Watson ministry

Watson ministry
Watson ministry
; 3rdMinistry of Australia
	Group photo of the Watson ministry with Governor-GeneralLord Northcote.
Date formed	27 April 1904
Date dissolved	17 August 1904
People and organisations
Monarch	Edward VII
Governor-General	Lord Northcote
Prime Minister	Chris Watson
No.of ministers	8
Member party	Labour
Status in legislature	Minority government (Protectionistsupport)
Opposition party	Free Trade
Opposition leader	George Reid
History
Legislature term	2nd
Predecessor	First Deakin ministry
Successor	Reid ministry

TheWatson ministry(Labour) was the 3rdministryof theGovernment of Australia,and the first national Labour government formed in the world. It was led by the country's 3rdPrime Minister,Chris Watson.The Watson ministry succeeded theFirst Deakin ministry,which dissolved on 27 April 1904 after Labour withdrew their support andAlfred Deakinwas forced to resign. The ministry was replaced by theReid ministryon 17 August 1904 after theProtectionist Partywithdrew their support over theConciliation and Arbitration Bill.^[1]

Billy Hughes,who died in 1952, was the last surviving member of the Watson ministry; Hughes was also the last surviving member of theFirst Fisher ministry,Third Fisher ministry,Second Hughes ministryandThird Hughes ministry.

Ministry

	Minister	Portfolio
Labor	Hon Chris Watson (1867–1941) MPforBland (1901–1906)	Prime Minister Leader of the Labor Party Treasurer
Labor	Hon Billy Hughes (1862–1952) MPforWest Sydney (1901–1917)	Minister for External Affairs
Protectionist	Hon H. B. HigginsKC (1851–1929) MPforNorthern Melbourne (1901–1906)^[a]	Attorney-General
Labor	Hon Lee Batchelor (1865–1911) MPforBoothby (1903–1911)	Minister for Home Affairs
	Hon Andrew Fisher (1862–1928) MPforWide Bay (1901–1915)	Minister for TradeandCustoms
	Hon Anderson Dawson (1863–1910) SenatorforQueensland (1901–1906)	Minister for Defence
	Hon Hugh Mahon (1857–1931) MPforCoolgardie (1901–1913)	Postmaster-General
	Hon Gregor McGregor (1848–1914) SenatorforSouth Australia (1901–1914)	Deputy Leader of the Labor Party Vice-President of the Executive Council Leader of the Government in the Senate

^TheProtectionist Partymember Higgins accepted office (withAlfred Deakin's permission) asAttorney-Generalsince the Labour Party did not have a lawyer in its parliamentary ranks with the exception ofBilly Hughes,who had recently admitted as abarristerbut who was already serving in another portfolio and was not viewed as qualified for the post. It was the only time a non-member of the Labour Party has served in a Labour ministry.

^"Ministries and Cabinets".Parliamentary Handbook.Parliament of Australia.Retrieved17 September2010.

v t e Ministries of the Commonwealth of Australia
20th century	Barton Deakin 1 Watson Reid Deakin 2 Fisher 1 Deakin 3 Fisher 2 Cook Fisher 3 Hughes 1 2 3 4 5 Bruce 1 2 3 Scullin Lyons 1 2 3 4 Page Menzies 1 2 3 Fadden Curtin 1 2 Forde Chifley 1 2 Menzies 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Holt 1 2 McEwen Gorton 1 2 McMahon Whitlam 1 2 3 Fraser 1 2 3 4 Hawke 1 2 3 4 Keating 1 2 Howard 1 2
21st century	Howard 3 4 Rudd 1 Gillard 1 2 Rudd 2 Abbott Turnbull 1 2 Morrison 1 2 Albanese
Current ministry