1973 Parramatta by-election

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A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Parramatta on 22 September 1973. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Liberal Party long serving Attorney General and Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable (and later Sir) Nigel Bowen who accepted an appointment to the NSW Court of Appeal.

Contents

The seat was retained by the Liberal Party, with Philip Ruddock defeating Michael Whelan, who contested the seat for the Labor Party. [1] Ten other candidates from minor parties contested the seat.

This was the first federal election in which eighteen-year-olds were eligible to vote, the voting age having been lowered from twenty-one earlier in the year. [2]

Results

Parramatta by-election, 1973 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Philip Ruddock 33,50652.6+6.6
Labor Michael Whelan24,62338.7-7.3
Australia John Butterworth3,5225.5+2.0
Independent Marilyn Pye5750.9n/a
Def. of Govt Schools Michael Hourihan5280.8n/a
Independent Marcus Aussie-Stone3630.6n/a
Independent Sidney McGarrity3250.6n/a
Independent Gwenda Lister650.1n/a
Independent Charles Bellchambers530.1n/a
National Socialist Ross May370.1n/a
Independent Leonard Kiernan300.0n/a
Independent Kevin Meares250.0n/a
Total formal votes63,65297.7-0.1
Informal votes1,4932.3+0.1
Turnout 65,14588.4-7.3
Liberal hold Swing +2.3

See also

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References

  1. "ALP in by-election".
  2. House of Representatives Practice, 6th Edition, Ch. 3. Elections and the electoral system. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  3. "By-Elections 1972-1974". Psephos. Archived from the original on 16 March 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2010.