Page "Richard Casey, Baron Casey" Paragraph 13

Casey could have commissioned the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, William McMahon, as acting Prime Minister or Caretaker prime minister, but instead he appointed John McEwen, the leader of Liberals ' coalition partner, the Country Party.

In this he was following a precedent set in 1939, when Sir Earle Page was appointed Prime Minister following the death of Joseph Lyons.

But it was later alleged that Casey appointed McEwen in order to prevent McMahon having an advantage in the Liberal Party's ballot for a new leader, since he shared the view of some Liberals that McMahon would not be a suitable successor.

This matter was aired in a 1969 book, The Power Struggle, by veteran political journalist Alan Reid.

Casey's biographer, W. J.

Hudson says ( in his 1986 book Casey ) that Casey was concerned to preserve the Liberal-Country Party coalition, and that he knew ( because McEwen had told him ) that the Country Party would not serve under McMahon.

( McEwen publicly confirmed his party's position on McMahon the day after his swearing-in.

) If this was his motive for commissioning McEwen rather than McMahon, it suggests that he did take political considerations into account in making his decision.

On the other hand, if the coalition were to disband, there would have been no party that could command a majority in the parliament and it could well have become unworkable.