1997 Gippsland West state by-election

1997 Gippsland West state by-election

←  1996 1 February 1997 1999  →
Electoral district of Gippsland West in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Registered	31,375
Turnout	88.7% ( 6.6)
First party Second party   IND Candidate Matthew Coleman Susan Davies Party Liberal Independent Primary  vote 11,214 8,844 Percentage 41.4% 32.6% Swing 16.4 0.6 [a] TCP 49.7% 50.3% TCP swing 12.9 12.9 [a]
MP before election Alan Brown Liberal Elected MP Susan Davies Independent

The 1997 Gippsland West state by-election was held on 1 February 1997 to elect the member for Gippsland West in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, following the resignation of Liberal Party MP Alan Brown. ^{[1] [2]}

Brown, who served as Liberal leader from 1989 until 1991, resigned on 31 December 1966 after being appointed by the Kennett government as the Agent General for Victoria. ^[3] At the time, his seat was the second-safest for the Liberals in Victoria. ^[4]

Susan Davies, who contested Gippsland West for the Labor Party at the 1996 state election, nominated as an independent candidate after Labor chose not to contest. ^[5] She won the seat after a 12.9% two-candidate-preferred vote swing against the Liberals, helped by the preferences of other independent and minor party voters. ^{[6] [7]}

The result was a significant defeat for premier Jeff Kennett and his government, and was the first of two by-election losses it experienced in 1997 (the other being Mitcham in December). ^{[8] [9]} Davies was re-elected at the 1999 state election and subsequently played a decisive role in defeating the Kennett government by supporting a minority Labor government led by Steve Bracks. ^{[10] [11]}

Candidates

Candidates are listed in the order they appeared on the ballot. ^[4] This was the first election contested by the Australian Reform Party after its formation in May 1996. ^{[12] [13]}

Party		Candidate	Background
	Independent	Susan Davies	Labor candidate for Gippsland West in 1996 [14] [15]
	Shooters	Neville Sayers	Olympian sports shooter [16]
	Independent	David Turnbull
	Reform	Ray Mathieson	Farmer and former policeman [17]
	Independent	Mike Lowry	Publican and independent candidate for Gippsland West in 1996 [18]
	Liberal	Matthew Coleman

Results

1997 Gippsland West state by-election ^{[4] [19] [20]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Matthew Coleman	11,214	41.4	−16.4
	Independent	Susan Davies	8,844	32.6	−0.6 [a]
	Reform	Ray Mathieson	2,555	9.4	+9.4
	Independent	Mike Lowry	1,867	6.9	−2.1
	Independent	David Turnbull	1,361	5.0	+5.0
	Shooters	Neville Sayers	1,275	4.7	+4.7
Total formal votes			27,116	97.5	−0.8
Informal votes			708	2.5	+0.8
Turnout			27,824	88.7	−6.6
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Independent	Susan Davies	13,606	50.3	+12.9 [a]
	Liberal	Matthew Coleman	13,447	49.7	−12.9
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing	+12.9

See also

• Electoral results for the district of Gippsland West
• List of Victorian state by-elections

Notes

1. Compared to results as a Labor Party candidate at the 1996 election. ^[4]

References

1. "Victorian Election 1999". Parliament of Australia. 11 April 2000. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
2. Raue, Ben. "Bass – Victoria 2022". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
3. "Jeff Kennett Dumped From Liberal Leadership In Victoria". AustralianPolitics.com. 23 May 1989. Archived from the original on 22 June 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
4. "THE FIFTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT ELECTED". Psephos: Adam Carr's Electoral Archive. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
5. "Susan Davies". La Trobe University. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
6. Sibelle, Maurice (12 February 1997). "Kennett loses by-election". Green Left. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
7. Chapman, Simon (1998). "Over Our Dead Bodies: Port Arthur and Australia's fight for gun control" (PDF). Sydney Open Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
8. Costar, Brian; Hayward, David (3 September 2010). "Victoria's unexpected minority". Inside Story. Archived from the original on 8 August 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
9. Colebatch, Tim (21 November 2017). "Earthquake in Northcote. Where next?". Inside Story. Archived from the original on 23 June 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
10. "Susan Davies: Statement In Support Of A Minority Labor Government". AustralianPolitics.com. 18 October 1999. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
11. "Victorian State Election 2010: Bass". Crikey. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
12. Fitzpatrick, Aidyn (28 May 1996). "Far right takes aim at gun laws". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
13. Dodd, Andrew (21 July 1996). "Stalking Ted". ABC Listen. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
14. "Davies, Susan Margaret". The Australian Women's Register. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
15. "Davies to contest LaTrobe for ALP". ABC News. 1 August 2003. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
16. "VALE: Neville Sayers". Combined Firearms Council of Victoria. 6 October 2018. Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
17. Boreham, Gareth (31 January 1997). "Grassroots candidate fights for people". go.gale.com. The Age. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
18. Rule, Andrew; Buttler, Mark (11 May 2023). "Deadline: Locals suspect sex worker shot Korumburra Hotel owner Mike Lowry". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
19. "Gippsland West District 1997 By-Election Results". Victorian Electoral Commission. 1 February 1997. Archived from the original on 2 March 2001. Retrieved 2 March 2001.
20. "Gippsland West District 1997 By-Election Results Two Candidate Preferred Results by Polling Place". Victorian Electoral Commission. 1 February 1997. Archived from the original on 11 March 2001. Retrieved 11 March 2001.