House Of Representatives Members – 18th Parliament 1946-1949

This is the full list of members who served in the Eighteenth House of Representatives from 1946 until 1949.

Prime Minister Ben Chifley’s Labor government had been in office since 1941, initially under the leadership of John Curtin. Chifley led the government to its second substantial victory at the elections of September 28, 1946. In a 74-member House, the ALP won 43 seats (-6). The Liberal Party (formerly the United Australia Party) won 17 seats (+3), whilst the Country Party won 11 seats (+2). There were two independents, plus a member with limited voting rights from the Northern Territory.

The ALP polled 49.71% (-0.22%) of the primary vote. The Liberal Party polled 28.58% (+12.53%). The Country Party secured 10.70% (+3.73%). Independent candidates polled 1.83% (-10.33%).

On a two-party-preferred basis, the ALP polled 54.10% (-4.10%) to the UAP’s 45.90%.

Whilst the Labor government lost six seats, it still won 57.3% of all the seats in the House. It governed with an overall majority of eleven. It was to be the last victory for the ALP until 1972. Concerns over the government’s handling of post-war conditions, the failed attempt to nationalise the banks and industrial disputation contributed to the government’s defeat in 1949.

The former NSW Premier, Jack Lang, won election to the NSW seat of Reid at the 1946 election. He was aged 69. The other Lang Labor representatives remained with the ALP. Lang was defeated in 1949 and died in 1975 at the age of 98.

Dame Enid Lyons, the widow of former prime minister Joe Lyons, was re-elected to the second of three terms as the Liberal member for Denison, in Tasmania.

Doris Blackburn, the widow of Maurice Blackburn, the former member for the Victorian seat of Bourke (1934-1943), won Bourke as an independent Labour candidate, defeating the sitting ALP member, Bill Bryson. In turn, she was defeated by Bryson in 1949, when they both contested the new seat of Wills. Bryson would go on to be expelled from the ALP in the Split of 1955.

There were no by-elections during the Eighteenth Parliament.

The first table shows the state-by-state breakdown of the House following the 1946 election.

The second table lists the 75 members who served in the 18th House of Representatives. *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.

1946 Federal Election Results
Party NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT Totals
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
19
8
5
4
4
3
43
LIBERAL PARTY
5
7
2
2
2
18
COUNTRY PARTY
3
4
3
1
11
INDEPENDENTS / OTHERS
1
1
1*
2
TOTALS
28
20
10
6
5
5
-*
74

 

Members of the 18th House of Representatives 1946-1949
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.
Kim Beazley
ALP
Fremantle (WA)
18.07.1945
10.12.1977
30.09.1917
12.10.2007
90
3.
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
4.
Tom Burke
ALP
Perth (WA)
21.08.1943
10.12.1955
28.10.1910
17.01.1973
62
5.
Arthur Calwell
ALP
Melbourne (Vic)
21.09.1940
02.11.1972
28.08.1896
08.07.1973
76
6.
Cyril Chambers
ALP
Adelaide (SA)
21.08.1943
14.10.1958
28.02.1898
03.10.1975
78
7.
Ben Chifley
ALP
Macquarie (NSW)
17.11.1928
21.09.1940
19.12.1931
13.06.1951
22.09.1885
13.06.1951
65
8.
Joe Clark
Lang/ALP
Darling (NSW)
15.09.1934
29.09.1969
29.07.1897
09.12.1992
95
9.
William Conelan
ALP
Griffith (Qld)
20.05.1939
10.12.1949
23.12.1895
28.02.1983
87
10.
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
11.
John Dedman
ALP
Corio (Vic)
02.03.1940
10.12.1949
02.06.1896
22.11.1973
77
12.
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
13.
Gil Duthie
ALP
Wilmot (Tas)
28.09.1946
13.12.1975
21.05.1912
13.06.1998
86
14.
Bill Edmonds
ALP
Herbert (Qld)
28.09.1946
22.11.1958
23.10.1903
24.11.1968
65
15.
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
16.
Max Falstein
ALP
Watson (NSW)
21.09.1940
10.12.1949
30.05.1914
18.05.1967
52
17.
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
18.
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
19.
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
20.
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
21.
Les Haylen
ALP
Parkes (NSW)
21.08.1943
30.11.1963
23.09.1898
12.09.1977
78
22.
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
23.
Rowley James
ALP/Lang
Hunter (NSW)
17.11.1928
14.10.1958
14.06.1885
04.07.1962
77
24.
Herbert Johnson
ALP
Kalgoorlie (WA)
16.11.1940
14.10.1958
25.10.1889
10.07.1962
72
25.
Joe Langtry
ALP
Riverina (NSW)
21.09.1940
10.12.1949
02.09.1880
30.04.1951
70
26.
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
27.
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
28.
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
29.
Don McLeod
ALP
Wannon (Vic)
21.09.1940
28.04.1951
10.12.1949
04.11.1955
29.10.1892
22.08.1963
70
30.
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
31.
William O’Connor
ALP
West Sydney (NSW)
Martin (NSW)
Dalley (NSW)
28.09.1946
10.12.1949
10.12.1955
10.12.1949
10.12.1955
29.09.1969
29.09.1910
18.09.1987
76
32.
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
33.
Bill Riordan
ALP
Kennedy (Qld)
12.12.1936
31.10.1966
08.02.1908
15.01.1973
64
34.
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
35.
Edgar Russell
ALP
Grey (SA)
21.08.1943
31.03.1963
24.10.1890
31.03.1963
72
36.
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
37.
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
38.
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
39.
Thomas Sheehy
ALP
Boothby (SA)
21.08.1943
10.12.1949
19.05.1899
23.09.1984
85
40.
Albert Thompson
ALP
Hindmarsh (SA)
Port Adelaide (SA)
28.09.1946
10.12.1949
10.12.1949
01.11.1963
14.11.1886
13.01.1966
79
41.
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
42.
David Oliver Watkins
ALP
Newcastle (NSW)
01.06.1935
14.10.1958
10.07.1896
17.12.1971
75
43.
Thomas Williams
ALP
Robertson (NSW)
21.08.1943
10.12.1949
07.04.1897
04.06.1992
95
LIBERAL PARTY MEMBERS
1.
Howard Beale
Liberal
Parramatta (NSW)
28.09.1946
10.02.1958
10.12.1898
17.10.1983
84
2.
Archie Cameron
Country
UAP/Lib
Barker (SA)
15.09.1934
09.08.1956
22.03.1895
09.08.1956
61
3.
(Sir) Charles Davidson
Liberal
Country
Capricornia (Qld)
Dawson (Qld)
28.09.1946
10.12.1949
10.12.1949
01.11.1963
14.09.1897
29.11.1985
88
4.
Bill Falkinder
Liberal
Franklin (Tas)
28.09.1946
31.10.1946
29.08.1921
11.07.1993
71
5.
(Sir) Josiah Francis
Nat/UAP/Lib
Moreton (Qld)
16.12.1922
04.11.1955
28.03.1890
22.02.1964
73
6.
Henry (Jo) Gullett
Liberal
Henty (Vic)
30.03.1946
04.11.1955
16.12.1914
24.08.1999
84
7.
(Sir) Eric Harrison
UAP
Wentworth (NSW)
19.12.1931
17.10.1956
07.09.1892
26.09.1974
82
8.
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
9.
John Howse
Liberal
Calare (NSW)
28.09.1946
28.09.1960
10.10.1913
11.07.2002
88
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.
Enid Lyons
UAP/Lib
Darwin (Tas)
21.08.1943
19.03.1951
09.07.1897
02.09.1981
84
13.
Philip McBride
UAP
Lib
Grey (SA)
Senate (SA)
Wakefield (SA)
19.12.1931
21.10.1937
28.09.1946
21.09.1937
30.06.1944
14.10.1958
18.06.1892
14.07.1982
90
14.
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
15.
(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
16.
Rupert Ryan
UAP/Lib
Flinders (Vic)
21.09.1940
26.08.1952
06.05.1884
26.08.1952
68
17.
Percy Spender
Ind/UAP/Lib
Warringah (NSW)
23.10.1937
19.03.1951
05.10.1897
03.05.1985
87
18.
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.
Len Hamilton
Country
Swan (WA)
Canning (WA)
28.09.1946
10.12.1949
10.12.1949
02.11.1961
07.07.1899
31.05.1987
87
8.
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
9.
Dr (Sir) Earle Page
F&S
Country
Cowper (NSW)
13.12.1919
09.12.1961
08.08.1880
20.12.1961
81
10.
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
11.
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.
Doris Blackburn
Ind Labour
Bourke (Vic)
28.09.1946
10.12.1949
18.09.1889
12.12.1970
81
2.
Adair Blain
Ind
Northern Territory (NT)
15.09.1934
10.12.1949
21.11.1894
28.04.1983
88
3.
Jack Lang
Lang Labor
Reid (NSW)
28.09.1946
10.12.1949
21.12.1876
27.09.1975
98

 

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