STATES OF THE COMMONWEALTH NEW SOUTH WALES The State of New South Wales lies on the eastern (Pacific) coast of Australia, almost entirely between the 29th and 36th parallels of south latitude. To the south it is separated from Victoria by the Murray River, but the boundary with South Australia to the west and the greater part of that with Queensland to the north is merely a straight line on the map. The area of New South Wales (inclusive of a dependency, Lord Howe Island, five square miles, but exclusive of the Australian Capital Territory, 910 square miles) is 309,433 square miles, a little over two and a half times that of Great Britain and Ireland. The estimated population as at 30th June 1968 was 4,391,000 of whom an estimated 2,633,000 lived in Sydney, the State capital. HISTORY The name New South Wales was given to the eastern part of Australia on its discovery by Captain Cook in 1770, but the first settlement was not formed until 1788, at Sydney under Captain Phillip. Settlement for a time was slow, because a passage over the Blue Mountains, giving access to the interior plains, was not discovered until 1813. In 1828 the total population was only 36,598, but the discovery of gold in 1851 attracted many settlers. Responsible Government was established in 1856. In 1901 the Colony of New South Wales federated with the Colonies of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania to form the Commonwealth of Australia. CONSTITUTION The Constitution Act of 1902 (No. 32 of 1902) provides that the Legislature of New South Wales 'shall, subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, have power to make laws for the peace, welfare and good government of New South Wales in all cases whatsoever'. The Legislature consists of the Crown and two Houses; the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly. The Governor is the local representative of the Crown. His functions are defined partly by statutes and partly by Letters Patent and Instructions to the Governor issued under the Royal Sign Manual. He acts on the advice of the Executive Council or of a Minister of the Crown, except in limited spheres where he possesses discretionary power, e.g. in regard to the dissolution of Parliament. The Executive Council consists of members of the Minister formed by the leader of the dominant party in the Legislative Assembly, and the Governor presides over its deliberations. In compliance with a referendum assented to in May 1933, the Legislative Council was reconstituted on 23rd April 1934. The new House consisted of sixty members, elected by the combined vote of members of the existing Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, provision being made for the retirement of fifteen members in rotation every three years, and the members being therefore initially elected in groups for three, six, nine and twelve years respectively. The Legislative Assembly consists of ninety-four members elected under a system of universal adult suffrage for up to three years. By Act No. 33 of 1950 For further information about New South Wales see the Official Year Book of New South Wales any bill prolonging the life of the Assembly beyond the period of three years cannot be presented for the Royal Assent until it has been approved by a referendum. The Act also provides that any bill repealing or amending its provisions similarly requires approval by referendum. Any person enrolled as an elector may be elected to the Assembly, except members of the Legislative Council or of the Federal Legislature. Bills appropriating money or imposing taxation and bills affecting the Assembly itself must originate in the Assembly, and by its power over supply this House controls the Executive. Adult British subjects, men and women, are qualified for enrolment as electors when they have resided in the Commonwealth for a period of six months, in the State for three months, and in any sub-division of an electoral district for one month preceding the date of claim for enrolment. Since 1894 each elector has been entitled to one vote only, and voting has been compulsory since 1928. The electoral law provides that electorates are to be redistributed whenever directed by the Governor. In the event of there being no direction by the Governor, a distribution must take place on the expiration of five years from the date of the last redistribution. The redistribution is made by the Electoral Districts Commissioners, who may make use of the services of any of the officers and employees of the Public Service. GOVERNMENT At the Legislative Assembly election in February 1968 the Liberal Party secured 36 seats, the Country Party 17, the Labour Party 39, and seats were gained by two Independents. The Government was formed by a coalition of the Liberal and Country Parties. The Legislative Council comprises: 14 Liberal Party members; 12 Country Party; 28 Labour Party; 6 Independents. GOVERNOR His Excellency Sir Roden Cutler, VC, KCMG, CBE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and Treasurer: The Hon. Robin William Askin, MLA The Hon. Charles Benjamin Cutler, ED, MLA Minister for Labour and Industry, Chief Secretary and Minister for Tourism: Minister for Child Welfare and Social Welfare: The Hon. Frederick Maclean Hewitt, MLC Minister for Local Government and Highways: The Hon. Philip Henry Morton, MLA The Hon. John Bryan Munro Fuller, MLC Minister for Lands: The Hon. Thomas Lancelot Lewis, MLA Minister of Justice: The Hon. John Clarkson Maddison, MLA OPPOSITION Leader of the Opposition: Mr Patrick Darcy Hills, MLA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL President: The Hon. H. V. Budd, MLC Chairman of Committees: The Hon. Thomas Sydney McKay, MLC This island lies 436 miles north-east from Sydney. Its area is five square miles and its estimated population as at 30th June 1968 was 260. For purposes of representation in Parliament it is included in one of the Sydney electorates. A Board of Control under the Chief Secretary's Department, Sydney, administers the island. VICTORIA Victoria is situated at the south-east of the continent of Australia, and lies between the 34th and 39th parallels of S. latitude. The area is 87,884 square miles. The population at the census of 30th June 1966 was 3,219,526 and for the Melbourne metropolitan area 2,110,179. The other principal urban areas in Victoria are Geelong (pop. 105,059), Ballarat (pop. 56,290) and Bendigo (pop. 42,208). Principal seaports are Melbourne and Geelong. There is an international airport at Essendon, about six miles from Melbourne. The principal products are wool, cereals, dairy products, meat, fruits (fresh, canned and dried) and a wide range of manufactured goods. HISTORY It is believed that the first Europeans to sight the Victorian coast were Captain Cook and the crew of His Majesty's ship Endeavour. The first permanent settlement was formed at Portland in 1834 by Edward Henty from Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). Melbourne, later to be the capital, was founded at the northern end of Port Phillip Bay in 1835. For further information about Victoria see the Victorian Year Book In 1851 the District of Port Phillip, which had previously formed part of New South Wales, was separated from that State by an Act of the Parliament at Westminster and became a separate Colony under the name of Victoria with a Legislative Council of its own. Shortly afterwards, rich deposits of gold were discovered in Victoria which led to a great influx of population. PRESENT CONSTITUTION The Constitution Act (13 & 14 Vict. c. 59. s.32) was assented to by Her Majesty in Council, pursuant to the provisions of Statute 18 & 19 Vict. c. 55.s. 1, on 21st July 1855 and was proclaimed and came into operation on 23rd November 1855. It is generally referred to as Schedule (1) of the Imperial Act 18 & 19 Vict. c. 55. Under the Constitution the Parliament of Victoria comprises a Legislative Council, or Upper House, and a Legislative Assembly, or Lower House. It has power to alter the Constitution in any way. The Constitution Act Amendment Act 1958 dated 30th September 1958 consolidated previous amending Acts and consolidated the law relating to the amendment of the Constitution. There have been further amendments between 1958 and 1967. At the present time the Legislative Council consists of 35 members elected for 18 provinces and the Legislative Assembly consists of 73 members elected for 73 electoral districts. After the triennial elections in 1970 the Legislative Council will consist of 36 members. One of the two members of the Legislative Council returned for each province retires in rotation at three-yearly intervals so that the tenure of office of each is ordinarily six years. The duration of the Assembly and the tenure of office of its members is ordinarily three years but it may be dissolved by the Governor in accordance with Parliamentary convention at any time. Persons over 21 years of age of either sex are eligible to vote at both Council and Assembly elections. Voting was made compulsory at Assembly elections in 1926 and at Council elections in 1935. At elections each elector has only one vote. Under the Constitution the ultimate executive power is vested in the Crown and is exercised by the Governor as the Queen's representative. As the Queen's representative the Governor summons and prorogues Parliament, gives Assent to Bills which have passed all stages in Parliament, with the exception of those required to be specially reserved for the Royal Assent, and exercises the Royal prerogative of mercy. The Governor, upon the advice of the Executive Council, also exercises many powers conferred by numerous Victorian Statutes. The Executive Council is a body created under the Governor's Instructions which in practice gives formal effect to Cabinet and ministerial decisions. There are at present 15 Ministers of the Crown, who are the only active members of the Executive Council. GOVERNMENT At the Assembly election in April 1967 the Liberal Party secured 44 seats, the Labour Party 16 seats, the Country Party 12 seats and Independent Labour 1 seat. In the Legislative Council the Liberal Party has 17 seats; the Labour Party 9; and the Country Party 9. GOVERNOR His Excellency Major-General Sir Rohan Delacombe, KCMG, KBE, CB, DSO LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Lieutenant-General The Hon. Sir Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, ED CABINET Premier and Treasurer: The Hon. Sir Henry Bolte, KCMG, MLA Chief Secretary: The Hon. Sir Arthur Gordon Rylah, KBE, CMG, ED, MLA Minister of Agriculture: The Hon. Gilbert Lawrence Chandler, CMG, MLC Minister of Education: The Hon. Lindsay H. S. Thompson, MLC Attorney-General and Minister of Immigration: The Hon. George Oswald Reid, MLA Minister of Public Works: The Hon. Murray Victor Porter, MLA Minister of Housing, Minister of Forests and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs: The Hon. Edward Raymond Meagher, MBE, ED, MLA Minister for Local Government: The Hon. Rupert James Hamer, ED, MLC Minister of Transport: The Hon. Vernon Francis Wilcox, MLA Minister of State Development: The Hon. James W. Manson, MLA Minister of Water Supply: The Hon. William A. Borthwick, MLA LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL President: Hon. R. W. Garrett, AFC, AEA, MLC The Clerk of Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Council: L. G. McDonald Situated within the parallels of 10 and 29 degrees S. latitude and the meridians of 138 and 154 degrees E. longitude the State of Queensland occupies an area of 667,000 square miles (being more than equal to the combined areas of France, Germany, Italy and the British Isles.) The breadth of the territory near the southern boundary is about 900 miles. As at 31st December 1968, the estimated population was 1,751,800 of whom 823,000 resided in the Brisbane Statistical Division. In Queensland the population of assisted and non-assisted aborigines, part-aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders is assessed at 50,000. Of this number 29,000, including 8,000 Torres Strait Islanders and 8,617 Aborigines and partAborigines residing in Government and Church-sponsored communities, are For further information about Queensland see the Official Year Book of Queensland |