Appendix 3

Deputy Presidents and Chairmen of Committees (1901–2014)

Term1 Chairman of Committees2 Details of ballots held Reason for end of term
28/6/1901
to
31/12/1903
Robert Best
(later Sir Robert)
(Prot, Vic)
  Senator Best lost the ballot for election as Chairman of Committees on 16 March 1904.
16/3/1904
to
31/12/1906
William Higgs
(ALP, Qld)
16 March 1904
Senator Higgs (ALP, Qld): 17 votes
Senator Best (Prot, Vic): 12 votes
(16/3/1904, J.19)
Senator Higgs was not re–elected at the 12 December 1906 election. His term expired on 31 December 1906.
21/2/1907
to
13/11/1908
George Pearce
(later Sir George)
(ALP, WA)
  Senator Pearce resigned as Chairman of Committees upon appointment to the Ministry.
(17/11/1908, J.81)
25/11/1908
to
30/6/1910
Henry Dobson
(Tariff Reform, Tas.)
25 November 1908
Senator Dobson (Tariff Reform, Tas): 17 votes
Senator Turley (ALP, Qld): 17 votes
(25/11/1908, J.84)
The vote was tied on two occasions and lots were drawn in accordance with a ruling of President Gould (see SO 10). As Senator Dobson’s name remained in the box he was elected.
Senator Dobson was not re–elected at the 13 April 1910 elections. His term expired on 30 June 1910.
1/7/1910
to
30/7/1914
David O’Keefe
(ALP, Tas.)
  On 30 July 1914 the Senate was dissolved in order for a double dissolution election to be held. Senator O’Keefe was not re–elected at the 5 September 1914 election.
9/10/1914
to
30/6/1917
George Henderson
(ALP, WA)
  After the 5 May 1917 election, the ALP lost its majority in the Senate. Senator Henderson was not proposed for election as Chairman of Committees on 12 July 1917.
12/7/1917
to
30/6/1920
John Shannon
(Lib, SA)
  Senator Shannon was not re–elected at the 13 December 1919 election. His term expired on 30 June 1920.
21/7/1920
to
30/6/1923
Thomas Bakhap
(Lib, Tas.)
  Senator Bakhap was elected at the 16 December 1922 election but was not sworn in on 4 July 1923 (J.14) and died on 18 August 1923.
5/7/1923
to
30/6/1926
John Newlands
(later Sir John)
(Nat, SA)
  Senator Newlands was elected President on 1 July 1926.
1/7/1926
to
30/6/1932
William Plain
(Nat/UAP, Vic.)
  Senator Plain was not proposed for election as Chairman of Committees on 1 September 1932.
1/9/1932
to
23/9/1935
Herbert Hays
(UAP, Tas)
  Senator Hays was not proposed for election as Chairman of Committees on 24 September 1935.
24/9/1935
to
30/6/1938
Burford Sampson
(UAP, Tas)
  Senator Sampson was not re–elected at the 23 October 1937 election. His term expired on 30 June 1938.
1/7/1938
to
30/6/1941
James McLachlan
(UAP, SA)
  Senator McLachlan was not proposed for election as Chairman of Committees on 1 July 1941.
1/7/1941
to
22/9/1943
Gordon Brown
(ALP, Qld)
1 July 1941
Senator Brown (ALP, Qld): 17 votes
Senator Cooper (CP, Qld): 17 votes
(1/7/1941, J.84–85)
As the vote was tied on two occasions, lots were drawn in accordance with SO 22. As Senator Brown’s name remained in the box, he was elected.
Senator Brown was elected President on 23 September 1943.
(23/9/1946, J.6)
23/9/1943
to
1/11/1946
Benjamin Courtice
(ALP, Qld)
  Senator Courtice resigned as Chairman of Committees upon appointment to the Ministry.
6/11/1946
to
19/3/1951
Theophilus Nicholls
(ALP, SA)
  On 19 March 1951 the Senate was dissolved in order for a double dissolution election to be held. When the new Senate met on 12 June 1951, Senator Nicholls was not proposed for election as Chairman of Committees.
12/6/1951
to
30/6/1953
George Rankin
(CP, Vic.)
  Senator Rankin was not proposed for election as Chairman of Committees on 8 September 1953.
8/9/1953
to
22/5/1962
Albert Reid
(CP, NSW)
8 September 1953
Senator Reid (CP, NSW): 30 votes
Senator Fraser (ALP, WA): 28 votes
(8/9/1953, J.358)

29 August 1956
Senator Reid (CP, NSW): 30 votes
Senator O’Byrne (ALP, Tas): 22 votes
(29/8/1956, J.131)

11 August 1959
Senator Reid (CP, NSW): 30 votes
Senator O’Byrne (ALP, Tas): 23 votes
(11/8/1959, J.116)
Senator Reid died on 22 May 1962.
7/8/1962
to
21/12/1964
Gerald McKellar
(CP, NSW)
7 August 1962
Senator McKellar (CP, NSW): 33 votes
Senator Hendrickson (ALP, Vic): 26 votes
(7/8/1962, J.102)
Senator McKellar resigned as Chairman of Committees upon appointment to the Ministry.
(16/3/1965, J.222)
16/3/1965
to
11/11/1969
Thomas Drake–Brockman
(CP, WA)
13 August 1968
Senator Drake–Brockman (CP, WA): 30 votes
Senator Ridley (ALP, SA): 24 votes
(13/8/1968, J.150)
Senator Drake–Brockman resigned the office of Chairman of Committees on appointment to the Ministry.
(25/11/1969, J.4)
25/11/1969
to
30/6/1971
Thomas Bull
(CP, NSW)
25 November 1969
Senator Bull (CP, NSW): 29 votes
Senator Fitzgerald (ALP, NSW): 27 votes
(25/11/1969, J.4)
Senator Bull was not re–elected at the 25 October 1969 election. His term expired on 30 June 1971.
17/8/1971
to
31/12/1973
Edgar Prowse
(CP, WA)
17 August 1971
Senator Prowse (CP, WA): 30 votes
Senator Fitzgerald (ALP, NSW): 26 votes
(17/8/1971, J.637)
On 31 December 1973 Senator Prowse resigned his place as a senator due to ill health.
5/3/1974
to
21/12/1975
James Webster
(CP/NCP, Vic.)
5 March 1974
Senator Webster (CP, Vic): 30 votes
Senator O’Byrne (ALP, Tas): 27 votes
(5/3/1974, J.15)
Senator Webster resigned the office of Chairman of Committees on appointment to the Ministry
17/2/1976
to
30/6/1978
Thomas Drake–Brockman
(NCP, WA)
17 February 1976
Senator Drake–Brockman (NCP, WA): 36 votes
Senator Melzer (ALP, Vic): 27 votes
(17/2/1976, J.18)
Senator Drake–Brockman did not stand for re–election at the 10 December 1977 election. His term expired on 30 June 1978.
15/8/1978
to
10/12/1979
Douglas Scott
(NCP, NSW)
15 August 1978
Senator Scott (NCP, NSW): 37 votes
Senator Mulvihill (ALP, NSW): 25 votes
(15/8/1978, J.282)
Senator Scott resigned as Deputy President and Chairman of Committees upon appointment to the Ministry.
(19/2/1980, J.1129)
19/2/1980
to
30/6/1981
Ronald Maunsell
(NCP, Qld.)
19 February 1980
Senator Maunsell (NCP, Qld): 35 votes
Senator Mulvihill (ALP, NSW): 25 votes
(19/2/1980, J.1129)
Senator Maunsell was not re–elected at the 18 October 1980 election. His term expired on 30 June 1981.
20/8/1981
to
4/2/1983
Douglas McClelland
(ALP, NSW)
20 August 1981
Senator McClelland (ALP, NSW): 33 votes
Senator Scott (NCP, NSW): 30 votes
(20/8/1981, J.442)
On 4 February 1983 the Senate was dissolved in order for a double dissolution election to be held. When the new Senate met on 21 April 1983, Senator McClelland was elected President.
21/4/1983
to
5/6/1987
and
14/9/1987
to
30/6/1990
David Hamer
(Lib, Vic.)
21 April 1983
Senator Hamer (Lib, Vic): 32 votes
Senator Tate (ALP, Tas): 29 votes
(21/4/1983, J.8)

20 August 1985
Senator Hamer (Lib, Vic): 37 votes
Senator Tate (ALP, Tas): 34 votes
(20/8/1985, J.384)
Senator Hamer did not stand for re–election at the 24 March 1990 election. His term expired on 30 June 1990.
21/8/1990
to
16/8/1993
Malcolm Colston
(ALP, Qld)
21 August 1990
Senator Colston (ALP, Qld): 41 votes
Senator Crichton–Browne (Lib, WA): 35 votes
(21/9/1990, J.208)
Senator Colston was not proposed to be appointed as Deputy President and Chairman of Committees on 17 August 1993.
17/8/1993
to
9/5/1995
Noel Crichton–Browne
(Lib, WA)
  Senator Crichton–Browne resigned as Deputy President and Chairman of Committees.
(9/5/1995, J.3235)
9/5/1995
to
20/8/1996
Margaret Reid
(Lib, ACT)
  Senator Margaret Reid was elected President on 20 August 1996.
20/8/1996
to
6/5/1997
Malcolm Colston
(Ind, Qld)
20 August 1996
Senator Colston (Ind, Qld): 38 votes
Senator West (ALP, NSW): 34 votes
(20/8/1996, J.454)
Senator Colston resigned as Deputy President and Chairman of Committees.
(6/5/1997, J.1829)
6/5/1997
to
30/6/2002
Suzanne West
(ALP, NSW)
  Senator West did not stand for re–election at the 10 November 2001 election. Her term expired on 30 June 2002.
19/8/2002
to
25/8/2008
John Hogg
(ALP, Qld)
9 August 2005
Senator Hogg (ALP, Qld): 70 votes
Senator Milne (AG, Tas): 4 votes
(9/8/2005, J.861)
Senator Hogg was elected President on 26 August 2008
26/8/2008
to 30/6/2011
Alan Ferguson
(Lib, SA)
  Senator Ferguson did not stand for re-election at the 21 August 2010 election. His term expired on 30 June 2011 
4/7/2011
to
6/7/2014
Stephen Parry
(Lib, Tas) 
4 July 2011
Senator Parry (Lib, Tas): 61 votes
Senator Ludlam (AG, WA): 9 votes
(4/7/2011, J.1129) 
Senator Parry was elected President on 7 July 2014
7/7/2014  Gavin Marshall
(ALP, Vic)
7/July 2014
Only one senator was proposed and Senator Marshall was declared elected Deputy President and Chair of Committees
(7/7/2014, J.1049-50)
 

1 See SO 9. From 13 June 1901 to 28 June 1901 (on which date he resigned) Senator Henry Dobson (FT, Tas) acted as the first Chairman of Committees (J.55, 28/06/1901).

2 This title changed to Deputy President and Chairman of Committees in 1981 on the adoption of the Standing Orders Committee’s First Report of the Sixtieth Session, adopted 22/10/1981, J.589.