'Black Wednesday was a financial and political crisis in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 9 January 1878 when the Victorian Government headed by Graham Berry dismissed around 300 public servants, including department heads, judges and senior officials, after the Legislative Council had failed to approve the government supply bill. Further sackings on 24 January brought the total number of people dismissed to nearly 400. Payments were eventually approved in March 1879, and most of those who were dismissed, were subsequently reinstated.