1968 Western Australian state election

Last updated

1968 Western Australian state election
Flag of Western Australia.svg
  1965 23 March 1968 (1968-03-23) 1971  

All 51 seats in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
and 15 (of the 30) seats to the Western Australian Legislative Council
26 Assembly seats were needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  DavidBrand1963.jpg JohnTonkin1964crop.jpg
Leader David Brand John Tonkin
Party Liberal/Country coalition Labor
Leader since1 March 19571 January 1967
Leader's seat Greenough Melville
Last election29 seats21 seats
Seats won28 seats23 seats
Seat changeDecrease2.svg1Increase2.svg2
Percentage49.25%45.35%
SwingDecrease2.svg4.16Increase2.svg2.71

Premier before election

David Brand
Liberal/Country coalition

Elected Premier

David Brand
Liberal/Country coalition

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 23 March 1968 to elect all 51 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council. The Liberal-Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir David Brand, won a record fourth term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader John Tonkin.

Contents

Results

Legislative Assembly

Western Australian state election, 23 March 1968
Legislative Assembly
<< 19651971 >>

Enrolled voters359,790 [1]
Votes cast331,325 Turnout 92.09%–0.24%
Informal votes10,255Informal3.10%–0.01%
Summary of votes by party
PartyPrimary votes %SwingSeatsChange
  Labor 145,60545.35%+2.71%23+ 2
  Liberal and Country 141,27144.00%–4.54%19– 2
  Country 16,8795.25%+0.38%9+ 1
  Democratic Labor 10,4563.26%+2.32%0± 0
 Democratic2,2160.69%+0.69%0± 0
  Communist 1,6940.53%+0.44%0± 0
  Independent 2,9490.92%–1.98%0± 0
Total321,070  51 
1 449,122 electors were enrolled to vote at the election, but 14 seats (27.45% of the total) were uncontested—five Liberal seats representing 32,810 enrolled voters, five Country seats representing 29,746 enrolled voters, and four Labor seats representing 26,776 enrolled voters.

Legislative Council

Western Australian state election, 23 March 1968
Legislative Council

Enrolled voters208,417 [1]
Votes cast192,342 Turnout 92.29%+0.15%
Informal votes8,631Informal4.49%+0.22%
Summary of votes by party
PartyPrimary votes %SwingSeatsChange
  Labor 85,67446.64%610
  Liberal and Country 67,97737.00%412
  Country 21,22811.56%58
  Democratic Labor 4,5022.45%00
  Independent 4,3302.36%00
Total183,711  1530
1 449,122 electors were enrolled to vote at the election, but 9 seats (60% of the total) were uncontested—three Liberal seats representing 99,137 enrolled voters, three Country seats representing 53,847 enrolled voters, and three Labor seats representing 86,198 enrolled voters.

Post-election pendulum

LCL/Country seats (28)
Marginal
Subiaco Hugh Guthrie LCL0.4%
Kimberley Alan Ridge LCL2.2%
Moore Edgar Lewis CP2.3% v IND
Mirrabooka Doug Cash LCL2.8%
Merredin-Yilgarn Jack Stewart LCL2.9%
Murray Ewart Runciman LCL3.8%
Blackwood Ron Kitney CP4.6% v LCL
Toodyay James Craig CP4.7%
Bunbury Maurice Williams LCL5.7%
Fairly safe
Roe Bill Young CP9.7% v LCL
Safe
Cottesloe Ross Hutchinson LCL10.0%
Mount Lawley Ray O'Connor LCL10.0%
Floreat Andrew Mensaros LCL14.6%
Dale Cyril Rushton LCL15.4%
Darling Range Ken Dunn LCL16.2%
Nedlands Charles Court LCL26.6%
South Perth Bill Grayden LCL28.6% v DLP
East Melville Des O'Neil LCL30.3% v COM
Avon Harry Gayfer CPunopp.
Greenough David Brand LCLunopp.
Katanning Crawford Nalder CPunopp.
Mount Marshall Ray McPharlin CPunopp.
Murchison-Eyre Richard Burt LCLunopp.
Narrogin William Manning CPunopp.
Stirling Clayton Mitchell CPunopp.
Vasse Stewart Bovell LCLunopp.
Wellington Iven Manning LCLunopp.
Wembley Guy Henn LCLunopp.
Labor seats (23)
Marginal
Canning Tom Bateman ALP0.5%
Clontarf Donald May ALP2.2%
Maylands John Harman ALP3.0%
Northam Ken McIver ALP3.6%
Mount Hawthorn Ron Bertram ALP4.2%
Karrinyup Stan Lapham ALP4.3%
Albany Jack Hall ALP5.4%
Fairly safe
Geraldton Bill Sewell ALP6.2%
Perth Terry Burke ALP6.2%
Collie Tom Jones ALP6.6%
Warren David Evans ALP8.8%
Safe
Ascot Merv Toms ALP13.2%
Balcatta Herb Graham ALP13.4%
Gascoyne Daniel Norton ALP14.1%
Belmont Colin Jamieson ALP14.5%
Melville John Tonkin ALP17.5%
Cockburn Don Taylor ALP18.6%
Swan Bill Haigh ALP21.0%
Fremantle Harry Fletcher ALP23.5% v DLP
Boulder-Dundas Arthur Moir ALPunopp.
Kalgoorlie Tom Evans ALPunopp.
Pilbara Arthur Bickerton ALPunopp.
Victoria Park Ron Davies ALPunopp.

See also

Related Research Articles

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 21 October 1914 to elect 50 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Labor party, led by Premier John Scaddan, retained government against the opposition conservative Liberal Party led by Opposition Leader Frank Wilson, though with only the barest of majorities. The election also saw the emergence of the Western Australian Country Party, which had been formed at a conference of the Farmers and Settlers Association the previous year to fight for rural interests, and won eight seats at the election.

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 23 February 1980 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly and 16 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council. The Liberal-National Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir Charles Court, won a third term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Ron Davies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1974 Western Australian state election</span> Election in Western Australia

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 30 March 1974 to elect all 51 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council. The one-term Labor government, led by Premier John Tonkin, was defeated by the Liberal Party, led by Opposition Leader Charles Court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1965 Western Australian state election</span> Australian state election

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 20 February 1965 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council. The Liberal-Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir David Brand, won a third term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Albert Hawke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 31 March 1962 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The Liberal-Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir David Brand, won a second term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Albert Hawke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1959 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 21 March 1959 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The result was a hung parliament—the two-term Labor government, led by Premier Albert Hawke, was defeated with an average swing against it of about 7 per cent, but the Liberal-Country Party coalition, led by Opposition Leader David Brand, won exactly half of the seats, and needed the support of at least one of the two Independent Liberal members to obtain a majority in the Assembly. The situation remained precarious throughout the term—while Bill Grayden joined the LCL the following year, giving the Coalition a one-seat majority, the other Independent Liberal, Edward Oldfield, joined the Labor Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1956 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 7 April 1956 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The Labor Party, led by Premier Albert Hawke, won a second term in office against the Liberal-Country coalition, led by Sir Ross McLarty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1953 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 14 February 1953 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The two-term Liberal-Country Party coalition government, led by Premier Sir Ross McLarty, was defeated by the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Albert Hawke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1950 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 25 March 1950 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The Liberal-Country coalition government, led by Premier Ross McLarty, won a second term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Frank Wise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1947 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 15 March 1947 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The result was a hung parliament—the four-term Labor government, led by Premier Frank Wise, was defeated with a swing of approximately 7%. The Liberal-Country Coalition won exactly half of the seats, one short of a majority, needed the support of the Independent members Harry Shearn and William Read to govern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1943 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 20 November 1943 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The Labor Party, led by Premier John Willcock, won a fourth term in office against the Country and Nationalist parties, led by Opposition Leader Arthur Watts and Robert Ross McDonald respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1939 Western Australian state election</span> Australian election

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 18 March 1939 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The Labor Party, led by Premier John Willcock, won a third term in office against the Country and Nationalist parties, led by Opposition Leader Charles Latham and Robert Ross McDonald respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1936 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 15 February 1936 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The Labor Party, led by Premier Philip Collier, won a second term in office against the Country and Nationalist parties, led by Opposition Leader Charles Latham and Norbert Keenan respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1933 Western Australian state election</span>

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 8 April 1933 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The one-term Nationalist-Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir James Mitchell, was defeated by the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Philip Collier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1932 Queensland state election</span>

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 11 June 1932 to elect the 62 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1929 Queensland state election</span>

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 11 May 1929 to elect the 72 members of the state's Legislative Assembly. In this election, Irene Longman became the first woman to both stand and be elected into the Queensland Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1915 Queensland state election</span>

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 22 May 1915 to elect the 72 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1953 Queensland state election</span>

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 7 March 1953 to elect the 75 members of the state's Legislative Assembly. The Labor government was seeking its eighth continuous term in office since the 1932 election. It was the first electoral test for Vince Gair, who had become Premier of Queensland 14 months earlier after the death of Ned Hanlon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1957 Queensland state election</span>

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 3 August 1957 to elect the 75 members of the state's Legislative Assembly. The major parties contesting the election were the Queensland Labor Party led by Premier Vince Gair, the Labor Party led by former Deputy Premier Jack Duggan, and the Country-Liberal coalition led by Frank Nicklin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 Queensland state election</span>

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 28 May 1960 to elect the 78 members of the state's Legislative Assembly. The election followed the enactment of the Electoral Districts Act 1958 which increased the Assembly from 75 to 78 seats and modified the zonal system first established by Labor ahead of the 1950 election.

References