1946 in Australia.html

1946 in Australia
Monarch	George VI
Governor-General	Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
Prime Minister	Ben Chifley
Population	7,465,157
Elections	Federal, TAS

Incumbents

January 26 – Foundation Day is renamed Australia Day.
February 18 – The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Norman Gilroy, becomes Cardinal Gilroy, the first Australian born member of the College of Cardinals
March 10 – An Australian National Airways (ANA) DC3 aircraft crashes near Hobart, killing 25 people.
May 1 – At least 800 Aboriginal pastoral workers walk off the job in Northwest Western Australia, starting one of the longest industrial strikes in Australia.
June 6 – The ABC makes the first national broadcast of a federal parliamentary debate.
July 19 – Orange, New South Wales is proclaimed a city.
September 9 – Trans Australia Airlines makes its first flight.
September 28 – A federal election is held. The Australian Labor Party and Prime Minister Ben Chifley are returned to power. A three-question referendum is also held: the question on Social Services is carried; questions on Marketing and Industrial Employment are not.
November 23 – A general election is held in Tasmania. The Labor Party lead by Robert Cosgrove is returned to power with a reduced majority.
December 13 – The United Nations grants Australia trusteeship of Territory of New Guinea and Territory of Papua.

August 7 - Overseas Telecommunications Commission established by an Act of Parliament in August 1946. It inherited facilities and resources from Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited (AWA) and Cable & Wireless, and was charged with responsibility for all international telecommunications services into, through and out of Australia.

Morna takes line honours and Christina wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Russia wins the Melbourne Cup
New Zealand defeats Australia 2-0 in a Rugby union test