From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following lists events that happened during 1944 in Australia .
List of events
Incumbents John Curtin State Premiers State Governors Events 14 January – Meat rationing begins in Australia.[3]
20 January – Seventeen people are killed at Brooklyn, New South Wales when a mail train and a bus collide at a level crossing . There is only one survivor, Gloria Iren Silvia.[4]
15 February – Bushfires in the Western District , Gippsland and Yallourn regions of Victoria kill 51 people.
15 April – Fred Paterson is elected to the Parliament of Queensland , representing the seat of Bowen. He remains the only member of the Communist Party of Australia to ever be elected to an Australian Parliament.
30 June – Sydney waiter Antonio Agostini is sentenced to six years prison for the manslaughter of his wife, Linda Agostini , in what was known as the "Pyjama Girl " murder.[5]
5 August – The Cowra breakout occurs, with 545 Japanese prisoners of war escaping from the camp.[6]
19 August – A referendum is held, concerning Post-War Reconstruction and Democratic Rights. It proposes to grant the government power to legislate over 14 points of law for a five-year period. The referendum, asked in a single question, is not carried.[7]
21 October – The heavy cruiser HMAS Australia , operating in the Philippines, is hit by a kamikaze aircraft, killing 20 and wounding 54, in what is believed to be the first attack of its kind.
25 November – Reg Saunders becomes the first Aboriginal commissioned officer in the Australian Army .
14 December – The Liberal Party of Australia is formed, replacing the United Australia Party . Arts and literature Film The film of the story of The Rats of Tobruk is released, directed by Charles Chauvel Sport Births 1 January – Barry Beath , rugby league player
7 January – Tony Whitlam , lawyer, judge, and politician
14 January – Graham Marsh , golfer
18 January – Paul Keating , Prime Minister of Australia (1991–1996)
19 January – Paul Gibson , NSW politician
3 February – Trisha Noble , singer and actress
9 February – Derryn Hinch , media personality
10 February – Peter Allen , entertainer (died 1992)
17 February – Robert Dessaix , writer
18 March – Dick Smith , businessman
22 April – Adrian Hurley , basketball player and coach
22 April – Damien Broderick , science fiction author
4 May – Steve Liebmann , journalist
22 May – John Flanagan , author
23 May – John Newcombe , tennis player
26 May – Andrew Jones , politician (died 2015)
28 May – Paul D. Scully-Power , oceanographer and astronaut
6 June – Matt Carroll , film and television producer
6 June – Rene Rivkin , businessman (died 2005)
4 July – Ray Meagher , actor
23 July – Alex Buzo , playwright and author (died 2006)
31 July – James Strong , businessman, CEO of Qantas (died 2013)
17 August – Nicholas John Vine-Hall , genealogist (died 2006)
21 August – Peter Weir , film director
2 September – Ray Groom , Premier of Tasmania (1992–1996)
8 September – Terry Jenner , cricketer (died 2011)
5 September – Gareth Evans , politician
11 September – Alan Gilbert , academic and university Vice-Chancellor (died 2010)
13 September – Midget Farrelly , surfer (died 2016)
16 September – Peter Harvey , journalist and television presenter (died 2013)
19 September – Colin Dibley , tennis player
25 October - Ron Coote , rugby league footballer
21 November – Kay Patterson , Liberal Senator for Victoria
4 December – Lawrie Peckham , high jumper
20 December – Ray Martin , television presenter (60 Minutes – 1979–1985, A Current Affair – 1994–1998 & 2003–3005, Midday – 1985–1993)
27 December – Bob Brown , politician Deaths 1 January – Charles Turner (born 1862), cricketer
3 January – Tom Brennan (born 1866), Victorian politician
15 January – Patrick Lynch (born 1867), Labor Senator for Western Australia
5 March – George John Bell (born 1872), politician
31 March – Maurice Blackburn (born 1880), politician
10 May – Digby Denham (born 1859), Premier of Queensland (1911–1915)
24 May – William Butcher (born 1858), WA politician
29 July – Walter Price (born 1886), cricketer
5 August – Ralph Jones (born 1900), soldier killed during the Cowra breakout
21 October – Emile Dechaineux (born 1902), naval officer, captain of HMAS Australia
12 November – Roy Agnew (born 1891), composer and pianist
18 November – James Blair , politician and judge
20 November – Charles Frederick Cox (born 1863), soldier See also References
1944 in Oceania
Sovereign states Associated states
