McKell ministry (1941–1944)

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

{{Use Australian English|date=November 2021}}

{{Infobox government cabinet

| cabinet_name = McKell ministry

| cabinet_number = 50th

| jurisdiction = the State of New South Wales

| flag =

| flag_border = true

| incumbent =

| image = Williammckell.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| image2 =

| image_size2 =

| caption = Premier William McKell

| date_formed = {{start date|1941|05|16|df=y}}

| date_dissolved = {{end date|1944|06|8|df=y}}

| government_head = William McKell

| government_head_title = Premier

| deputy_government_head = Jack Baddeley

| deputy_government_head_title = Deputy Premier

| state_head = George VI

| state_head_title = Monarch

| governor = The Lord Wakehurst

| members_number = 15

| former_members_number =

| total_number =

| political_party = {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| legislature_status = Majority government

| opposition_cabinet =

| opposition_party = UAP/Country coalition

| opposition_leader = Alexander Mair / Reginald Weaver

| election = 1941 New South Wales election

| last_election =

| legislature_term =

| budget =

| advice_and_consent1 =

| advice_and_consent2 =

| incoming_formation =

| outgoing_formation =

| previous = Mair–Bruxner ministry

| successor = Second McKell ministry

}}

The McKell ministry (1941–1944) or First McKell ministry was the 50th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 27th Premier, William McKell, of the Labor Party. The ministry was the first of two occasions when the Government was led by McKell, as Premier.

McKell was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1917 and served continuously until 1947, when he resigned to become the 12th Governor-General of Australia. Having served as a junior minister in the first and third ministries of Jack Lang, during the 1930s McKell came to oppose Lang's dictatorial rule and critical of electoral failures. In 1939 McKell displaced Lang as Labor leader and NSW Leader of the Opposition.David, Clune (2021). Sir Wiiliam McKell. Australian Biographical Monographs No 12. Redland Bay, Qld: Connor Court Publishing. ISBN 9781922449726.{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=mckell-sir-william-john-15293 |title=McKell, Sir William John (1891–1985) |first=Chris |last=Cunneen |year=2012 |access-date=2021-10-10}}

McKell led Labor to victory at the 1941 state election, defeating the United Australia Party / Country Party coalition of Alexander Mair and Michael Bruxner.

This ministry covers the period from 16 May 1941 until 8 June 1944,{{NSW Parliamentary Record|part=6|access-date=12 April 2020}}{{cite web|title=Former members of the New South Wales Parliament, 1856–2006|url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/formermembers/pages/former-members-index.aspx|access-date=4 December 2019|publisher=New South Wales Parliament}} when the 1944 state election saw McKell re-elected for a subsequent term.