It commenced on 5 June 1975, following the Court–McPharlin Ministry, 15 months after the Coalition's electoral defeat of the Tonkin Labor government.
The NCP made the abolition of probate on estates passing to a spouse a condition of forming a coalition with the Liberals.
Ray O'Connor was appointed as Acting Minister covering all three of Grayden's portfolios and was formally sworn in by the Governor on 7 August 1978.
A number of significant portfolio changes occurred on 25 August 1978, resulting from a split within the NCP leading to half of its MP's, along with its state president, forming a breakaway National Party.
[3] The 1980 election, which saw little parliamentary change other than the defeat of Housing Minister Alan Ridge in his Kimberley seat and the retirement of Deputy Premier Des O'Neil from politics, preceded another reconstitution of the Ministry.
The Government failed to enact legislation which would have amended the Constitution to allow an expansion of the Ministry to 15, on account of maverick Liberal MLA Dr Tom Dadour and the National Party opposing the measure.
[4] On 18 December 1981, Sir Charles Court, then 70 years of age, announced his decision that he would step down as Premier on 25 January 1982.