Bavin ministry

State of New South Wales (1915–1938)

The Bavin ministry was the 44th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 24th Premier, the Honourable Thomas Bavin, MLA, in a Nationalist coalition with the Country Party, led by the Honourable Ernest Buttenshaw, MLA.

Bavin was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1917 and served continuously until 1935. Having served as a senior minister in the first and second Fuller ministries, in 1925 Bavin was elected leader of the Nationalist Party in New South Wales and became Opposition Leader. Buttenshaw was also first elected to the Assembly in 1917 and served continuously until 1938. Initially a member of the Nationalist Party, in 1922 he helped establish the Progressive Party and became a member of its successor, the Country Party, and elected as party leader in 1925.

Following an agreement by the Nationalist and Country parties not to stand candidates against each other, the coalition won the 1927 state election, defeating the Labor government led by Jack Lang. Bavin became Premier and Colonial Treasurer; and Buttenshaw, a senior minister.

This ministry covers the period from 18 October 1927 until 3 November 1930^[1][2] when the 1930 state election was held in the wake of the Great Depression resulting in the loss of the Coalition; with Lang regaining government as the third Lang ministry.

Composition of ministry

The composition of the ministry was announced by Premier Bavin on 18 October 1927 and covers the period up to 3 November 1930, unless the Minister retains the portfolio for the full term. Ministers are listed in order of seniority.

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Term commence	Term end	Term of office
Premier	Hon. Thomas Bavin, KC, BA, LLB, MLA		Nationalist	18 October 1927	3 November 1930	3 years, 16 days
Colonial Treasurer					15 April 1929	1 year, 179 days
	Hon. Bertram Stevens, MLA			16 April 1929	3 November 1930	1 year, 201 days
Assistant Colonial Treasurer				18 October 1927	15 April 1929	1 year, 179 days
Secretary for Public Works	Hon. Ernest Buttenshaw, MLA		Country		3 November 1930	3 years, 16 days
Minister for Railways^a					16 April 1929	1 year, 180 days
Attorney General Vice-President of the Executive Council Representative of the Government in Legislative Council	Hon. Francis Stewart Boyce, KC, BA, LLB, MLC		Nationalist		3 November 1930	3 years, 16 days
Colonial Secretary	Hon. Albert Bruntnell, MLA^b				31 January 1929	1 year, 105 days
	Hon. Thomas Bavin, KC, BA, LLB, MLA			1 February 1929	15 April 1929	73 days
	Hon. Captain Frank Chaffey, MLA			16 April 1929	3 November 1930	1 year, 201 days
Minister for Lands	Hon. Richard Ball, MLA			18 October 1927		3 years, 16 days
Minister for Agriculture	Hon. Harold Thorby, MLA		Country
Minister of Education	Hon. David Drummond, MLA
Minister for Local Government	Hon. Lieut-Colonel Michael Bruxner, DSO, MLA
Secretary for Mines Minister for Forests	Hon. Captain Frank Chaffey, MLA		Nationalist		15 April 1929	1 year, 179 days
	Hon. Reginald Weaver, MLA			16 April 1929	3 November 1930	1 year, 201 days
Minister of Justice	Hon. John Lee, MLA			18 October 1927		3 years, 16 days
Minister for Labour and Industry	Hon. Ernest Farrar, MLC
Minister for Public Health	Hon. Richard Arthur, MD, MLA
Honorary Minister	Hon. James Ryan, MLC

^a Mr Buttenshaw resigned the portfolio of Minister for Railways on 16 April 1929, but no other Minister was allotted that portfolio, the Railways being administered by the Colonial Treasurer, except in regard to Railway Construction, which remained with the Secretary for Public Works.

^b Died in office.

See also

• Thomas Bavin - 24th Premier of New South Wales
• Ernest Buttenshaw - Leader of the New South Wales Country Party
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1927-1930

References

1. "Former Members - Chronological List of Ministries 1856 to 2009 (requires download)" (Excel spreadsheet). Project for the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in NSW. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
2. Wah, Malvyne Jong; Page, Jeffrey E. (November 2007). "New South Wales Parliamentary Record 1824 – 2007" (PDF). VIII. Parliament of New South Wales: 274. Retrieved 12 March 2012.