Bill Ashley (politician)

Bill Ashley
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
In office
19 December 1949  11 June 1951
Preceded byWalter Cooper
Succeeded byNick McKenna
Leader of the Government in the Senate
In office
17 June 1946  19 December 1949
Preceded byRichard Keane
Succeeded byNeil O'Sullivan
Senator for New South Wales
In office
23 October 1937  27 June 1958
Preceded byGuy Arkins
Succeeded byJames Ormonde
Personal details
Born(1881-09-20)20 September 1881
near Hay, New South Wales, Australia
Died27 June 1958(1958-06-27) (aged 76)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLabor
Spouse
Theresa Maloney
(m. 1921)
OccupationTobacconist

William Patrick Ashley (20 September 1881 – 27 June 1958) was an Australian politician. He was a Senator for New South Wales from 1937 until his death in 1958, representing the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He was a cabinet minister in the ALP governments between 1941 and 1949, serving as Postmaster-General (1941–1945), Minister for Information (1941–1943), Supply and Shipping (1945–1948), and Shipping and Fuel (1948–1950). He was the party's Senate leader from 1946 to 1951.