# Seventh Menzies ministry

* This article is part of a series about Robert Menzies
Early life
State politics
Member for Kooyong (1934–1966)
1938 Dalfram dispute
United Australia Party spills
1939
1943
Prime Minister of Australia
First term of government (1939–1941)
Entry into WW2
Advisory War Council
Liberal Party foundation
Second term of government (1949–1966)
ANZUS
Communist Party ban
1951 Communist Party ban referendum
Petrov Affair
Royal Commission on Espionage
Entry into Vietnam War
Ministries
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
Seventh
Eighth
Ninth
Tenth
Elections
1940
1946
1949
1951
1953 (Half-Senate)
1954
1955
1958
1961
1963
1964 (Half-Senate)
The Forgotten People :
vte :
The Seventh Menzies ministry (Liberal–Country Coalition) was the 37th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 12th Prime Minister, Robert Menzies. The Seventh Menzies ministry succeeded the Sixth Menzies ministry, which dissolved on 11 January 1956 following the federal election that took place in the previous December. It is the first ministry to consist of a two-tier ministry, with only senior ministers being members of Cabinet, while the other ministers are in the outer ministry. With the exception of the Whitlam government and the caretaker First Fraser ministry, this practice has endured to this day. The ministry was replaced by the Eighth Menzies ministry on 10 December 1958 following the 1958 federal election.
Allen Fairhall, who died in 2006, was the last surviving member of the Seventh Menzies Ministry; Fairhall was also the last surviving member of the Ninth Menzies ministry. Hugh Roberton was the last surviving Country junior minister, and Paul Hasluck and John McEwen were the last surviving Liberal and Country Cabinet ministers respectively.

## Cabinet

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Rt Hon Robert Menzies CH QC (FAA) (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong (1934–1966) | Prime Minister Leader of the Liberal Party |
| Country | Rt Hon Sir Arthur Fadden (GCMG) (1894–1973) MP for McPherson (1949–1958) | Leader of the Country Party (to 26 March 1958) Treasurer |
| Liberal | Rt Hon Sir Eric Harrison KCVO (1892–1974) MP for Wentworth (1931–1956) | Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party (to 26 September 1956) Minister for the Army (to 28 February 1956) Minister for Defence Production (to 24 October 1956) Vice-President of the Executive Council (to 24 October 1956) Leader of the House (to September 1956) |
| Liberal | Rt Hon Harold Holt (1908–1967) MP for Higgins (1949–1967) | Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party (from 26 September 1956) Minister for Labour and National Service Minister for Immigration (to 24 October 1956) Leader of the House (from September 1956) |
| Country | Rt Hon John McEwen (1900–1980) MP for Murray (1949–1971) | Leader of the Country Party (from 26 March 1958) Deputy Leader of the Country Party (to 26 March 1958) Minister for Trade |
| Liberal | Rt Hon Richard Casey CH DSO MC (1890–1976) MP for La Trobe (1949–1960) | Minister for External Affairs Minister in charge of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation |
| Liberal | Hon Philip McBride (1892–1982) MP for Wakefield (1946–1958) | Minister for Defence |
| Liberal | Hon Neil O'Sullivan (1900–1968) Senator for Queensland (1947–1962) | Leader of the Government in the Senate Minister for the Navy (to 24 October 1956) Attorney-General (from 15 August 1956) Vice-President of the Executive Council (from 24 October 1956) |
| Liberal | Hon John Spicer QC (1899–1978) Senator for Victoria (1950–1956) | Attorney-General (to 14 August 1956) |
| Liberal | Hon Bill Spooner MM (1897–1966) Senator for New South Wales (1950–1965) | Minister for National Development |
| Liberal | Hon Athol Townley (1905–1963) MP for Denison (1949–1963) | Minister for Air Minister for Civil Aviation (to 24 October 1956) Minister for Immigration (from 24 October 1956 to 19 March 1958) Minister for Defence Production (from 11 February 1958 to 23 April 1958) Minister for Supply (from 11 February 1958) |
| 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) (in Cabinet from 18 October 1956) | Minister for Social Services (to 28 February 1956) Minister for Primary Industry |
| Liberal | Hon Howard Beale (1898–1983) MP for Parramatta (1946–1958) (in Cabinet from 24 October 1956) | Minister for Supply (to 10 February 1958) Minister for Defence Production (from 24 October 1956 to 10 February 1958) |
| Liberal | Hon Shane Paltridge (1910-1966) Senator for Western Australia (1951-1966) (in Cabinet from 11 February 1958) | Minister for Shipping and Transport Minister for Civil Aviation (from 24 October 1956) |

## Outer ministry

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Country | Hon Walter Cooper MBE (1888–1973) Senator for Queensland (1935–1968) | Minister for Repatriation |
| Country | Hon Charles Davidson OBE (1897–1985) MP for Dawson (1949–1963) | Deputy Leader of the Country Party (from 26 March 1958) Postmaster-General Minister for the Navy (from 24 October 1956) |
| Liberal | Hon Dr Donald Cameron OBE (1900–1974) MP for Oxley (1949–1961) | Minister for Health |
| Liberal | Hon Allen Fairhall (1909–2006) MP for Paterson (1949–1969) | Minister for the Interior Minister for Works |
| Liberal | Hon Frederick Osborne DSC & Bar VRD (1909–1996) MP for Evans (1949–1961) | Minister for Customs and Excise (to 24 October 1956) Minister for Air (from 24 October 1956) |
| Liberal | Hon John Cramer (1896–1994) MP for Bennelong (1949–1974) (in Ministry from 28 February 1956) | Minister for the Army (from 28 February 1956) |
| Country | Hon Hugh Roberton (1900–1987) MP for Riverina (1949–1965) (in Ministry from 28 February 1956) | Minister for Social Services (from 28 February 1956) |
| Liberal | Hon Denham Henty (1903–1978) Senator for Tasmania (1950–1968) (in Ministry from 24 October 1956) | Minister for Customs and Excise (from 24 October 1956) |
| Liberal | Hon Alexander Downer (1910–1981) MP for Angas (1949–1964) (in Ministry from 20 March 1958) | Minister for Immigration (from 20 March 1958) |