Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Council, 1949–1951

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This is a list of members of the Northern Territory Legislative Council from 10 December 1949 to 28 April 1951.

The council consisted of 14 members. Six members were elected to four single-member electorates (Alice Springs, Batchelor, Stuart and Tennant Creek), and one two-member electorate (Darwin). Seven members (called Official Members) were appointed by the Australian government, all of whom were senior public servants in the Northern Territory. The Administrator of the Northern Territory, Arthur Driver, served as presiding officer (or president) of the council.[1]

The Commonwealth Act establishing the Legislative Council contained a provision that elections for the non-appointed seats would occur on the same day as federal elections for the House of Representatives. In 1951, the Menzies government called an early federal election for 28 April. On 23 March, the acting Administrator stated that there was doubt over this interpretation of the Act, and that the Administrator had decided not to hold a council election that year, which would result in the council term continuing until the next federal election in 1954—however, this five-year term would be a breach of the Act which specified a three-year term length. Additionally, the federal electoral office in Canberra issued a telegram which stated that it was 'expected' that an election would be held to coincide with the federal one.[1] On 29 March, the Administrator announced that an election would be held on 28 April.[2]

Name Party Electorate/Title Years in office
Frederick Austin Independent Darwin 1949–1951
Hugh Barclay Appointed Director of Lands 1948–1963
William Braitling Independent Stuart 1949–1951
Robert Coxon Appointed Director of Mining 1948–1954
Les Dodd [2] Appointed Director of Education 1949–1951
Frederick Dowling Labor Batchelor 1949–1954
Arthur Driver Appointed Administrator 1947–1951
William Flynn Appointed Deputy Crown Solicitor 1948–1951
John Higgins [1] Independent Tennant Creek 1950–1951
John Huthnance Appointed Chief Clerk 1949–1955
Frank Johnson Labor Alice Springs 1949–1954
Robert Jones MBE Appointed Apprentice Board Member 1950–1951
Reg Leydin Appointed Government Secretary 1948–1952, 1953–1954, 1963
Matthew Luke Independent Labor Darwin 1947–1954
Francis Moy Appointed Director of Native Affairs 1948–1953
Dr Stephen Watsford [2] Appointed Chief Medical Officer 1951–1954
Victor Webster [1] Independent Tennant Creek 1947–1950
1 Victor Webster, the elected member for Tennant Creek, resigned from the council on 17 May 1950 (before the first meeting of the term) after losing his job as a medical officer with the federal Department of Health when the Chifley government was defeated at the 1949 federal election, and having to leave the Territory. On 16 November 1950, Administrator Arthur Driver appointed John Higgins as his replacement, ignoring Charles Priest who had contested the seat against Webster at the 1949 election.[1]
2 Appointed member Les Dodd resigned on 15 March 1951. His place on the council was filled by Chief Medical Officer Dr Stephen Watsford.[3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Jaensch, Dean (1990). The Legislative Council of the Northern Territory: An Electoral History 1947–1974. Darwin: Australian National University.
  2. ^ "Advertising". Northern Standard. Vol. 6, no. 251. Northern Territory, Australia. 30 March 1951. p. 10. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ Watsford, Stephen and Penny: Much have I seen and known (NTRS 3030), Northern Territory Archives.
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