The following lists events that happened during 1944 in Australia .
List of events
Incumbents [ edit ] John Curtin State Premiers [ edit ] State Governors [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] 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 (died 2021) 9 February – Derryn Hinch , media personality 10 February – Peter Allen , entertainer (died 1992) 17 February – Robert Dessaix , writer 18 March – Dick Smith , businessman 21 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 3 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 1 January – Charles Turner , cricketer (b. 1862 ) 3 January – Tom Brennan , Victorian politician, journalist and lawyer (b. 1866 ) 15 January – Patrick Lynch , Western Australian politician (born in Ireland ) (b. 1867 ) 31 March – Maurice Blackburn , Victorian politician (b. 1880 ) 10 April – Constance Kent , convicted murderer (born in the United Kingdom ) (b. 1844) 5 May – George John Bell , Tasmanian politician (b. 1872 ) 10 May – Digby Denham , 18th Premier of Queensland (born in the United Kingdom ) (b. 1859 ) 11 May – John Balmer , air force bomber pilot (died in Belgium ) (b. 1910 ) 24 May – William Butcher , Western Australian politician and pastoralist (b. 1858 ) 9 June – William Angwin , Western Australian politician (born in the United Kingdom ) (b. 1863 ) 28 June – Anton Breinl , medical scientist and practitioner (born in Austria ) (b. 1880 ) 1 July – Zara Aronson , journalist and philanthropist (b. 1864 ) 29 July – Walter Price , cricketer (b. 1886 ) 5 August 24 August – Alfred Carson , journalist and social worker (b. 1859 ) 6 September – Evelyn Conyers , matron-in-chief of the Australian Army Nursing Service , awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal (born in New Zealand ) (b. 1870 ) 21 October – Emile Dechaineux , naval officer (died in Leyte Gulf ) (b. 1902 ) 5 November – Grace Benny , South Australian politician (b. 1872 ) 10 November – John Clemons , Tasmanian politician and lawyer (died in the United Kingdom ) (b. 1862 ) 12 November – Roy Agnew , composer and pianist (b. 1891 ) 18 November – Sir James Blair , 6th Chief Justice of Queensland (b. 1870 ) 20 November – Charles Frederick Cox , New South Wales politician and military officer (b. 1863 ) 12 December – Claude Corbett , sports journalist (b. 1885 ) See also [ edit ] References [ edit ]
1944 in Oceania
Sovereign states Associated states of New Zealand