First Gorton ministry

The First Gorton ministry (Liberal–Country Coalition) was the 44th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 19th Prime Minister, John Gorton. The First Gorton ministry succeeded the McEwen ministry, which dissolved on 10 January 1968 following the election of Gorton as Liberal leader after the disappearance of former Prime Minister Harold Holt. The ministry was replaced by the Second Gorton ministry on 12 November 1969 following the 1969 federal election.

As of 1 May 2025, Ian Sinclair is the last surviving member of the First Gorton ministry; Sinclair is also the last surviving minister of the Menzies, Holt, McEwen, and McMahon governments, as well as the Second Gorton and the First Fraser ministries. James Forbes was the last surviving Liberal minister, and Malcolm Fraser was the last surviving Liberal Cabinet minister.

Cabinet

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!colspan="2"|Party

!Minister

!Portrait

!Portfolio

| | ||Liberal

| John Gorton

Senator for Victoria

for Higgins

| 100px

Prime Minister
Leader of the Liberal Party
Leader of the Government in the Senate (to 1 February 1968)
Minister for Education and Science (to 28 February 1968)

| | ||Country

| John McEwen

for Murray

| 100px

Deputy Prime Minister
Leader of the Country Party
Minister for Trade and Industry

| | ||Liberal

| William McMahon

for Lowe

| 100px

Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party
Treasurer

| | ||Liberal

| Paul Hasluck

for Curtin

| 100px

Minister for External Affairs (to 11 February 1969)

| | ||Liberal

| Allen Fairhall

for Paterson

| 100px

Minister for Defence

| | ||Country

| Doug Anthony

for Richmond

| 100px

Deputy Leader of the Country Party
Minister for Primary Industry

| | ||Liberal

| Denham Henty

Senator for Tasmania

| 100px

Minister for Supply (to 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Alan Hulme

for Petrie

| 100px

Postmaster-General
Vice-President of the Executive Council

| | ||Liberal

| David Fairbairn

for Farrer

| 100px

Minister for National Development

| | ||Liberal

| Les Bury

for Wentworth

| 100px

Minister for Labour and National Service

| | ||Country

| Ian Sinclair

for New England

| 100px

Minister for Social Services (to 28 February 1968)
Minister for Shipping and Transport (from 28 February 1968)
Minister assisting the Minister for Trade and Industry

| | ||Liberal

| Ken Anderson

Senator for New South Wales

(in Cabinet from 28 February 1968)

| 100px

Minister for Customs and Excise (to 28 February 1968)
Leader of the Government in the Senate (from 28 February 1968)
Minister for Supply (from 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Malcolm Fraser

for Wannon

(in Cabinet from 28 February 1968)

| 100px

Minister for the Army (to 28 February 1968)
Minister for Education and Science (from 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Gordon Freeth

for Forrest

(in Cabinet from 11 February 1969)

| 100px

Minister for Shipping and Transport (to 28 February 1968)
Minister for Air (from 28 February 1968 to 13 February 1969)
Minister assisting the Treasurer (from 28 February 1968 to 13 February 1969)
Minister for External Affairs (from 11 February 1969)

Outer ministry

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!colspan="2"|Party

!Minister

!Portrait

!Portfolio

| | ||Country

| Charles Barnes

for McPherson

| 100px

Minister for Territories (to 28 February 1968)
Minister for External Territories (from 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Reginald Swartz

for Darling Downs

| 100px

Minister for Civil Aviation
Minister assisting the Treasurer (from 13 February 1969)

| | ||Liberal

| Billy Snedden

for Bruce

| 100px

Minister for Immigration
Leader of the House (to February 1969)

| | ||Liberal

| James Forbes

for Barker

| 100px

Minister for Health

| | ||Liberal

| Peter Howson

for Fawkner

| 100px

Minister for Air (to 28 February 1968)
Minister assisting the Treasurer (to 28 February 1968)

| | ||Country

| Colin McKellar

Senator for New South Wales

| 100px

Minister for Repatriation

| | ||Liberal

| Dame Annabelle Rankin

Senator for Queensland

| 100px

Minister for Housing

| | ||Liberal

| Nigel Bowen

for Parramatta

| 100px

Attorney-General

| | ||Liberal

| Don Chipp

for Higinbotham

| 100px

Minister for the Navy (to 28 February 1968)
Minister in charge of Tourist Activities under the Minister for Trade and Industry (to 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Bert Kelly

for Wakefield

| 100px

Minister for Works (to 28 February 1968)
Minister for the Navy (from 28 February 1968)

| | ||Country

| Peter Nixon

for Gippsland

| 100px

Minister for the Interior

| | ||Liberal

| Phillip Lynch

for Flinders

(in Ministry from 28 February 1968)

| 100px

Minister for the Army (from 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Malcolm Scott

Senator for Western Australia

(in Ministry from 28 February 1968)

| 100px

Chief Government Whip in the Senate (to 12 February 1968)
Minister for Customs and Excise (from 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Bill Wentworth

for Mackellar

(in Ministry from 28 February 1968)

| 100px

Minister for Social Services (from 28 February 1968)
Minister in charge of Aboriginal Affairs under the Prime Minister (from 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Reg Wright

Senator for Tasmania

(in Ministry from 28 February 1968)

| 100px

Minister for Works (from 28 February 1968)
Minister in charge of Tourist Activities under the Minister for Trade and Industry (from 28 February 1968)

| | ||Liberal

| Dudley Erwin

for Ballaarat

(in Ministry from 13 February 1969)

| 100px

Chief Government Whip in the House (to 12 February 1969)
Minister for Air (from 13 February 1969)

Cabinet

Outer ministry

Notes