The Second Gorton ministry (Liberal–Country Coalition) was the 45th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 19th Prime Minister, John Gorton. The Second Gorton ministry succeeded the First Gorton ministry, which dissolved on 12 November 1969 following the federal election that took place in October. The ministry was replaced by the McMahon ministry on 10 March 1971 following the resignation of Gorton.
As of 1 May 2025, Ian Sinclair is the last surviving member of the Second Gorton ministry; Sinclair is also the last surviving minister of the Menzies, Holt, McEwen, and McMahon governments, as well as the First Gorton and the First Fraser ministries. Tom Hughes 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 <br />
for Higgins <br />
| 100px
|
- Prime Minister
- Leader of the Liberal Party
|-
| | ||Country
| John McEwen <br />
for Murray <br />
| 100px
|
- Deputy Prime Minister <small>(to 5 February 1971)</small>
- Leader of the Country Party <small>(to 5 February 1971)</small>
- Minister for Trade and Industry <small>(to 5 February 1971)</small>
|-
| | ||Liberal
| William McMahon <br />
for Lowe <br />
| 100px
|
- Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party
- Minister for External Affairs <small>(to 6 November 1970)</small>
- Minister for Foreign Affairs <small>(from 6 November 1970)</small>
|-
| | ||Country
| Doug Anthony <br />
for Richmond <br />
| 100px
|
- Deputy Prime Minister <small>(from 5 February 1971)</small>
- Leader of the Country Party <small>(from 5 February 1971)</small>
- Deputy Leader of the Country Party <small>(to 5 February 1971)</small>
- Minister for Primary Industry <small>(to 5 February 1971)</small>
- Minister for Trade and Industry <small>(from 5 February 1971)</small>
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Sir Alan Hulme <br />
for Petrie <br />
| 100px
|
- Postmaster-General
- Vice-President of the Executive Council
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Les Bury <br />
for Wentworth <br />
| 100px
|
- Treasurer
|-
| | ||Country
| Ian Sinclair <br />
for New England <br />
| 100px
|
- Deputy Leader of the Country Party <small>(from 5 February 1971)</small>
- Minister for Shipping and Transport <small>(to 5 February 1971)</small>
- Minister assisting the Minister for Trade and Industry <small>(to 5 February 1971)</small>
- Minister for Primary Industry <small>(from 5 February 1971)</small>
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Sir Ken Anderson <br />
Senator for New South Wales <br />
| 100px
|
- Leader of the Government in the Senate
- Minister for Supply
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Malcolm Fraser <br />
for Wannon <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Defence <small>(to 8 March 1971)</small>
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Reginald Swartz <br />
for Darling Downs <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for National Development
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Billy Snedden <br />
for Bruce <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Labour and National Service
- Leader of the House
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Nigel Bowen <br />
for Parramatta <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Education and Science
|-
| | ||Country
| Peter Nixon <br />
for Gippsland <br />
<small>(in Cabinet from 5 February 1971)</small>
| 100px
|
- Minister for the Interior <small>(to 5 February 1971)</small>
- Minister for Shipping and Transport <small>(from 5 February 1971)</small>
|}
Outer ministry
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!colspan="2"|Party
!Minister
!Portrait
!Portfolio
|-
| | ||Country
| Charles Barnes <br />
for McPherson <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for External Territories
|-
| | ||Liberal
| James Forbes <br />
for Barker <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Health
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Dame Annabelle Rankin <br />
Senator for Queensland <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Housing
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Phillip Lynch <br />
for Flinders <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Immigration
- Minister assisting the Treasurer
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Bill Wentworth <br />
for Mackellar <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Social Services
- Minister in charge of Aboriginal Affairs under the Prime Minister
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Reg Wright <br />
Senator for Tasmania <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Works
- Minister in charge of Tourist Activities under the Minister for Trade and Industry
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Don Chipp <br />
for Hotham <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Customs and Excise
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Bob Cotton <br />
Senator for New South Wales <br />
| 100px
|
- Chief Government Whip in the Senate <small>(to 25 November 1969)</small>
- Minister for Civil Aviation
|-
| | ||Country
| Tom Drake-Brockman <br />
Senator for Western Australia <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Air
|-
| | ||Country
| Mac Holten <br />
for Indi <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for Repatriation
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Tom Hughes <br />
for Berowra <br />
| 100px
|
- Attorney-General
|-
| | ||Liberal
| James Killen <br />
for Moreton <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for the Navy
|-
| | ||Liberal
| Andrew Peacock <br />
for Kooyong <br />
| 100px
|
- Minister for the Army
- Minister assisting the Prime Minister
|-
| | ||Country
| Ralph Hunt <br />
for Gwydir <br />
<small>(in Ministry from 5 February 1971)</small>
| 100px
|
- Minister for the Interior <small>(from 5 February 1971)</small>
|}
See also
- First Gorton Ministry