The following lists events that happened during 1944 in Australia.
Incumbents
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
Main article: 1944 in Australian 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
- List of Australian films of the 1940s
References
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