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All 94 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly 48 Assembly seats were needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Two-candidate-preferred margin by electorate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1956 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1956. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 6 February 1956 | The Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election. |
| 10 February 1956 | Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon. |
| 3 March 1956 | Polling day. |
| 15 March 1956 | Third Cahill ministry sworn in. |
| 5 April 1956 | Last day for the writs to be returned and the results formally declared. |
| 10 April 1956 | Opening of 38th Parliament. |
In March 1956, Labor had been in power for 15 years and Joseph Cahill who had won a landslide victory at the 1953 election had been premier for 4 years. Cahill, who was commonly known as "old smoothie" had been a popular premier and had shown some flair in leadership by announcing a design competition for the Sydney Opera House in September 1955. However, nationally the Labor party was divided on sectarian and ideological grounds. In Victoria, many members of the predominantly Catholic right-wing of the party had left the party and joined the nascent Democratic Labor Party (DLP). Cahill was desperate to keep the New South Wales branch of the ALP united. He achieved this by controlling the anti-DLP faction led by his ex-minister Clive Evatt (brother of H V Evatt) while at the same time keeping the right-wing faction within the party. [1] Cahill's attempts at unity were assisted by the state's Catholic hierarchy who were less politically involved than their Victorian counterparts under Daniel Mannix. As a result, the effects of this split were not as severe in New South Wales and the DLP did not contest the 1956 state election. However, the split did have a significant effect on the Labor Party's vote and contributed to the loss of the seat of Waratah. [2]
Labor's election promises included making the supply of state housing a top priority, reviving the State Bank which had been under the control of the federal government since 1932 and revitalizing the state's railways including the long delayed Eastern Suburbs line.
The coalition of the Liberal Party and Country Party coalition continued to suffer from leadership issues. Murray Robson had replaced Vernon Treatt as the Liberal Party leader and Leader of the Opposition in August 1954, but had proved inept for the position and was replaced by Pat Morton as leader in September 1955. Morton was a somewhat aloof figure, with a public presence more typical of pre-war conservative politicians, and found it difficult to connect with the public. Michael Bruxner continued as the leader of the Country Party.
The opposition campaigned on the government's broken promises and uncompleted public works as well as resentment against compulsory unionism and the implementation of the Cumberland Plan, which reserved a large area of the Sydney Basin from development. The coalition promised that the state transport system would be run along the lines of private enterprise and cease to be a drain on the state's budget. Bruxner called Cahill's plans a death bed repentance with no incentives for rural development. [3] [2]
The result of the election was a clear victory for Labor despite a net loss of 7 seats. The results gave Labor a parliamentary buffer of 3 seats plus the usual support of Tom Armstrong.
Labor losses were largely confined to the marginal or usually conservative seats that it had unexpectedly won at the 1953 election including Armidale, Coogee, Drummoyne, Georges River, Parramatta, and Sutherland. [4] Labor regained the seat of Hartley from Independent Labor member Jim Chalmers who unsuccessfully contested Nepean as an independent. The loss of the usually safe seat of Waratah was a shock for Labor and was caused by a number of factors. The popular Labor incumbent Robert Cameron had retired and after a bitter pre-selection battle, Labor endorsed a Tighes Hill butcher, Harry Sheedy. Sheedy was a member of the socialist wing of the party and, at a time when the party was split on sectarian and ideological grounds, was disliked by many among the large and usually Labor voting Catholic population in the electorate. His main opponent and the winner of the seat was the independent, Frank Purdue who was prominent in local Government and the popular Lord Mayor of Newcastle.
New South Wales state election, 3 March 1956 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrolled voters | 2,011,258 [lower-alpha 1] | |||||
| Votes cast | 1,722,628 | Turnout | 93.27 | −0.59 | ||
| Informal votes | 28,805 | Informal | 1.67 | −0.81 | ||
| Summary of votes by party | ||||||
| Party | Primary votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | |
| Labor | 800,410 | 47.25 | −8.05 | 50 | −7 | |
| Liberal | 611,342 | 36.09 | +8.15 | 27 | +5 | |
| Country | 172,020 | 10.16 | −1.44 | 15 | +1 | |
| Independent | 53,019 | 3.13 | +0.62 | 1 | +1 | |
| Communist | 29,534 | 1.74 | +0.36 | 0 | − | |
| Independent Labor | 14,950 | 1.88 | −0.19 | 1 | − | |
| Lang Labor | 11,028 | 0.65 | +0.17 | 0 | − | |
| All others | 1,502 | 0.09 | +0.09 | 0 | − | |
| Total | 1,693,823 | 94 | ||||
Joe Cahill's triumph at this election ensured that he remained premier during the course of the parliament. Pat Morton remained Leader of the Opposition but Michael Bruxner finally retired as Leader of the New South Wales Country Party, a position he had held since 1932 and was replaced by Davis Hughes in 1958. During the parliament there were 6 by-elections. This led to changes in party representation in Kahibah where Tom Armstrong (Independent Labor) died and the endorsed Labor candidate Jack Stewart won the resulting by-election and in Wagga Wagga where Eddie Graham (Labor) died and the Liberal's Wal Fife won the resulting by-election. These results reduced the government's effective majority by 1.
Sir Robert William Askin, GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971. Before being knighted in 1972, however, he was generally known as Bob Askin. Born in Sydney in 1907, Askin was educated at Sydney Technical High School. After serving as a bank officer and as a Sergeant in the Second World War, Askin joined the Liberal Party and was elected to the seat of Collaroy at the 1950 election.
The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) was an Australian political party. The party came into existence following the 1955 ALP split as the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist), and was renamed the Democratic Labor Party in 1957. In 1962, the Queensland Labor Party, a breakaway party of the Queensland branch of the Australian Labor Party, became the Queensland branch of the DLP.
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Michael Frederick Bruxner was an Australian politician and soldier, serving for many years as leader of the Country Party in New South Wales. Born in the north of the state, Bruxner was educated at The Armidale School and started studies at University of Sydney but later dropped out to take up employment as a grazier and station agent in Tenterfield. After serving in the Citizen Military Forces from 1911, Bruxner enlisted into the Australian Light Horse upon the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Serving with distinction in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly who served in the 38th parliament held their seats from 1956 to 1959. They were elected at the 1956 state election, and at by-elections. The Speaker was Bill Lamb.
× Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly who served in the 37th parliament held their seats from 1953 to 1956. They were elected at the 1953 state election, and at by-elections. The Speaker was Bill Lamb.
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Elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 17 November 1973. The result was a win for the Liberal-Country Party coalition under Sir Robert Askin, which had been in office since 1965. As of 2023, this was the first and only time the Coalition won a fourth-term in New South Wales.
Philip Henry (Pat) Morton was an Australian businessman and politician. Born in Lismore in Northern New South Wales to a prominent political family and educated at Lismore High School, Morton left school at fourteen to be employed in a legal firm, before branching out into various businesses. Moving to Sydney, Morton first entered politics in 1944 as an Alderman on Mosman Municipal Council, rising to be Mayor in 1946. Morton then entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly on 3 May 1947, representing the Electoral district of Mosman for the Liberal Party.
Sir Vernon Haddon Treatt was an Australian lawyer, soldier, Rhodes Scholar and politician. Born in Singleton, New South Wales and educated at Shore School, Treatt interrupted his studies at the University of Sydney to enlist at the outbreak of the First World War. Serving in the Royal Australian Artillery, Treatt served in France and was awarded the Military Medal. Upon returning to Australia he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship and further educated at New College, Oxford.
The 1950 New South Wales state election was held on 17 June 1950. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1949 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly, which was an increase of 4 seats since the previous election.
The 1953 New South Wales state election was held on 14 February 1953. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
George Francis Freudenstein was an Australian politician. He was a Country Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1959 to 1981, representing the electorate of Young. He served variously as Minister for Cultural Activities, Minister for Conservation, and Minister for Mines and Energy in the Askin Coalition government.
The 1947 New South Wales state election was held on 3 May 1947. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution. The election was for all of the 90 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
The 1959 New South Wales state election was held on 21 March 1959. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1957 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
The 1962 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1962. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
The 1965 New South Wales state election was held on 1 May 1965. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
New South Wales politics takes place in context of a bicameral parliamentary system. The main parties are the Liberal and National parties of the governing Coalition and the Australian Labor Party. Other minor political parties include the Greens, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party and One Nation, along with multiple independents.
The Askin–Cutler ministry (1973–1975) or Sixth Askin ministry was the 67th ministry of the government of New South Wales, and was led by the 32nd Premier, Sir Robert Askin, of the Liberal Party in coalition with the Country Party, led by Sir Charles Cutler. It was the sixth and final occasion when Askin was Premier; and when Cutler served as Deputy Premier to Askin.
The history of the Australian Labor Party has its origins in the Labour parties founded in the 1890s in the Australian colonies prior to federation. Labor tradition ascribes the founding of Queensland Labour to a meeting of striking pastoral workers under a ghost gum tree in Barcaldine, Queensland in 1891. The Balmain, New South Wales branch of the party claims to be the oldest in Australia. Labour as a parliamentary party dates from 1891 in New South Wales and South Australia, 1893 in Queensland, and later in the other colonies.
Kahibah, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, has had three incarnations, the first from 1894 to 1920, the second from 1927 to 1930 and the third from 1950 to 1971.
