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House Of Representatives Members – 17th Parliament 1943-1946

This is the full list of members who served in the Seventeenth House of Representatives from 1943 until 1946.

Prime Minister John Curtin’s Labor government had taken office in October 1941, following the defeat of the Fadden government in a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives. Curtin was elected in a landslide at the elections on August 21, 1943, defeating the Fadden-led coalition. In a 74-member House, the ALP won 49 seats (+17). The United Australia Party was reduced to 14 seats (-9), whilst the Country Party (in various incarnations) won 9 seats (-4). There were two independents, plus a member with limited voting rights from the Northern Territory.

The ALP polled 49.94% (+9.78%) of the primary vote. The UAP polled 16.05% (-14.17%). The Country Party secured 6.96% (-6.74%). Independent candidates polled 12.15% (+4.08%).

On a two-party-preferred basis, the ALP polled 58.20% (+7.90%) to the UAP’s 41.80%.

The election was the ALP’s biggest election victory of all time. The party won 65% of all the seats in the House and the largest two-party vote it has ever secured.

Prime Minister John Curtin died on July 5, 1945, two months after the war in Europe ended and one month before the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. Frank Forde served as prime minister for eight days. In the Caucus ballot for a new leader, Forde and Norman Makin unsuccessfully ran against Ben Chifley, who became PM on July 13, 1945. Forde would go on to lose his seat at the 1946 election.

Robert Menzies was the prime mover in the formation of the Liberal Party during this Parliament. He again became leader of the United Australia Party, and Leader of the Opposition, following the 1943 election. On August 31, 1945, he became the first leader of the Liberal Party, a position he would hold until January 26, 1966. Eric Harrison became Deputy Leader.

There were three by-elections in the Seventeenth Parliament.

  • 1945: Fremantle (WA) – John Curtin (ALP) died; replaced by Kim Beazley (ALP).
  • 1946: Wimmera (Vic) – Alexander Wilson (Independent) resigned and was appointed Administrator of Norfolk Island; replaced by Winton Turnbull (Country Party).
  • 1946: Henty (Vic) – Arthur Coles (Independent) resigned and was appointed Chairman of the Australian National Airways Commission; replaced by Henry (Jo) Gullett (Liberal).

The first table shows the state-by-state breakdown of the House following the 1943 election.

The second table lists the 78 members who served in the 17th House of Representatives, 75 elected in 1943 and three 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.

1943 Federal Election Results
Party NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT Totals
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
21
9
6
5
5
3
49
UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY
4
6
1
1
2
14
COUNTRY PARTY
3
3
3
9
INDEPENDENTS / OTHERS
2
1*
2
TOTALS
28
20
10
6
5
5
-*
74

 

Members of the 17th House of Representatives 1943-1946
No. Name Party Seat Term Began Term
Ended
Birth Death Age
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY MEMBERS
1.
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
2.
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
3.
Kim Beazley
ALP
Fremantle (WA)
18.07.1945
10.12.1977
30.09.1917
12.10.2007
90
4.
John Breen
ALP
Calare (NSW)
21.09.1940
28.09.1946
xx.xx.1898
05.02.1966
67-68
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.
Bill Bryson
ALP
Bourke (Vic)
Wills (Vic)
21.08.1943
10.12.1949
28.09.1946
10.12.1955
24.02.1898
02.03.1973
75
7.
Tom Burke
ALP
Perth (WA)
21.08.1943
10.12.1955
28.10.1910
17.01.1973
62
8.
Arthur Calwell
ALP
Melbourne (Vic)
21.09.1940
02.11.1972
28.08.1896
08.07.1973
76
9.
Cyril Chambers
ALP
Adelaide (SA)
21.08.1943
14.10.1958
28.02.1898
03.10.1975
78
10.
Ben Chifley
ALP
Macquarie (NSW)
17.11.1928
21.09.1940
19.12.1931
13.06.1951
22.09.1885
13.06.1951
65
11.
Joe Clark
Lang/ALP
Darling (NSW)
15.09.1934
29.09.1969
29.07.1897
09.12.1992
95
12.
William Conelan
ALP
Griffith (Qld)
20.05.1939
10.12.1949
23.12.1895
28.02.1983
87
13.
John Curtin
ALP
Fremantle (WA)
17.11.1928
15.09.1934
19.12.1931
05.07.1945
08.01.1885
05.07.1945
60
14.
Fred Daly
ALP
Martin (NSW)
Grayndler (NSW)
21.08.1943
10.12.1949
10.12.1949
11.11.1975
13.06.1912
02.08.1995
83
15.
John Dedman
ALP
Corio (Vic)
02.03.1940
10.12.1949
02.06.1896
22.11.1973
77
16.
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
17.
Dr H. V. Evatt
ALP
MLA Balmain (NSW)
Barton (NSW)
Hunter (NSW)
30.05.1925
21.09.1940
22.11.1958
18.09.1930
22.11.1958
10.02.1960
30.04.1894
02.11.1965
71
18.
Max Falstein
ALP
Watson (NSW)
21.09.1940
10.12.1949
30.05.1914
18.05.1967
52
19.
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
20.
Allan Fraser
ALP
Eden-Monaro (NSW)
21.08.1943
25.10.1969
26.11.1966
02.11.1972
18.09.1902
12.12.1977
75
21.
Charles Frost
ALP
Franklin (Tas)
14.12.1929
15.09.1934
19.12.1931
28.09.1946
30.11.1882
22.07.1964
81
22.
Arthur Fuller
ALP
Hume (NSW)
21.08.1943
28.04.1951
09.12.1961
10.12.1949
10.12.1955
30.11.1963
24.10.1893
21.03.1987
93
23.
John (Frank) Gaha
ALP
MLC Hobart (Tas)
Denison (Tas)
MHA Denison (Tas)
xx.xx.1933
21.08.1943
xx.xx.1950
xx.xx.1943
31.10.1949
xx.xx.1964
14.04.1894
18.03.1966
71
24.
Jim Hadley
ALP (43-57)
QLP (57)
Lilley (Qld)
MLA Nundah (Qld)
21.08.1943
19.05.1956
10.12.1949
03.08.1957
12.06.1893
16.07.1971
78
25.
Les Haylen
ALP
Parkes (NSW)
21.08.1943
30.11.1963
23.09.1898
12.09.1977
78
26.
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
27.
Rowley James
ALP/Lang
Hunter (NSW)
17.11.1928
14.10.1958
14.06.1885
04.07.1962
77
28.
Herbert Johnson
ALP
Kalgoorlie (WA)
16.11.1940
14.10.1958
25.10.1889
10.07.1962
72
29.
Joe Langtry
ALP
Riverina (NSW)
21.09.1940
10.12.1949
02.09.1880
30.04.1951
70
30.
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
31.
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
32.
Nelson Lemmon
ALP
Forrest (WA)
St George (NSW)
21.08.1943
29.05.1954
10.12.1949
10.12.1955
22.03.1908
20.03.1989
80
33.
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
34.
George Martens
ALP
Herbert (Qld)
17.11.1928
16.08.1946
xx.xx.1874
23.08.1949
74-75
35.
Don McLeod
ALP
Wannon (Vic)
21.09.1940
28.04.1951
10.12.1949
04.11.1955
29.10.1892
22.08.1963
70
36.
Charles Morgan
ALP
Reid (NSW)
21.09.1940
10.12.1949
28.09.1946
22.11.1958
27.01.1897
27.11.1967
70
37.
Don Mountjoy
ALP
Swan (WA)
21.08.1943
28.09.1946
19.10.1906
08.01.1988
81
38.
Dan Mulcahy
Lang (34-36)
ALP (36-40)
Lang (40-41)
ALP (41-53)
Lang (NSW)
15.11.1934
13.07.1953
07.01.1882
13.07.1953
71
39.
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
40.
Bill Riordan
ALP
Kennedy (Qld)
12.12.1936
31.10.1966
08.02.1908
15.01.1973
64
41.
Sol Rosevear
Lang (31-36)
ALP (36-40)
Lang (40-41)
ALP (41-53)
Dalley (NSW)
19.12.1931
21.03.1953
04.01.1892
21.03.1953
61
42.
Edgar Russell
ALP
Grey (SA)
21.08.1943
31.03.1963
24.10.1890
31.03.1963
72
43.
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
44.
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
45.
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
46.
Thomas Sheehy
ALP
Boothby (SA)
21.08.1943
10.12.1949
19.05.1899
23.09.1984
85
47.
Albert Smith
ALP
Wakefield (SA)
21.08.1943
28.09.1946
02.01.1881
05.02.1965
84
48.
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
49.
David Oliver Watkins
ALP
Newcastle (NSW)
01.06.1935
14.10.1958
10.07.1896
17.12.1971
75
50.
Thomas Williams
ALP
Robertson (NSW)
21.08.1943
10.12.1949
07.04.1897
04.06.1992
95
UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY MEMBERS
1.
Archie Cameron
Country
UAP/Lib
Barker (SA)
15.09.1934
09.08.1956
22.03.1895
09.08.1956
61
2.
(Sir) Josiah Francis
Nat/UAP/Lib
Moreton (Qld)
16.12.1922
04.11.1955
28.03.1890
22.02.1964
73
3.
Henry (Jo) Gullett
Liberal
Henty (Vic)
30.03.1946
04.11.1955
16.12.1914
24.08.1999
84
4.
Allan Guy
ALP
UAP
Lib
Bass (Tas)
Wilmot (Tas)
Senate (Tas)
12.10.1929
21.09.1940
22.02.1950
15.09.1934
28.09.1947
30.06.1956
30.11.1890
16.12.1979
89
5.
(Sir) Eric Harrison
UAP
Wentworth (NSW)
19.12.1931
17.10.1956
07.09.1892
26.09.1974
82
6.
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
7.
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
8.
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
9.
(Dame) Enid Lyons
UAP/Lib
Darwin (Tas)
21.08.1943
19.03.1951
09.07.1897
02.09.1981
84
10.
Allan McDonald
Liberal
MLA Polwarth (Vic)
Corangamite (Vic)
01.09.1933
21.09.1940
01.08.1940
10.06.1953
04.07.1888
10.06.1953
64
11.
(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
12.
Rupert Ryan
UAP/Lib
Flinders (Vic)
21.09.1940
26.08.1952
06.05.1884
26.08.1952
68
13.
Percy Spender
Ind/UAP/Lib
Warringah (NSW)
23.10.1937
19.03.1951
05.10.1897
03.05.1985
87
14.
(Sir) Frederick Stewart
UAP
Parramatta (NSW)
19.12.1931
16.08.1946
14.08.1884
30.06.1961
76
15.
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.
Joe Abbott
Country
New England (NSW)
21.09.1940
31.10.1949
18.10.1891
07.05.1965
73
2.
Charles Adermann
Country
Maranoa (Qld)
Fisher (Qld)
21.08.1943
10.12.1949
10.12.1949
02.11.1972
03.08.1896
09.05.1979
82
3.
Larry Anthony
Country
Richmond (NSW)
23.10.1937
12.07.1957
12.03.1897
12.07.1957
60
4.
George Bowden
Country
Gippsland (Vic)
21.08.1943
02.11.1961
17.03.1888
08.06.1962
74
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.
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
8.
Dr (Sir) Earle Page
F&S
Country
Cowper (NSW)
13.12.1919
09.12.1961
08.08.1880
20.12.1961
81
9.
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
10.
Winton Turnbull
Country
Wimmera (Vic)
Mallee (Vic)
09.02.1946
10.12.1949
10.12.1949
02.11.1972
13.12.1899
15.01.1980
80
INDEPENDENT MEMBERS
1.
Adair Blain
Ind
Northern Territory (NT)
15.09.1934
10.12.1949
21.11.1894
28.04.1983
88
2.
(Sir) Arthur Coles
Ind
Henty (Vic)
21.09.1940
11.02.1946
07.08.1892
14.06.1982
89
3.
Alexander Wilson
Ind
Wimmera (Vic)
23.10.1937
31.12.1945
07.06.1889
26.01.1954
64

 

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