20
10
6
5
5
-*
74

 

Members of the 14th House of Representatives 1937-1940
No. Name Party Seat Term Began Term
Ended
Birth Death Age
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY MEMBERS
1.
Frank Baker
ALP
Oxley (Qld
Griffith (Qld)
19.12.1931
15.09.1934
15.09.1934
28.03.1939
xx.xx.1903
28.03.1939
35-36
2.
Claude Barnard
ALP
Bass (Vic)
MHA Bass (Tas)
15.09.1934
xx.xx.1950
10.12.1949
06.12.1957
16.10.1890
06.12.1957
67
3.
Jack Beasley
ALP (28-31)
Lang (31-36)
ALP (36-40)
Lang (40-41)
ALP (41-46)
West Sydney (NSW)
17.11.1928
14.08.1946
09.11.1895
02.09.1949
53
4.
Maurice Blackburn
ALP
Ind
MLA Essendon (Vic)
MLA Fitzroy (Vic)
MLA Clifton Hill (Vic)
Bourke (Vic)
01.07.1914
01.02.1925
01.04.1927
15.09.1934
01.10.1917
01.03.1927
01.08.1934
21.08.1943
19.11.1880
31.03.1944
63
5.
Frank Brennan
ALP
Batman (Vic)
08.02.1911
15.09.1934
19.12.1931
31.10.1949
xx.xx.1873
06.11.1950
76-77
6.
Joe Clark
Lang/ALP
Darling (NSW)
15.09.1934
29.09.1969
29.07.1897
09.12.1992
95
7.
William Conelan
ALP
Griffith (Qld)
20.05.1939
10.12.1949
23.12.1895
28.02.1983
87
8.
John Curtin
ALP
Fremantle (WA)
17.11.1928
15.09.1934
19.12.1931
05.07.1945
08.01.1885
05.07.1945
60
9.
John Dedman
ALP
Corio (Vic)
02.03.1940
10.12.1949
02.06.1896
22.11.1973
77
10.
Arthur Drakeford
ALP
MLA Essendon (Vic)
Maribyrnong (Vic)
01.04.1927
15.09.1934
01.04.1932
10.12.1955
26.04.1878
09.06.1957
79
11.
Frank Forde
ALP
MLA Rockhampton (Qld)
Capricornia (Qld)
MLA Flinders (Qld)
12.05.1917
16.12.1922
12.03.1955
05.10.1922
28.09.1946
03.08.1957
18.07.1890
28.01.1983
92
12.
Charles Frost
ALP
Franklin (Tas)
14.12.1929
15.09.1934
19.12.1931
28.09.1946
30.11.1882
22.07.1964
81
13.
Joe Gander
Lang/ALP
Reid (NSW)
19.12.1931
21.09.1940
xx.xx.1888
22.11.1954
65-66
14.
Albert Green
ALP
MLA Kalgoorlie (WA)
MLA Kalgoorlie (WA)
Kalgoorlie (WA)
xx.xx.1911
xx.10.1914
16.12.1922
xx.12.1913
xx.03.1921
02.10.1940
21.12.1869
02.10.1940
70
15.
Jack Holloway
ALP
Flinders (Vic)
Melbourne Ports (Vic)
12.10.1929
19.12.1931
19.12.1931
19.03.1951
12.04.1875
03.12.1967
92
16.
Rowley James
ALP/Lang
Hunter (NSW)
17.11.1928
14.10.1958
14.06.1885
04.07.1962
77
17.
George Lawson
ALP
MLA (Qld)
Brisbane (Qld)
18.08.1919
19.12.1931
23.03.1922
02.11.1961
14.08.1880
25.11.1966
86
18.
Bert Lazzarini
ALP/Lang
Werriwa (NSW)
13.12.1919
15.09.1934
19.12.1931
01.10.1952
08.09.1884
02.10.1952
68
19.
Gerald Mahoney
ALP
MHA Denison (Tas)
Denison (Tas)
xx.xx.1931
15.09.1934
xx.xx.1934
21.09.1940
24.05.1892
16.09.1955
63
20.
Norman Makin
ALP
Hindmarsh (SA)
Sturt (SA)
Bonython (SA)
13.12.1919
29.05.1954
10.12.1955
14.08.1946
10.12.1955
01.11.1963
31.03.1889
20.07.1982
93
21.
Dr William Maloney
ALP
Melbourne (Vic)
30.03.1904
27.08.1940
12.04.1854
29.08.1940
86
22.
George Martens
ALP
Herbert (Qld)
17.11.1928
16.08.1946
xx.xx.1874
23.08.1949
74-75
23.
Sydney McHugh
ALP
MHA Burra Burra (SA)
MHS Burra Burra (SA)
Wakefield (SA)
MHA Light (SA)
xx.xx.1924
xx.xx.1930
10.12.1938
xx.xx.1941
xx.xx.1927
xx.xx.1930
21.09.1940
xx.xx.1944
21.03.1892
20.09.1952
60
24.
Dan Mulcahy
Lang/ALP
Lang (NSW)
15.11.1934
13.07.1953
07.01.1882
13.07.1953
71
25.
Reg Pollard
ALP
Ballaarat (Vic)
Lalor (Vic)
23.10.1937
10.12.1949
10.12.1949
26.11.1966
31.10.1894
24.08.1981
86
26.
Bill Riordan
ALP
Kennedy (Qld)
12.12.1936
31.10.1966
08.02.1908
15.01.1973
64
27.
Sol Rosevear
Lang/ALP
Dalley (NSW)
19.12.1931
21.03.1953
04.01.1892
21.03.1953
61
28.
James Scullin
ALP
Corangamite (Vic)
Yarra (Vic)
13.04.1910
18.02.1922
31.05.1913
31.10.1949
18.09.1876
28.01.1953
76
29.
William Scully
ALP
MLA Namoi (NSW)
Gwydir (NSW)
20.09.1923
08.05.1937
18.05.1932
10.12.1949
01.02.1883
19.03.1966
83
30.
Tom Sheehan
ALP (37-40)
Lang (40-41)
ALP (41-55)
Cook (NSW)
23.10.1937
26.03.1955
14.04.1891
26.03.1955
63
31.
Lancelot Spurr
ALP
Wilmot (Tas)
MHA (Tas)
27.05.1939
xx.xx.1941
21.09.1940
xx.xx.1956
17.03.1897
30.05.1965
68
32.
Eddie Ward
Lang (31-36)
ALP (36-63)
East Sydney (NSW)
07.03.1931
06.02.1932
19.12.1931
31.07.1963
07.03.1899
31.07.1963
64
33.
David Oliver Watkins
ALP
Newcastle (NSW)
01.06.1935
14.10.1958
10.07.1896
17.12.1971
75
UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY MEMBERS
1.
George Bell
Nat
UAP
Darwin (Tas)
13.12.1919
14.11.1925
16.12.1922
07.07.1943
29.11.1872
05.03.1944
71
2.
Richard Casey
UAP
Corio (Vic)
La Trobe (Vic)
19.12.1931
10.12.1949
30.01.1940
10.02.1960
29.08.1890
17.06.1976
85
3.
James Fairbairn
UAP
MLA Warrnambool (Vic)
Flinders (Vic)
01.05.1932
11.11.1933
01.10.1933
13.08.1940
28.07.1897
13.08.1940
43
4.
(Sir) Josiah Francis
Nat/UAP/Lib
Moreton (Qld)
16.12.1922
04.11.1955
28.03.1890
22.02.1964
73
5.
Sydney Gardner
Nat/UAP
Robertson (NSW)
16.12.1922
21.09.1940
09.06.1884
23.06.1965
81
6.
Henry Gullett
Nat/UAP
Henty (Vic)
14.11.1925
13.08.1940
26.03.1878
13.08.1940
62
7.
(Sir) Eric Harrison
UAP
Wentworth (NSW)
19.12.1931
17.10.1956
07.09.1892
26.09.1974
82
8.
Charles Hawker
Nat/UAP
Wakefield (SA)
12.10.1929
25.10.1938
16.05.1894
25.10.1938
44
9.
Harold Holt
Liberal
Fawkner (Vic)
Higgins (Vic)
17.08.1935
10.12.1949
10.12.1949
17.12.1967
05.08.1908
17.12.1967
59
10.
William Morris Hughes
ALP
ALP
Nat
UAP
Lib
MLA Syd-Lang (NSW)
West Sydney (NSW)
Bendigo (Vic)
North Sydney (NSW)
Bradfield (NSW)
17.07.1894
29.03.1901
05.05.1917
16.12.1922
10.12.1949
11.06.1901
05.05.1917
16.12.1922
10.12.1949
28.10.1952
25.09.1862
28.10.1952
90
11.
William Hutchinson
UAP
Lib
Indi (Vic)
Deakin (Vic)
19.12.1931
23.10.1937
23.10.1937
31.10.1949
07.01.1904
29.09.1967
63
12.
John Jennings
UAP
South Sydney (NSW)
Watson (NSW)
19.12.1931
15.09.1934
15.09.1934
21.09.1940
19.12.1878
20.12.1968
90
13.
William Jolly
UAP
Lilley (Qld)
23.10.1937
21.08.1943
11.09.1881
30.05.1955
73
14.
Albert Lane
UAP
MLA Balmain (NSW)
Barton (NSW)
25.03.1922
19.12.1931
07.09.1927
21.09.1940
24.07.1873
29.12.1950
76-77
15.
John Lawson
UAP
Macquarie (NSW)
19.12.1931
21.09.1940
24.03.1897
14.08.1956
59
16.
Joe Lyons
ALP
UAP
MHA Wilmot (Tas)
Wilmot (Tas)
30.04.1909
12.10.1929
13.09.1929
07.04.1939
15.09.1879
07.04.1939
59
17.
Charles Marr
Nat
UAP
Parkes (NSW)
13.12.1919
31.01.1931
12.10.1929
21.08.1943
23.03.1880
20.10.1960
80
18.
William McCall
UAP
Martin (NSW)
15.09.1934
21.08.1943
24.05.1908
19.08.1968
60
19.
(Sir) Robert Menzies
Nationalist
Nationalist
UAP/Liberal
MLC East Yarra (Vic)
MLA Nunawading (Vic)
Kooyong (Vic)
02.06.1928
30.11.1929
15.09.1934
11.11.1929
31.08.1934
16.02.1966
20.12.1894
15.05.1978
83
20.
Walter Nairn
Nat/UAP
Perth (WA)
12.10.1929
21.08.1943
xx.xx.1879
12.12.1958
78-79
21.
John Perkins
Nat
UAP
MLA Goulburn (NSW)
Eden-Monaro (NSW)
Eden-Monaro (NSW)
22.11.1921
06.03.1926
19.12.1931
21.01.1926
12.12.1929
21.08.1943
18.05.1878
13.07.1954
76
22.
John Price
ALP
UAP
MHA Port Adelaide (SA)
Boothby (SA)
xx.xx.1915
17.11.1928
xx.xx.1925
23.04.1941
14.02.1882
23.04.1941
59
23.
Thomas Scholfield
UAP
Wannon (Vic)
19.12.1931
21.09.1940
09.05.1894
25.06.1964
70
24.
Fred Stacey
UAP
Adelaide (SA)
19.12.1931
21.08.1943
06.08.1879
17.09.1964
85
25.
(Sir) Frederick Stewart
UAP
Parramatta (NSW)
19.12.1931
16.08.1946
14.08.1884
30.06.1961
76
26.
Geoffrey Street
UAP
Corangamite (Vic)
15.09.1934
13.08.1940
21.01.1894
13.08.1940
46
27.
Thomas White
Nat/UAP/Lib
Liberal
Balaclava (Vic)
03.08.1929
21.06.1951
26.04.1888
13.10.1957
69
COUNTRY PARTY MEMBERS
1.
Larry Anthony
Country
Richmond (NSW)
23.10.1937
12.07.1957
12.03.1897
12.07.1957
60
2.
Oliver Badman
Country
UAP
Senate (SA)
Grey (SA)
01.07.1932
23.10.1937
30.09.1937
21.08.1943
18.12.1885
24.04.1977
91
3.
Archie Cameron
Country
Liberal
Barker (SA)
15.09.1934
09.08.1956
22.03.1895
09.08.1956
61
4.
Thomas Collins
Country
Hume (NSW)
09.12.1931
21.08.1943
06.04.1884
15.04.1945
61
5.
Bernard Corser
Country
MLA Burnett (Qld)
Wide Bay (Qld)
27.04.1912
03.09.1928
16.08.1928
21.04.1954
04.01.1882
15.12.1967
85
6.
Arthur Fadden
Country
MLA Kennedy (Qld)
Darling Downs (Qld)
McPherson (Qld)
11.06.1932
06.11.1936
10.12.1949
11.05.1935
10.12.1949
22.11.1958
13.04.1894
21.04.1973
79
7.
Henry Gregory
Lib
Nat
Country
MLA North Coolgardie (WA)
MLA Menzies (WA)
Dampier (WA)
Swan (WA)
xx.xx.1897
xx.xx.1901
31.05.1913
16.11.1922
xx.xx.1901
xx.xx.1911
16.11.1922
15.11.1940
15.03.1860
15.11.1940
80
8.
James Hunter
Country
Maranoa (Qld)
30.07.1921
27.08.1940
04.07.1882
27.10.1968
86
9.
John McEwen
Country
Echuca (Vic)
Indi (Vic)
Murray (Vic)
15.09.1934
23.10.1937
10.12.1949
23.10.1937
10.12.1949
20.03.1971
29.03.1900
20.11.1980
80
10.
Horace Nock
Country
Riverina (NSW)
19.12.1931
21.09.1940
26.10.1879
02.08.1958
78
11.
Dr (Sir) Earle Page
F&S
Country
Cowper (NSW)
13.12.1919
09.12.1961
08.08.1880
20.12.1961
81
12.
Thomas Paterson
Country
Gippsland (Vic)
16.12.1922
07.07.1943
20.11.1882
24.01.1952
69
13.
Jack Prowse
F&S
Country
Swan (WA)
Forrest (WA)
13.12.1919
16.12.1922
16.12.1922
21.08.1943
16.06.1871
20.05.1944
72
14.
George Rankin
Country
Bendigo (Vic)
Senate (Vic)
23.10.1937
22.02.1950
31.10.1949
30.06.1956
01.05.1887
28.12.1957
70
15.
Victor Thompson
Country
New England (NSW)
16.12.1922
21.09.1949
10.09.1885
11.05.1968
82
16.
Harold Thorby
Country
MLA Wammerawa (NSW)
MLA Castlereagh (NSW)
Calare (NSW)
25.03.1922
08.10.1927
19.12.1931
07.09.1927
18.09.1930
21.09.1940
02.10.1888
01.01.1973
84
INDEPENDENT MEMBERS
1.
Adair Blain
Ind
Northern Territory (NT)
15.09.1934
10.12.1949
21.11.1894
28.04.1983
88
2.
Percy Spender
Ind/UAP/Lib
Warringah (NSW)
23.10.1937
19.03.1951
05.10.1897
03.05.1985
87
3.
Alexander Wilson
Ind
Wimmera (Vic)
23.10.1937
31.12.1945
07.06.1889
26.01.1954
64

 

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