# First Holt ministry

* This article is part of a series about Harold Holt
Early life
Member for Fawkner (1935–1949)
Member for Higgins (1949–1967)
Minister without portfolio
World War II service
Minister for Labour and National Service (1940–41)
Child Endowment Act 1941
Minister for Labour and National Service (1949–58)
Minister for Immigration
Treasurer of Australia
Reserve Bank Act 1959
Credit squeeze and recession of 1960–61
1966 Liberal Party leadership election
Prime Minister of Australia
Term of government (1966–1967)
Decimalisation and dollar introduction
Migration Act 1966
1967 Indigenous referendum
All the way with LBJ
Australian involvement in the Vietnam War
Royal Commission into the Melbourne–Voyager collision
VIP aircraft affair
Disappearance
Ministries
First ministry
Second ministry
Elections
1966
1967 (Half-Senate) :
vte :
The First Holt Ministry (Liberal–Country Coalition) was the 41st ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 17th Prime Minister, Harold Holt. The First Holt ministry succeeded the Tenth Menzies ministry, which dissolved on 26 January 1966 following the retirement of former Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies. The ministry was replaced by the Second Holt ministry on 14 December 1966 following the 1966 federal election.
As of 20 December 2020, Ian Sinclair is the last surviving member of the First Holt ministry; Sinclair is also the last surviving member of the Tenth Menzies ministry. James Forbes was the last surviving Liberal minister, and Allen Fairhall and Charles Barnes were the last surviving Liberal and Country Cabinet ministers respectively.

## Cabinet

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Rt Hon Harold Holt (1908–1967) MP for Higgins (1949–1967) | Prime Minister Leader of the Liberal Party |
| Country | Rt Hon John McEwen (1900–1980) MP for Murray (1949–1971) | Leader of the Country Party Minister for Trade and Industry |
| Liberal | Rt Hon William McMahon (1908–1988) MP for Lowe (1949–1982) | Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Treasurer |
| Liberal | Rt Hon Paul Hasluck (1905–1993) MP for Curtin (1949–1969) | Minister for External Affairs |
| Country | Rt Hon Charles Adermann (1896–1979) MP for Fisher (1949–1972) | Deputy Leader of the Country Party (to 10 December 1966) Minister for Primary Industry |
| Liberal | Hon Allen Fairhall (1909–2006) MP for Paterson (1949–1969) | Minister for Defence |
| Liberal | Hon Denham Henty (1903–1978) Senator for Tasmania (1950–1968) | Leader of the Government in the Senate Minister for Supply |
| Liberal | Hon Alan Hulme (1907–1989) MP for Petrie (1963–1972) | Postmaster-General Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Liberal | Hon David Fairbairn DFC (1917–1994) MP for Farrer (1949–1975) | Minister for National Development Leader of the House (to October 1966) |
| Country | Hon Charles Barnes (1901–1998) MP for McPherson (1958–1972) | Minister for Territories |
| Liberal | Hon John Gorton (1911–2002) Senator for Victoria (1950–1968) | Minister for Works Minister in charge of Commonwealth Activities in Education and Research under the Prime Minister |
| Liberal | Hon Les Bury (1913–1986) MP for Wentworth (1956–1974) | Minister for Labour and National Service |

## Outer ministry

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Hon Gordon Freeth (1914–2001) MP for Forrest (1949–1969) | Minister for Shipping and Transport |
| Liberal | Hon Reginald Swartz MBE (1911–2006) MP for Darling Downs (1949–1972) | Minister for Civil Aviation |
| Liberal | Hon Hubert Opperman OBE (1904–1996) MP for Corio (1949–1967) | Minister for Immigration |
| Liberal | Hon Billy Snedden QC (1926–1987) MP for Bruce (1955–1983) | Attorney-General |
| Liberal | Hon Dr James Forbes MC (1923–2019) MP for Barker (1956–1975) | Minister for Health |
| Country | Hon Doug Anthony (1929–2020) MP for Richmond (1957–1984) | Minister for the Interior |
| Liberal | Hon Fred Chaney AFC (1914–2001) MP for Perth (1955–1969) | Minister for the Navy |
| Liberal | Hon Peter Howson (1919–2009) MP for Fawkner (1955–1969) | Minister for Air Minister assisting the Treasurer |
| Liberal | Hon Ken Anderson (1909–1985) Senator for New South Wales (1953–1975) | Minister for Customs and Excise |
| Country | Hon Colin McKellar (1903–1970) Senator for New South Wales (1958–1970) | Minister for Repatriation |
| Country | Hon Ian Sinclair (1929–) MP for New England (1963–1998) | Minister for Social Services |
| Liberal | Hon Dame Annabelle Rankin DBE (1908–1986) Senator for Queensland (1947–1971) | Chief Government Whip in the Senate (to 8 March 1966) Minister for Housing |
| Liberal | Hon Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015) MP for Wannon (1955–1983) | Minister for the Army |