1924 in Australia.html



See also: 1923 in Australia, other events of 1924, 1925 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Monarch – King George V
• Governor-General – Henry Forster, 1st Baron Forster
• Prime Minister – Stanley Bruce

State premiers

• Premier of New South Wales – Sir George Fuller
• Premier of Queensland – Ted Theodore
• Premier of South Australia – Henry Barwell (until April 16), then John Gunn
• Premier of Tasmania – Joseph Lyons
• Premier of Victoria – Harry Lawson (until April 28), then Sir Alexander Peacock (until July 18), then George Prendergast (until November 18), then John Allan
• Premier of Western Australia – James Mitchell (until April 16), then Philip Collier

State governors

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir Dudley de Chair (from February 28)
• Governor of Queensland – Sir Matthew Nathan
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Tom Bridges
• Governor of Tasmania – Sir James O'Grady (from December 24)
• Governor of Victoria – George Rous, 3rd Earl of Stradbroke
• Governor of Western Australia – Sir Francis Newdegate (until June 16), then Sir William Campion

Events

• January 1 – The Australian Automobile Association was formed to lobby for federal road finance and a national traffic code.
• January 26 – 3AR, Victoria's first radio station, begins broadcasting.
• January 30 – The first Cabinet meeting was held in Canberra. The ministers were lodged at Yarralumla House, later the residence of the Governor-General.
• February 1 – The Australian Loan Council meets for the first time.¹
• April 12 – HMAS Australia is scuttled off Sydney Heads.
• April 28 – In the Parliament of Victoria, the coalition between the Nationalist Party and the Country Party breaks down. Premier Harry Lawson retires to the backbench, and Sir Alexander Peacock is sworn in as Premier.
• May 12 – Royal assent is given to the Parliamentary Elections (Women Candidates) Act 1924, allowing women to stand for parliament in Victoria.
• June 26 – A general election is held in Victoria.
• July 18 – After the Victorian state election, the Country Party agrees to support a minority Labor government, and George Prendergast is sworn in as Premier of Victoria.
• October 10 – The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 is enacted making voting in federal elections compulsory (the next federal election would be held on 14 November 1925).
• November 18 – The Country Party resolves its differences with the Nationalist Party, and votes to defeat Premier George Prendergast in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. Country Party leader John Allan replaces him as Premier of Victoria.

Births

• January 1 – Elizabeth McKinnon, Olympic sprinter
• January 24 – Catherine Hamlin, obstetrician and gynaecologist
• February 29 – David Beattie, Governor-General of New Zealand (1980–1985)
• April 11 – Frank Wilson (d. 2005), actor
• April 25 – Peter Abeles, businessman (d. 1999)
• April 25 – Eric D'Arcy, Catholic Archbishop of Hobart (d. 2005)
• May 3 – Ken Kearney, rugby league player (d. 2006)
• May 5 – Gordon Jackson, businessman (d. 1991)
• May 31 – Patsy Adam-Smith, author and historian (d. 2001)
• June 3 – Eric Neal, Governor of South Australia (1996–2001)
• June 24 – Brian Bevan, rugby league player (d. 1991)
• June 29 – Eric Worrell, RAAF pilot (d. 1993)
• August 23 – David Boyd, artist
• September 13 – Harold Blair, tenor and Aboriginal activist (d. 1976)
• September 27 – Charlotte MacGibbon, javelin thrower
• October 1 – Leonie Kramer, academic and educator
• October 5 – Kenneth Jack, artist
• October 20 – Andrew Blomberg, soccer player
• October 25 – Paul Rigby, cartoonist
• October 26 – Reg Withers, Senator for Western Australia
• November 10 – Bobby Limb (d. 1999), entertainer
• November 21 – David Thomson, politician
• November 22 – Les Johnson, politician
• December 3 – John Winter, Olympic high jumper (d. 2007)
• December 17 – Clifton Pugh, artist

Deaths

• January 23 – Chas Brownlow (b. 1861), Australian rules football administrator
• January 20 – Henry 'Ivo' Crapp (b. 1872), VFL umpire
• March 3 – John Ramsay (b. 1841), businessman
• March 12 – Henry Deane (b. 1847), engineer and botanist
• March 25 – John Reedman (b. 1865), cricketer and Australian rules footballer
• April 1 – Stanley Rowley (b. 1876), Olympic sprinter
• May 9 – Edward Henry Embley (b. 1861), doctor
• June 2 – Anselm Bourke (b. 1835), Catholic priest
• July 19 – Kingsley Fairbridge (b. 1885), child emigration pioneer
• August 30 – Gerald Sharp (b. 1865), Anglican clergyman
• September 19 – Alick Bannerman (b. 1854), cricketer
• September 19 – Henry George Smith (b. 1852), chemist
• October 22 – Sir William Loton (b. 1839), Western Australian politician
• October 29 – John Marden (b. 1855), teacher and headmaster

References