Eighth Menzies ministry

38th ministry of government of Australia

Eighth Menzies ministry
38th Ministry of Australia
The Eighth Menzies ministry at their swearing-in
Date formed	10 December 1958
Date dissolved	22 December 1961
People and organisations
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor-General	Sir William Slim Lord Dunrossil Viscount De L'Isle
Prime Minister	Robert Menzies
No. of ministers	24
Member party	Liberal–Country coalition
Status in legislature	Coalition majority government
Opposition party	Labor
Opposition leader	H. V. Evatt Arthur Calwell
History
Election(s)	22 November 1958
Outgoing election	9 December 1961
Legislature term(s)	23rd
Predecessor	Seventh Menzies ministry
Successor	Ninth Menzies ministry

This article is part of
a series about
Robert Menzies

Member for Kooyong (1934–1966)

1938 Dalfram dispute
United Australia Party spills
- 1939
- 1943

Prime Minister of Australia

First term of government (1939–1941)

Liberal Party foundation

Second term of government (1949–1966)

Ministries

Elections

The Forgotten People

The Eighth Menzies ministry (Liberal–Country Coalition) was the 38th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies. The Eighth Menzies ministry succeeded the Seventh Menzies ministry, which dissolved on 10 December 1958 following the federal election that took place in late November. The ministry was replaced by the Ninth Menzies ministry on 22 December 1961 following the 1961 federal election.^[1]

John Gorton, who died in 2002, was the last surviving member of the Eighth Menzies ministry. Hugh Roberton was the last surviving Country junior minister, and Sir Garfield Barwick and Charles Davidson were the last surviving Liberal and Country Cabinet ministers respectively.

Cabinet

	Minister	Portfolio
Liberal	Rt Hon Robert Menzies CH QC FAA (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong (1934–1966)	Prime Minister Leader of the Liberal Party Minister for External Affairs (from 4 February 1960)
Country	Rt Hon John McEwen (1900–1980) MP for Murray (1949–1971)	Leader of the Country Party Minister for Trade
Liberal	Rt Hon Harold Holt (1908–1967) MP for Higgins (1949–1967)	Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Treasurer Leader of the House
Liberal	Rt Hon Richard Casey CH DSO MC (1890–1976) MP for La Trobe (1949–1960)	Minister for External Affairs (to 4 February 1960) Minister in charge of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (to 4 February 1960)
Liberal	Hon Bill Spooner MM (1897–1966) Senator for New South Wales (1950–1965)	Leader of the Government in the Senate Minister for National Development Vice-President of the Executive Council
Liberal	Hon Athol Townley (1905–1963) MP for Denison (1949–1963)	Minister for Defence
Liberal	Hon Paul Hasluck (1905–1993) MP for Curtin (1949–1969)	Minister for Territories
Liberal	Hon William McMahon (1908–1988) MP for Lowe (1949–1982)	Minister for Labour and National Service
Liberal	Hon Shane Paltridge (1910-1966) Senator for Western Australia (1951-1966)	Minister for Civil Aviation Minister for Shipping and Transport (to 5 February 1960)
Country	Hon Charles Davidson OBE (1897–1985) MP for Dawson (1949–1963)	Deputy Leader of the Country Party Postmaster-General
Liberal	Hon Alexander Downer (1910–1981) MP for Angas (1949–1964)	Minister for Immigration
Liberal	Hon Sir Garfield Barwick QC (1903–1997) MP for Parramatta (1958–1964)	Attorney-General
Country	Hon Charles Adermann (1896–1979) MP for Fisher (1949–1972) (in Cabinet from 4 February 1960)	Minister for Primary Industry

Outer ministry

	Minister	Portfolio
Country	Hon (Sir) Walter Cooper MBE (1888–1973) Senator for Queensland (1935–1968)	Minister for Repatriation (to 29 December 1960)
Liberal	Hon Dr Donald Cameron OBE (1900–1974) MP for Oxley (1949–1961)	Minister for Health Minister in charge of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (from 4 February 1960)
Liberal	Hon Frederick Osborne DSC & Bar VRD (1909–1996) MP for Evans (1949–1961)	Minister for Air (to 29 December 1960) Minister for Repatriation (from 29 December 1960)
Liberal	Hon John Cramer (1896–1994) MP for Bennelong (1949–1974)	Minister for the Army
Country	Hon Hugh Roberton (1900–1987) MP for Riverina (1949–1965)	Minister for Social Services
Liberal	Hon Denham Henty (1903–1978) Senator for Tasmania (1950–1968)	Minister for Customs and Excise
Liberal	Hon Gordon Freeth (1914–2001) MP for Forrest (1949–1969)	Minister for the Interior Minister for Works
Liberal	Hon John Gorton (1911–2002) Senator for Victoria (1950–1968)	Minister for the Navy Minister assisting the Minister for External Affairs (from 23 February 1960)
Liberal	Hon Alan Hulme (1907–1989) MP for Petrie (1949–1961)	Minister for Supply
Liberal	Hon Hubert Opperman OBE (1904–1996) MP for Corio (1949–1967) (in Ministry from 5 February 1960)	Chief Government Whip in the House (to 5 February 1960) Minister for Shipping and Transport (from 5 February 1960)
Country	Hon Harrie Wade OBE (1905–1964) Senator for Victoria (1956–1964) (in Ministry from 29 December 1960)	Minister for Air (from 29 December 1960)

Notes

^ "Ministries and Cabinets". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2010.

v t e Ministries of the Commonwealth of Australia
20th century	Barton Deakin 1 Watson Reid Deakin 2 Fisher 1 Deakin 3 Fisher 2 Cook Fisher 3 Hughes 1 2 3 4 5 Bruce 1 2 3 Scullin Lyons 1 2 3 4 Page Menzies 1 2 3 Fadden Curtin 1 2 Forde Chifley 1 2 Menzies 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Holt 1 2 McEwen Gorton 1 2 McMahon Whitlam 1 2 3 Fraser 1 2 3 4 Hawke 1 2 3 4 Keating 1 2 Howard 1 2
21st century	Howard 3 4 Rudd 1 Gillard 1 2 Rudd 2 Abbott Turnbull 1 2 Morrison 1 2 Albanese
Current ministry

v t e Liberal Party of Australia
Leaders	Robert Menzies Harold Holt John Gorton William McMahon Billy Snedden Malcolm Fraser Andrew Peacock John Howard Andrew Peacock John Hewson Alexander Downer John Howard Brendan Nelson Malcolm Turnbull Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison Peter Dutton
Deputy Leaders	Eric Harrison Harold Holt William McMahon John Gorton Billy Snedden Phillip Lynch John Howard Neil Brown Andrew Peacock Fred Chaney Peter Reith Michael Wooldridge Peter Costello Julie Bishop Josh Frydenberg Sussan Ley
Presidents	Malcolm Ritchie Richard Casey W. H. Anderson Lyle Moore Philip McBride J. E. Pagan Robert Southey John Atwill A. J. Forbes John Valder John Elliott Ashley Goldsworthy Tony Staley Shane Stone Chris McDiven Alan Stockdale Richard Alston Nick Greiner John Olsen
Governments	Menzies Holt Gorton McMahon Fraser Howard Abbott Turnbull Morrison
Ministries	Menzies 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Holt 1 2 Gorton 1 2 McMahon Fraser 1 2 3 4 Howard 1 2 3 4 Abbott Turnbull 1 2 Morrison 1 2
Shadow cabinets	Snedden Fraser Peacock I Howard I Peacock II Hewson Downer Howard II Nelson Turnbull Abbott Dutton
State divisions	Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Northern Territory (Country Liberal Party) Queensland (Liberal National Party) South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia
Party-related organisations	Australian Liberal Students' Federation Coalition Cormack Foundation Norfolk Liberals Young Liberals Young LNP Menzies Research Centre
Factions	Moderates Centre Right Independent Liberal National Right Ginger Group (defunct) Lyons Forum (defunct)
History	Protectionist Party Free Trade Party Fusion Liberal Party National Labor Party Nationalist Party Liberal Union Australian Party United Australia Party Citizens' Municipal Organisation
Leadership contests	1966 1968 1969 1971 1972 1975 1982 1983 1985 1987 1989 1990 1993 1994 1995 2007 2008 2009 2015 (Feb) 2015 (Sep) 2018 2022