Bolte ministry


The Bolte Ministry was the 58th Ministry of the Government of Victoria, and was led by Liberal Premier Sir Henry Bolte. It succeeded the Cain ministry on 7 June 1955, following the defeat of the Labor government at the 1955 election held ten days earlier. The ministry lasted over 17 years and was followed by the Hamer Ministry on 24 August 1972 after the resignation of Bolte from politics.

First Ministry

On 7 and 8 June 1955, the Governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, appointed the following ministers to the portfolios indicated. Some changes resulted from the departure of William Leggatt, who was appointed Agent-General for Victoria in London in February 1956, the death of Robert Whately the following month, and the appointment of Gordon McArthur as President of the Victorian Legislative Council. However, the ministry was stable from 1956 until its reconstitution after the 1961 election.
The list below is ordered by decreasing seniority within the Cabinet, as indicated by the Government Gazette and the Victorian Year Book.
MinisterPortfolios
Henry Bolte, MLA
  • Premier
  • Treasurer
  • Minister for Conservation
Arthur Rylah, MLA
  • Deputy Premier
  • Chief Secretary
  • Leader of the Government in the Legislative Assembly
  • Attorney-General
  • Arthur Warner, MLC
  • Minister of Transport
  • Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
  • Gilbert Chandler, MLC
  • Minister for Agriculture
  • Minister for Forests
  • Minister for State Development and Decentralisation
  • Minister for Immigration
  • William Leggatt, MLA
  • Minister for Education
  • Minister for Immigration
  • Sir Thomas Maltby, MLA
  • Commissioner of Public Works
  • Sir Ewen Paul Cameron, MLC
  • Minister for Health
  • Wilfred Mibus, MLA
  • Minister for Water Supply
  • Minister of Mines
  • Robert Whately, MLA
  • Minister for Forests
  • Minister for State Development and Decentralisation
  • Minister for Immigration
  • John Bloomfield, MLA
  • Minister for Labour and Industry
  • Minister for Electrical Undertakings
  • Minister for Education
  • Horace Petty, MLA
  • Minister for Housing
  • Minister for Immigration
  • Keith Turnbull, MLA
  • Minister for Soldier Settlement
  • Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey
  • President of the Board of Land and Works
  • George Reid, MLA
  • Minister without portfolio
  • Minister for Labour and Industry
  • Minister for Electrical Undertakings
  • Gordon McArthur, MLC
  • Minister without portfolio
  • Minister for Forests
  • Minister for State Development and Decentralisation
  • Murray Porter, MLA
  • Minister without portfolio
  • Minister for Forests
  • Minister for Local Government
  • Alexander Fraser, MLA
  • Minister without portfolio
  • Minister for Forests
  • Minister for State Development
  • Lindsay Thompson, MLC
  • Minister without portfolio
  • Second Ministry

    On 28 July 1961, following the 1961 election, the Bolte Ministry was reconstituted. Sir Ewen Cameron became Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Council, whilst Sir Thomas Maltby retired from politics. They were replaced by Ronald Mack and Edward Meagher. The ministry was reconstituted on 8 July 1964 following the 1964 election.
    MinisterPortfolios
    Henry Bolte, MLA
    • Premier
    • Treasurer
    Arthur Rylah, MLA
  • Deputy Premier
  • Chief Secretary
  • Leader of the Government in the Legislative Assembly
  • Attorney-General
  • Arthur Warner, MLC
  • Minister of Transport
  • Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
  • Gilbert Chandler, MLC
  • Minister for Agriculture
  • Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
  • Wilfred Mibus, MLA
  • Minister for Water Supply
  • Minister of Mines
  • John Bloomfield, MLA
  • Minister for Education
  • Horace Petty, MLA
  • Minister for Immigration
  • Commissioner of Public Works
  • Keith Turnbull, MLA
  • Minister for Conservation
  • Minister for Soldier Settlement
  • Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey
  • President of the Board of Land and Works
  • George Reid, MLA
  • Minister for Labour and Industry
  • Minister for Electrical Undertakings
  • Murray Porter, MLA
  • Minister for Local Government
  • Commissioner of Public Works
  • Alexander Fraser, MLA
  • Minister for State Development
  • Lindsay Thompson, MLC
  • Minister for Housing
  • Minister for Forests
  • Ronald Mack, MLC
  • Minister for Health
  • Edward Meagher, MLA
  • Minister without portfolio
  • Minister for Immigration
  • Minister of Transport
  • Rupert Hamer, MLC
  • Minister for Immigration
  • Jim Balfour, MLA
  • Minister for Water Supply
  • Minister of Mines
  • Third Ministry

    On 8 July 1964, following the 1964 election, the Bolte Ministry was reconstituted.
    MinisterPortfolios
    Sir Henry Bolte, MLA
    • Premier
    • Treasurer
    • Minister for State Development
    Sir Arthur Rylah, MLA
  • Deputy Premier
  • Chief Secretary
  • Leader of the Government in the Legislative Assembly
  • Attorney-General
  • Minister for Health
  • Gilbert Chandler, MLC
  • Minister for Agriculture
  • Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
  • John Bloomfield, MLA
  • Minister for Education
  • Sir George Reid, MLA
  • Minister for Labour and Industry
  • Minister for Electrical Undertakings
  • Minister for Fuel and Power
  • Murray Porter, MLA
  • Commissioner of Public Works
  • Lindsay Thompson, MLC
  • Minister for Housing
  • Minister for Forests
  • Ronald Mack, MLC
  • Minister for Health
  • Edward Meagher, MLA
  • Minister of Transport
  • Rupert Hamer, MLC
  • Minister for Local Government
  • Jim Balfour, MLA
  • Minister for Conservation
  • Minister for Soldier Settlement
  • Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey
  • President of the Board of Land and Works
  • Thomas Darcy, MLA
  • Minister for Water Supply
  • Minister of Mines
  • John Rossiter, MLA
  • Minister without portfolio
  • Minister for Immigration
  • Vernon Wilcox, MLA
  • Minister for Immigration
  • Minister for Labour and Industry
  • Pat Dickie, MLC
  • Minister for State Development
  • Minister for Health
  • Jim Manson, MLA
  • Minister without portfolio
  • Minister for State Development