Second Hughes ministry

See also: Billy Hughes

The Second Hughes ministry (National Labor) was the 12th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 7th Prime Minister, Billy Hughes. The Second Hughes ministry succeeded the First Hughes ministry, which dissolved on 14 November 1916 following the split that took place within the governing Labor Party over the issue of conscription. This led to Hughes and his supporters leaving the party to form the National Labor Party, which swiftly received parliamentary support from Joseph Cook and the Liberal Party. The ministry was replaced by the Third Hughes ministry on 17 February 1917 after National Labor and Commonwealth Liberal merged into the Nationalist Party.

Second Hughes ministry
12th Ministry of Australia
Group photo of the Second Hughes ministry
Date formed	14 November 1916
Date dissolved	17 February 1917
People and organisations
Monarch	George V
Governor-General	Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson
Prime Minister	Billy Hughes
No. of ministers	11
Member party	National Labor
Status in legislature	Minority government (Liberal support)
Opposition party	Labor
Opposition leader	Frank Tudor
History
Legislature term	6th
Predecessor	First Hughes ministry
Successor	Third Hughes ministry

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

Ministry

Party		Minister	Portrait	Portfolio
	National Labor	Rt Hon Billy Hughes KC (1862–1952) MP for West Sydney (1901–1917)		Prime Minister Leader of the National Labor Party Attorney-General
		Hon Alexander Poynton (1853–1935) MP for Grey (1903–1922)		Treasurer
		Hon Fred Bamford (1849–1934) MP for Herbert (1901–1925)		Minister for Home and Territories
		Hon George Pearce (1870–1952) Senator for Western Australia (1901–1938)		Deputy Leader of the National Labor Party Minister for Defence Leader of the Government in the Senate
		Hon Jens Jensen (1865–1936) MP for Bass (1910–1919)		Minister for the Navy
		Hon Patrick Lynch (1867–1944) Senator for Western Australia (1907–1938)		Minister for Works and Railways
		Hon William Archibald (1850–1926) MP for Hindmarsh (1910–1919)		Minister for Trade and Customs
		Hon William Webster (1860–1936) MP for Gwydir (1903–1919)		Postmaster-General
		Hon William Spence (1846–1926) MP for Darling (1901–1917)		Vice-President of the Executive Council
		Hon Edward Russell (1878–1925) Senator for Victoria (1907–1925)		Assistant Minister
		Hon William Laird Smith (1869–1942) MP for Denison (1910–1922)		Assistant Minister