Morgans ministry facts for kids

The Morgans Ministry was a special team of leaders who helped run the government in Western Australia. It was the fourth group of leaders to hold power in the state. This team was led by Alf Morgans and his group, called the Ministerialist faction. The Morgans Ministry took over from the First Leake Ministry on 21 November 1901. However, it didn't last long, as it was replaced by the Second Leake Ministry just a month later, on 23 December 1901.

Why the Morgans Ministry Formed

The Morgans Ministry came into power because the election in 1901 didn't have a clear winner. This meant no single group had enough support to easily form a government.

The previous group of leaders, the First Leake Ministry, lost the support of most politicians. On 9 November, a vote showed that 24 politicians no longer supported them, while only 22 did. This is called a vote of no confidence. Because of this, the First Leake Ministry had to step down.

At first, another leader named Frederick Henry Piesse was asked to form a new team. But he couldn't get enough support. So, on 18 November, Alf Morgans was asked instead. Three days later, on 21 November, the Morgans Ministry officially started their work.

A Short Time in Power

Back then, when politicians became ministers (part of the government team), they had to resign from their seats in Parliament. Then, they had to run in special elections, called ministerial by-elections, to get their seats back. This was to make sure people still wanted them as their representatives after they joined the government.

The previous leader, George Leake, and his supporters worked very hard during these by-elections. They campaigned strongly against the new Morgans Ministry. Because of this, three of Morgans' ministers—Frank Wilson, Matthew Moss, and Frederick Moorhead—lost their seats in these special elections. Alf Morgans and two other ministers, Timothy Quinlan and John Nanson, managed to keep their seats.

Because three of their team members lost, the Morgans Ministry no longer had enough support from the other politicians. This meant they couldn't continue to lead the government. So, on 20 December 1901, the Morgans Ministry resigned. Three days later, George Leake formed a new team that had the support of the Parliament.

Members of the Morgans Ministry

Here are the people who were part of the Morgans Ministry and the important jobs they held: