# Members of the Australian Senate, 1901–1903

   Senate composition at March 1901
    Protectionist (11)
    Labour (8)
    Free Trade (17)
This is a list of the members of the Australian Senate in the First Australian Parliament, which was elected on 29 March 1901. There were 36 senators in this initial parliament. Terms were deemed to start on 1 January 1901. In accordance with section 13 of the Constitution, the Senate resolved that in each State the three senators who received the most votes would sit for a six-year term, finishing on 31 December 1906 while the other half would sit for a three-year term, finishing on 31 December 1903. The process for filing of casual vacancies was complex, with an initial appointment followed by an election. The status of political parties varied, being national, State based, and informal.
George Pearce, who died in 1952, was the last surviving member of the 1901-1903 Senate. Robert Best was the last surviving Protectionist member, and John Clemons was the last surviving Free Trade member.

## Senators

| Member | Party | State | Term expiry | Term start | Term end | Portfolio | Notes |
| Sir Richard Baker (1842–1911) | Free Trade | South Australia | 31 December 1906 | 30 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | President of the Senate from 9 May 1901 to 31 December 1906 | Previously a member of the South Australian Legislative Council. Retired |
| John Barrett (1858–1928) | Labour | Victoria | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 1903 | | Previously held the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Carlton South. Lost seat |
| John Barrett (1858–1928) | Protectionist | Victoria | 31 December 1903 | 1903 | 31 December 1903 | | Previously held the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Carlton South. Lost seat |
| Robert Best (1856–1946) | Protectionist | Victoria | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1910 | Chairman of Committees from 9 May 1901 to 31 December 1903 | Previously held the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Fitzroy. Re-elected |
| Cyril Cameron (1857–1941) | Protectionist | Tasmania | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 31 December 1903 | | Lost seat. Later re-elected to the Senate in 1906 |
| David Charleston (1848–1934) | Free Trade | South Australia | 31 December 1903 | 30 March 1901 | 31 December 1903 | | Previously a member of the South Australian Legislative Council. Lost seat |
| John Clemons (1862–1944) | Free Trade | Tasmania | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 5 September 1914 | Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate from 21 May 1901 to 21 November 1907 | Re-elected |
| Anderson Dawson (1863–1910) | Labour | Queensland | 31 December 1906 | 30 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | | Previously held the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of Charters Towers. Lost seat |
| Hugh de Largie (1859–1947) | Labour | Western Australia | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1923 | | Re-elected |
| Henry Dobson (1841–1918) | Free Trade | Tasmania | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1910 | | Previously held the Tasmanian House of Assembly seat of Brighton. Re-elected |
| Sir John Downer (1843–1915) | Protectionist | South Australia | 31 December 1903 | 30 March 1901 | 31 December 1903 | | Previously held the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Barossa. Retired. Later elected to the South Australian Legislative Council in 1905 |
| James Drake (1850–1941) | Protectionist | Queensland | 31 December 1906 | 30 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | Postmaster-General from 5 February 1901 to 10 August 1903 Minister for Defence from 10 August 1903 to 24 September 1903 Attorney-General from 24 September 1903 to 27 April 1904 | Previously a member of the Queensland Legislative Council. Lost preselection and retired |
| Norman Ewing (1870–1928) | Free Trade | Western Australia | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 17 April 1903 | | Previously held the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Swan. Resigned to focus on legal practice. Later elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly seat of Franklin in 1909 |
| John Ferguson (1830–1906) | Free Trade | Queensland | 31 December 1903 | 30 March 1901 | 6 October 1903 | | Simultaneously a member of the Queensland Legislative Council. Seat made vacant due to prolonged absence without permission. Oldest member of the 1901-1903 Senate |
| Simon Fraser (1832–1919) | Protectionist | Victoria | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1913 | | Previously a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Re-elected |
| Thomas Glassey (1844–1936) | Protectionist | Queensland | 31 December 1903 | 30 March 1901 | 31 December 1903 | | Previously held the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of Bundaberg. Lost seat |
| Albert Gould (1847–1936) | Free Trade | New South Wales | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1917 | | Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Singleton. Re-elected |
| Edward Harney (1865–1929) | Free Trade | Western Australia | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 31 December 1903 | | Retired. Later elected to the British House of Commons seat of South Shields in 1922 |
| William Higgs (1862–1951) | Labour | Queensland | 31 December 1906 | 30 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | | Previously held the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of Fortitude Valley. Lost seat. Later elected to the Division of Capricornia in 1910 |
| John Keating (1872–1940) | Protectionist | Tasmania | 31 December 1906 | 30 March 1901 | 30 June 1923 | Chief Government Whip in the Senate from 30 April 1902 to 5 July 1905 | Re-elected. Youngest member of the 1901-1903 Senate |
| James Macfarlane (1844–1914) | Free Trade | Tasmania | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1910 | | Re-elected |
| Charles Mackellar (1844–1926) | Protectionist | New South Wales | 31 December 1903 | 8 October 1903 | 30 November 1903 | | Previously a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Resigned to return to the Legislative Council after deciding not to contest the 1903 federal election |
| Alexander Matheson (1861–1929) | Free Trade | Western Australia | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | | Previously a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. Retired |
| Gregor McGregor (1848–1914) | Labour | South Australia | 31 December 1903 | 30 March 1901 | 13 August 1914 | Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 20 May 1901 to 13 August 1914 Leader of the Labour Party in the Senate from 20 May 1901 to 13 August 1914 | Previously a member of the South Australian Legislative Council. Re-elected |
| Edward Millen (1860–1923) | Free Trade | New South Wales | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 14 September 1923 | | Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Bourke. Re-elected |
| John Neild (1846–1911) | Free Trade | New South Wales | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1910 | | Previously held the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Paddington. Re-elected |
| Richard O'Connor (1851–1912) | Protectionist | New South Wales | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 27 September 1903 | Vice-President of the Executive Council from 1 January 1901 to 24 September 1903 Leader of the Government in the Senate from 9 May 1901 to 24 September 1903 Leader of the Protectionist Party in the Senate from 9 May 1901 to 24 September 1903 | Previously a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Resigned in order to become a Justice of the High Court |
| David O'Keefe (1864–1943) | Protectionist | Tasmania | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | May 1901 | | Lost seat. Later re-elected to the Senate in 1910 |
| David O'Keefe (1864–1943) | Labour | Tasmania | 31 December 1906 | May 1901 | 31 December 1906 | | Lost seat. Later re-elected to the Senate in 1910 |
| George Pearce (1870–1952) | Labour | Western Australia | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1938 | | Re-elected. Last surviving member of the 1901-1903 Senate |
| Thomas Playford II (1837–1915) | Protectionist | South Australia | 31 December 1906 | 30 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | Vice-President of the Executive Council from 24 September 1903 to 27 April 1904 Leader of the Government in the Senate from 24 September 1903 to 27 April 1904 Leader of the Protectionist Party in the Senate from 24 September 1903 to 31 December 1906 | Previously held the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Gumeracha. Lost seat |
| Edward Pulsford (1844–1919) | Free Trade | New South Wales | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1910 | | Previously a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Re-elected |
| Robert Reid (1842–1904) | Free Trade | Victoria | 31 December 1903 | 21 January 1903 | 31 December 1903 | | Previously a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Retired |
| Sir Frederick Sargood (1834–1903) | Free Trade | Victoria | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 2 January 1903 | | Previously a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Died in office |
| Henry Saunders (1855–1919) | Free Trade | Western Australia | 31 December 1903 | 20 May 1903 | 31 December 1903 | | Previously a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. Lost seat. Later elected to the Legislative Council in 1918 |
| Staniforth Smith (1869–1934) | Free Trade | Western Australia | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | | Retired |
| James Stewart (1850–1931) | Labour | Queensland | 31 December 1903 | 30 March 1901 | 30 June 1917 | Chief Labour Whip in the Senate from 21 May 1901 to 29 April 1904 | Previously held the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of Rockhampton North. Re-elected |
| James Styles (1841–1913) | Protectionist | Victoria | 31 December 1903 | 29 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | | Previously held the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Williamstown. Lost seat |
| Sir Josiah Symon (1846–1934) | Free Trade | South Australia | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1913 | Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 6 June 1901 to 18 August 1904 Leader of the Free Trade Party in the Senate from 6 June 1901 to 21 November 1907 | Previously held the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Sturt. Re-elected |
| James Walker (1841–1923) | Free Trade | New South Wales | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1913 | | Re-elected |
| Sir William Zeal (1830–1912) | Protectionist | Victoria | 31 December 1906 | 29 March 1901 | 31 December 1906 | | Previously a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Retired |