1944 in Australia

1944 in Australia
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1944 in Australia
Monarch	George VI
Governor-General	Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
Prime Minister	John Curtin
Population	7,309,711
Elections	SA, QLD, NSW

Incumbents

January 17 – Meat rationing begins in Australia.
January 20 – Seventeen people are killed at Brooklyn, New South Wales when a mail train and a bus collide at a level crossing.
February 15 – Bushfires in the Western District, Gippsland and Yallourn regions of Victoria kill 51 people.
April 15 – 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.
June 30 – 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.
August 5 – The Cowra breakout occurs, with 545 Japanese prisoners of war escaping from the camp.
August 19 – 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.
October 21 – 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.
November 25 – Reg Saunders becomes the first Aboriginal commissioned officer in the Australian Army.
December 14 – The Liberal Party of Australia is formed, replacing the United Australia Party.

The film of the story of The Rats of Tobruk is released, directed by Charles Chauvel

January 14 – Graham Marsh, golfer
January 18 – Paul Keating, Prime Minister of Australia (1991–1996)
January 19 – Paul Gibson, NSW politician
February 3 – Trisha Noble, singer and actress
February 9 – Derryn Hinch, media personality
February 10 – Peter Allen, entertainer (d. 1992)
February 17 – Robert Dessaix, writer
March 18 – Dick Smith, businessman
April 22 – Damien Broderick, science fiction author
May 22 – John Flanagan, author
May 23 – John Newcombe, tennis player
May 26 – Andrew Jones, politician
May 28 – Paul D. Scully-Power, oceanographer and astronaut
June 6 – Matt Carroll, film and television producer
June 6 – Rene Rivkin, businessman (d. 2005)
July 4 – Ray Meagher, actor
July 23 – Alex Buzo, playwright and author (d. 2006)
August 17 – Nicholas John Vine-Hall, genealogist
August 21 – Peter Weir, film director
September 2 – Ray Groom, Premier of Tasmania (1992–1996)
September 8 – Terry Jenner, cricketer
September 5 – Gareth Evans, politician
September 11 – Alan Gilbert, academic and university Vice-Chancellor
September 13 – Midget Farrelly, surfer
September 19 – Colin Dibley, tennis player
November 21 – Kay Patterson, Liberal Senator for Victoria
December 4 – Lawrence Peckham, high jumper
December 20 – Ray Martin, television king (60 Minutes - 1979-1985, A Current Affair - 1994-1998 & 2003-3005, Midday - 1985-1993)
December 27 – Bob Brown, politician

January 1 – Charles Turner (b. 1862), cricketer
January 3 – Thomas Brennan (b. 1866), Victorian politician
January 15 – Patrick Lynch (b. 1867), Labor Senator for Western Australia
March 5 – George John Bell (b. 1872), politician
March 31 – Maurice Blackburn (b. 1880), politician
May 10 – Digby Denham (b. 1859), Premier of Queensland (1911–1915)
May 24 – William Butcher (b. 1858), WA politician
July 29 – Walter Price (b. 1886), cricketer
August 5 – Ralph Jones (b. 1900), soldier killed during the Cowra breakout
October 21 – Emile Dechaineux (b. 1902), naval officer, captain of HMAS Australia
November 12 – Roy Agnew (b. 1891), composer and pianist
November 18 – James Blair, politician and judge
November 20 – Charles Frederick Cox (b. 1863), soldier