Australian federal election, 1929

Australian federal election, 1929

←  1928 12 October 1929 (1929-10-12) 1931  →
All 75 seats in the Australian House of Representatives 38 seats were needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader James Scullin Stanley Bruce Party Labor Nationalist/Country coalition Leader since 26 April 1928 9 February 1923 Leader's seat Yarra (Vic.) Flinders (Vic.) (lost seat) Last election 31 seats 42 seats Seats won 46 seats 24 seats Seat change 15 18 Percentage 56.70% 43.30% Swing 8.30% 8.30%
Prime Minister before election Stanley Bruce Nationalist/Country coalition Subsequent Prime Minister James Scullin Labor

Federal elections were held in Australia on 12 October 1929. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election, but there was no Senate election. The election was caused by the defeat of the Bruce-Page Government in the House of Representatives over the Maritime Industries Bill, Bruce having declared that the vote on the bill would constitute a vote of confidence in his government.

With senators having fixed six-year terms, the terms of those senators elected in 1926 were not due to expire until 1932. Under the Constitution of Australia, no election for their replacement could occur more than a year prior to their terms expiring (except in the case of a double dissolution), so it was not possible to hold a half-Senate election in 1929. This was the first Commonwealth election for the House of Representatives alone.

In the election, the incumbent Nationalist–Country coalition led by Prime Minister Stanley Bruce, was defeated by the opposition Labor Party under James Scullin. Labor won with its then largest-ever majority in the federal parliament, but held only a minority of Senate seats as a result of the House-only election.

It was the only federal election in Australia's history at which no sitting members retired. It also saw the defeat of Prime Minister Stanley Bruce in his own seat of Flinders; the first time that a serving prime minister had lost his own seat at an election. That would not occur again until 2007, when John Howard lost his seat.

Background

Further information: Stanley Bruce

Conflict over industrial relations had dominated Stanley Bruce's government in 1929. Strikes and unrest in Newcastle and Hunter Region coalfields were the most widespread and severe, but disturbances within the waterfront, sugar, transport and timber industries were also ongoing. Throughout 1928 and 1929 economic conditions in Australia and internationally had been declining, whilst Australian debt had grown and revenues had shrunk. Facing major challenges, Bruce had embarked upon extensive negotiations throughout 1929 to tighten federal control over finance and industrial relations and to implement ameliorating policies in concert with the states. Instead, the Nationalist premiers met separately and demanded that Bruce remand control of industrial arbitration back to the individual states. ^[1]

In August these issues came to a head. On 14 August, a motion of no-confidence was moved by Labor in response to Bruce's decision earlier in the year to drop prosecution of mine-owner John Brown for his part in the coalmine lock-outs in the Hunter Valley. The motion was defeated, but Billy Hughes and Edward Mann crossed the floor on the motion. Bruce subsequently excluded them from participating in party meetings. Bruce then introduced the Maritime Industries Bill, which would abolish the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration and make arbitration the exclusive domain of the states. In concert Earle Page brought down his seventh and most stringent budget, which introduced new taxes and spending cuts in an attempt to fight the ballooning deficit. Both were highly controversial. ^[2]

Hughes and Mann joined the opposition in denouncing the bill, and were joined by rebelling Nationalist George Maxwell and independent Percy Stewart. At the second reading of the bill in September, it was apparent the bill would narrowly pass. However, when the bill entered the committee stage Hughes moved an amendment that the bill should not be proclaimed until submitted to the people, either by referendum or general election. Attorney-General John Latham noted that the Commonwealth had no power to call a referendum, making general election the only constitutionally valid result of the amendment. Bruce agreed, stating that the amendment would constitute a vote of confidence in his government. ^[3] The amendment had the support of the opposition, as well as the three Nationalist defectors. Independents Stewart and William McWilliams indicated their support. The critical vote came down to Nationalist Walter Marks, who was known to be a supporter of the bill but unhappy with the government's handling of the movie industry, of which he was an ardent supporter. The new budget's "amusement tax" (which would harm film exhibitors) appeared to be the last straw, and Marks joined to defectors to vote for the amendment. ^[4]

With the vote now likely 35-34 in favor of the amendment, the Government was faced with a dilemma. The Chairman of Committees, Nationalist James Bayley, could not cast a deliberative vote in committee, only a casting vote if the numbers were tied. However, it was possible for the Speaker, Nationalist Sir Littleton Groom, to cast a deliberative vote in the committee (though not on the floor of the House, where the Speaker has only a casting vote). Bruce implored Groom to vote against the amendment in committee so that Bayley could defeat the measure with his tie-breaking vote. However, Groom was steadfast that he would follow the British House of Commons (though not Australian) precedent that the Speaker remain impartial and not vote in committee. There was also some suspicion of vengeance in his decision, as Groom had been demoted from Attorney-General to Speaker the a few years previously, a move he had reputedly been unhappy about. ^[5] With Groom abstaining, the amendment passed by one vote as predicted. Treating the passage of the amendment as a traditional defeat in a motion of no-confidence, after adjournment on 12 September Bruce announced to the House that the Governor-General had accepted his advice to call a new election, despite some speculation a government led by John Latham, James Scullin, or Billy Hughes might be attempted.

Results

  Nationalist: 14 seats

  Labor: 46 seats

  Country: 10 seats

  Country Progressive: 1 seat

  Independent: 4 seats

House of Reps (IRV) — 1929–31—Turnout 94.85% (CV) — Informal 2.65%

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Labor		1,406,327	48.84	+4.20	46	+15
	Nationalist–Country coalition		1,271,619	44.16	–5.40	24	–18
		Nationalist	975,979	33.90	–5.20	14	–15
		Country	295,640	10.27	–0.20	10	–3
	Country Progressive		27,942	0.97	–0.64	1	0
	Independents		173,362	6.02	+3.61	4	+3
	Total		2,879,250			75
Two-party-preferred (estimated)
	Labor		WIN	56.70	+8.30	46	+15
	Nationalist–Country coalition			43.30	−8.30	24	–18

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Notes

• Independents: Billy Hughes (North Sydney, NSW), George Maxwell (Fawkner, Vic.), Walter Marks (Wentworth, NSW), William McWilliams (Franklin, Tas.)
• Nine members were elected unopposed – six Labor and three Country.
• No separate Senate election was held – see here for Senate composition.

Popular Vote Labor   48.84% Nationalist   33.90% Country   10.27% Country Progressive   0.97% Independent   6.02%

Two Party Preferred Vote Labor   56.70% Coalition   43.30%

Parliament Seats Labor   61.33% Coalition   32.00% Country Progressive   1.33% Independent   5.33%

Seats changing hands

Seat	Pre-1929				Swing	Post-1929
	Party		Member	Margin		Margin	Member	Party
Angas, SA		Nationalist	Walter Parsons	9.4	14.1	4.7	Moses Gabb	Labor
Bass, Tas		Nationalist	Syd Jackson	3.1	13.5	10.4	Allan Guy	Labor
Bendigo, Vic		Nationalist	Geoffry Hurry	3.1	8.2	5.1	Richard Keane	Labor
Calare, NSW		Nationalist	Neville Howse	10.7	12.3	1.6	George Gibbons	Labor
Corangamite, Vic		Country	William Gibson	3.0	5.1	2.1	Richard Crouch	Labor
Corio, Vic		Nationalist	John Lister	8.5	14.5	6.0	Arthur Lewis	Labor
Eden-Monaro, NSW		Nationalist	John Perkins	7.6	7.7	0.1	John Cusack	Labor
Fawkner, Vic		Nationalist	George Maxwell	N/A	23.1	11.4	George Maxwell	Ind. Nationalist
Flinders, Vic		Nationalist	Stanley Bruce	10.7	10.9	0.2	Jack Holloway	Labor
Gwydir, NSW		Country	Aubrey Abbott	2.3	6.0	3.7	Lou Cunningham	Labor
Kennedy, Qld		Nationalist	Grosvenor Francis	2.4	5.5	3.1	Darby Riordan	Labor
Martin, NSW		Nationalist	Graham Pratten	6.9	13.3	6.4	John Eldridge	Labor
North Sydney, NSW		Nationalist	Billy Hughes	N/A	32.3	16.1	Billy Hughes	Ind. Nationalist
Parkes, NSW		Nationalist	Charles Marr	7.4	15.2	7.8	Edward McTiernan	Labor
Parramatta, NSW		Nationalist	Eric Bowden	10.1	13.4	3.3	Albert Rowe	Labor
Wakefield, SA		Country	Maurice Collins	9.6	16.5	6.9	Charles Hawker	Nationalist
Wannon, Vic		Nationalist	Arthur Rodgers	2.8	4.8	2.0	John McNeill	Labor
Wentworth, NSW		Nationalist	Walter Marks	11.5	19.8	8.3	Walter Marks	Ind. Nationalist
Wilmot, Tas		Nationalist	Llewellyn Atkinson	4.6	N/A	2.9	Joseph Lyons	Labor

See also

• Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1929
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1929-1931

References

1. Radi, Heather. "Stanley Melbourne Bruce". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 25 November 2012. 
2. Souter, Gavin (1988). Acts of Parliament : A Narrative History of the Senate and House of Representatives. Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press. pp. 249–252. ISBN   0522843670. 
3. Souter, Gavin (1988). Acts of Parliament: A Narrative History of the Senate and House of Representatives. Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press. pp. 249–252. ISBN   0522843670. 
4. Lloyd, C.J. "Marks, Walter Moffitt (1875–1951)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 25 November 2012. 
5. Lee, David (2010). Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Australian Internationalist. London: Continuum. pp. 89–90. ISBN   0826445667. 

• University of WA election results in Australia since 1890
• Two-party-preferred vote since 1919