AUSTRALIAN GENERAL ELECTION, 1975

Federal election major party leaders
1974 1975 1977
'Labor' 'Gough Whitlam' 'Prime Minister' 'Parliament': 23 years 'Leader since': 1967 'Division': Werriwa
'Liberal' 'Malcolm Fraser' 'Opposition leader' 'Parliament': 20 years 'Leader since': 1975 'Division': Wannon 'WIN'

'Federal elections' were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses. Malcolm Fraser had been commissioned as prime minister following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, on November 11, 1975. Fraser advised the calling of the election on the same day, in accordance with the Governor-General's stipulated conditions (see Australian constitutional crisis of 1975). Thus the Liberal Party of Australia, led by Malcolm Fraser, with coalition partner the National Country Party, led by Doug Anthony, went to the election as a minority caretaker government and defeated the Australian Labor Party under Gough Whitlam, who had been prime minister from 5 December1972 until his dismissal.

'House of Reps (IRV) — 1975-77 — Turnout 95.39% (CV) — Informal 1.89%'

	'Party'	'Votes'	'%'	'Swing'	'Seats'	'Change'
	Australian Labor Party	3,313,004	42.84	-6.46	36	-30
	Liberal Party of Australia	3,232,159	41.80	+6.85	68	+28
	National Country Party	869,919	11.25	+1.29	23	+2
	Democratic Labor Party	101,750	1.32	-0.10	0	0
	Australia Party	33,630	0.43	-1.89	0	0
	Other	182,116	2.36		0	0
	Total	7,732,578			'127'
	'Liberal/Country coalition'	'WIN'	'55.70'	+7.40	'91'	+30
	Australian Labor Party		44.30	-7.40	36	-30

'Senate (STV) — 1975-77 — Turnout 95.39% (CV) — Informal 9.10%'

	'Party'	'Votes'	'%'	'Swing'	'Seats Won'	'Seats Held'
	Australian Labor Party	2,931,310	40.91	-6.38	27	27
	Liberal/Country (Joint Ticket)	2,855,721	39.86	+5.09	17
	Liberal Party of Australia	793,772	11.08	+3.26	16	26
	Democratic Labor Party	191,049	2.67	-0.89	0	0
	Liberal Movement	76,426	1.07	+0.11	1	1
	National Country Party	38,366	0.54	-0.76	1	8
	Country Liberal Party	15,519	0.22	-0.01	1	1
	Independents	114,310	1.60	-0.24	1	1
	Other	148,240	2.07		0	0
	Total	7,164,713			64	64

Independent: Brian Harradine

Contents

Issues

Significance

References

Issues

The election followed the controversial dismissal of the Whitlam government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr in the 1975 constitutional crisis. Labor campaigners hoped that the electorate would "maintain [its] rage" and punish the Coalition for its part in bringing down the government, proclaiming "Shame Fraser, Shame". However, the Coalition successfully focused on economic issues and alleged Labor mismanagement of inflation and the so-called Loans Affair, campaigning under the slogan "Turn on the lights, Australia".

Significance

The 1975 election produced the most one-sided redistribution of seats since Federation. Territories had received full voting rights in the election as a consequence of Australia's only Joint Sitting in history (1974).

References

★ AustralianPolitics.com 1975 election details

★ University of WA election results in Australia since 1890

★ AEC 2PP vote

★ Prior to 1984 the AEC did not undertake a full distribution of preferences for statistical purposes. The stored ballot papers for the 1983 election were put through this process prior to their destruction. Therefore the figures from 1983 onwards show the actual result based on full distribution of preferences.