Cahill was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1925 and served until 1932, representing the seats of St George and Arncliffe before being defeated.

[1] Cahill led Labor to victory at the 1953 state election, gaining 11 seats and regaining its majority.

[2] The main changes from the first Cahill ministry were that Frank Finnan, the Minister for Labour, Industry and Social Welfare whose electorate of Darlinghurst was abolished,[3] he lost a preselection contest for Concord,[4] and failed to win Albury and Joshua Arthur voluntarily stood down as a minister pending a Royal Commission concerning his relationship with Reginald Doyle in the lead-up to the state election on 14 February 1953.

The composition of the ministry was announced by Premier Cahill following the 1953 state election on 23 February 1953.

[7] Cahill briefly held the Transport portfolio for nine days before he took the opportunity to make a minor rearrangement of the ministry.