Australian federal election, 1975
Australian federal election, 1975
|
|
|
|
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses.
Malcolm Fraser had been commissioned as caretaker prime minister following the dismissal of Gough Whitlam's three-year-old Labor government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, on 11 November 1975. The same day, Fraser advised the calling of the election, in accordance with Kerr's stipulated conditions (see 1975 Australian constitutional crisis). The Coalition of Fraser's Liberal Party of Australia and Doug Anthony's National Country Party secured government in its own right, winning the largest majority government in Australian history. Although Fraser had no need for the support of the National Country Party, the Coalition was retained. Labor suffered a 30-seat swing and saw its House of Representatives numbers cut almost in half, to 36 seats—fewer than it had when Whitlam became leader in the aftermath of the Coalition landslide nearly 10 years earlier, in the 1966 election.
Results
House of Reps (IRV) – 1975–77—Turnout 95.39% (CV) – Informal 1.89%
Party |
Votes |
% |
Swing |
Seats |
Change |
|
Australian Labor Party |
3,313,004 |
42.84 |
−6.46 |
36 |
−30 |
|
Liberal Party of Australia |
3,232,159 |
41.80 |
+6.85 |
68 |
+28 |
|
National Country Party |
869,919 |
11.25 |
+1.29 |
23 |
+2 |
|
Democratic Labor Party |
101,750 |
1.32 |
−0.10 |
0 |
0 |
|
Australia Party |
33,630 |
0.43 |
−1.89 |
0 |
0 |
|
Other |
182,116 |
2.36 |
|
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
7,732,578 |
|
|
127 |
|
|
Liberal/National coalition |
WIN |
55.70 |
+7.40 |
91 |
+30 |
|
Australian Labor Party |
|
44.30 |
−7.40 |
36 |
−30 |
Popular Vote |
|
|
|
|
|
Labor |
|
42.84% |
Liberal |
|
41.80% |
National |
|
11.25% |
DLP |
|
1.32% |
Australia |
|
0.43% |
Other |
|
2.36% |
Two Party Preferred Vote |
|
|
|
|
|
Coalition |
|
55.70% |
Labor |
|
44.30% |
Parliament Seats |
|
|
|
|
|
Coalition |
|
71.65% |
Labor |
|
28.35% |
Senate (STV) – 1975–77—Turnout 95.39% (CV) – Informal 9.10%
Party |
Votes |
% |
Swing |
Seats Won |
Seats Held |
Change |
|
Australian Labor Party |
2,931,310 |
40.91 |
−6.38 |
27 |
27 |
−2 |
|
Liberal/National (Joint Ticket) |
2,855,721 |
39.86 |
+5.09 |
17 |
|
|
|
Liberal Party of Australia |
793,772 |
11.08 |
+3.26 |
16 |
26 |
+3 |
|
Democratic Labor Party |
191,049 |
2.67 |
−0.89 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Liberal Movement |
76,426 |
1.07 |
+0.11 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
National Country Party |
38,366 |
0.54 |
−0.76 |
1 |
8 |
+2 |
|
Country Liberal Party |
15,519 |
0.22 |
−0.01 |
1 |
1 |
+1 |
|
Independents |
114,310 |
1.60 |
−0.24 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Other |
148,240 |
2.07 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
7,164,713 |
|
|
64 |
64 |
+4 |
Independent: Brian Harradine
Seats changing hands
Seat |
Pre-1975 |
Swing |
Post-1975 |
Party |
Member |
Margin |
Margin |
Member |
Party |
Barton, NSW |
|
Labor |
Len Reynolds |
5.1 |
10.0 |
4.9 |
Jim Bradfield |
Liberal |
|
Bowman, Qld |
|
Labor |
Len Keogh |
1.3 |
8.4 |
7.1 |
David Jull |
Liberal |
|
Braddon, Tas |
|
Labor |
Ron Davies |
4.8 |
8.6 |
3.8 |
Ray Groom |
Liberal |
|
Brisbane, Qld |
|
Labor |
Manfred Cross |
1.1 |
5.0 |
3.9 |
Peter Johnson |
Liberal |
|
Canberra, ACT |
|
Labor |
Kep Enderby |
7.1 |
10.4 |
3.3 |
John Haslem |
Liberal |
|
Capricornia, Qld |
|
Labor |
Doug Everingham |
4.9 |
5.0 |
0.1 |
Colin Carige |
National Country |
|
Casey, Vic |
|
Labor |
Race Mathews |
1.5 |
9.0 |
7.5 |
Peter Falconer |
Liberal |
|
Cook, NSW |
|
Labor |
Ray Thorburn |
0.5 |
8.3 |
7.8 |
Don Dobie |
Liberal |
|
Dawson, Qld |
|
Labor |
Rex Patterson |
0.6 |
4.2 |
3.6 |
Ray Braithwaite |
National Country |
|
Denison, Tas |
|
Labor |
John Coates |
2.8 |
7.7 |
4.9 |
Michael Hodgman |
Liberal |
|
Diamond Valley, Vic |
|
Labor |
David McKenzie |
0.7 |
9.8 |
9.1 |
Neil Brown |
Liberal |
|
Eden-Monaro, NSW |
|
Labor |
Bob Whan |
0.1 |
5.6 |
5.5 |
Murray Sainsbury |
Liberal |
|
Evans, NSW |
|
Labor |
Allan Mulder |
4.9 |
6.9 |
2.0 |
John Abel |
Liberal |
|
Franklin, Tas |
|
Labor |
Ray Sherry |
12.9 |
14.7 |
1.8 |
Bruce Goodluck |
Liberal |
|
Henty, Vic |
|
Labor |
Joan Child |
1.5 |
6.7 |
5.2 |
Ken Aldred |
Liberal |
|
Holt, Vic |
|
Labor |
Max Oldmeadow |
6.9 |
8.5 |
1.6 |
William Yates |
Liberal |
|
Isaacs, Vic |
|
Labor |
Gareth Clayton |
0.6 |
7.5 |
6.9 |
David Hamer |
Liberal |
|
Kalgoorlie, WA |
|
Labor |
Fred Collard |
2.1 |
6.3 |
4.3 |
Mick Cotter |
Liberal |
|
Kingston, SA |
|
Labor |
Richard Gun |
6.1 |
12.7 |
6.6 |
Grant Chapman |
Liberal |
|
La Trobe, Vic |
|
Labor |
Tony Lamb |
4.6 |
8.9 |
4.3 |
Marshall Baillieu |
Liberal |
|
Leichhardt, Qld |
|
Labor |
Bill Fulton |
3.3 |
5.7 |
2.4 |
David Thomson |
National Country |
|
Macarthur, NSW |
|
Labor |
John Kerin |
4.4 |
8.5 |
4.1 |
Michael Baume |
Liberal |
|
Macquarie, NSW |
|
Labor |
Tony Luchetti |
8.7 |
10.3 |
1.6 |
Reg Gillard |
Liberal |
|
McMillan, Vic |
|
National Country |
Arthur Hewson |
N/A |
2.1 |
6.7 |
Barry Simon |
Liberal |
|
Perth, WA |
|
Labor |
Joe Berinson |
8.2 |
9.0 |
0.8 |
Ross McLean |
Liberal |
|
Phillip, NSW |
|
Labor |
Joe Riordan |
4.5 |
7.1 |
2.6 |
Jack Birney |
Liberal |
|
St George, NSW |
|
Labor |
Bill Morrison |
5.8 |
5.8 |
0.0 |
Maurice Neil |
Liberal |
|
Swan, WA |
|
Labor |
Adrian Bennett |
5.6 |
7.7 |
2.1 |
John Martyr |
Liberal |
|
Tangney, WA |
|
Labor |
John Dawkins |
3.1 |
9.7 |
6.6 |
Peter Richardson |
Liberal |
|
- Members in italics did not contest their seat at this election.
Issues and significance
The election followed the controversial dismissal of the Whitlam government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr in the 1975 constitutional crisis. Labor campaigners hoped that the electorate would "maintain [its] rage" and punish the Coalition for its part in bringing down the government, proclaiming "Shame Fraser, Shame". However, the Coalition focused on economic issues following the 1973 oil crisis and 1973–75 recession, the so-called Loans Affair, alleged Labor mismanagement of inflation, and campaigned under the slogan "Turn on the lights, Australia" (drawing on a contemporary cynicism: "Would the last businessman leaving Australia please turn out the lights?").
The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory received an entitlement to elect two senators each as a consequence of the 1974 Joint Sitting of the Australian Parliament.
See also
References
|
---|
|
Federal elections | |
---|
|
Referendums | |
---|
|
- Elections in: Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
|