AUSTRALIAN GENERAL ELECTION, 1983

Federal election major party leaders
1980 1983 1984
'Liberal' 'Malcolm Fraser' 'Prime Minister' 'Parliament': 25 years 'Leader since': 1975 'Division': Wannon
'Labor' 'Bob Hawke' 'Opposition leader' 'Parliament': 3 years 'Leader since': 1983 'Division': Wills 'WIN'

'Federal elections' were held in Australia on 5 March 1983. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election, in a double dissolution. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia government in power since 1975 led by Malcolm Fraser with coalition partner the National Party of Australia led by Doug Anthony was defeated by the opposition Australian Labor Party led by Bob Hawke.

'House of Reps (IRV) — 1983-84 — Turnout 94.64% (CV) — Informal 2.09%'

	'Party'	'Votes'	'%'	'Swing'	'Seats'	'Change'
	Australian Labor Party	4,297,392	49.48	+4.34	75	+24
	Liberal Party of Australia	2,983,986	34.36	-3.07	33	-21
	National Party of Australia	799,609	9.21	+0.24	17	-3
	Australian Democrats	437,265	5.03	-1.54	0	0
	Other	166,611	1.92	+0.04	0	0
	Total	8,684,863			'125'
	'Australian Labor Party'	'WIN'	'53.23'	+3.63	'75'	+24
	Liberal/National coalition		46.77	-3.63	50	-24

'Senate (STV) — 1983-84 — Turnout 94.64% (CV) — Informal 9.87%'

	'Party'	'Votes'	'%'	'Swing'	'Seats Won'	'Seats Held'
	Australian Labor Party	3,637,316	45.49	+3.24	30	30
	Liberal/National (Joint Ticket)	1,861,618	23.28	-2.35	8
	Liberal Party of Australia	923,571	11.55	-1.59	16	23
	Australian Democrats	764,911	9.57	+0.31	5	5
	National Party of Australia	388,802	4.86	+0.41	3	4
	Country Liberal Party	21,406	0.27	+0.02	1	1
	Independents	193,454	2.42	+1.29	1	1
	Other	203,967	2.55	-1.34	0	0
	Total	7,995,045			64	64

Independent: Brian Harradine
__TOC__


The coalition government led by Malcolm Fraser had to contend with a parlous economic situation with high inflation and high unemployment. The nation had seen an increase in industrial disputation and many rural areas were gripped by drought. In the previous year, Fraser had fought off a leadership challenge from Andrew Peacock, who had resigned from the Cabinet citing Fraser's "manic determination to get his own way", a phrase Fraser had himself used when he resigned from the Gorton ministry in 1971.
A by-election in Flinders in December 1982, occasioned by the retirement of Phillip Lynch, had seen an unexpected victory by the Liberal candidate, Peter Reith.
On 3 February 1983, in a meeting in Brisbane, Labor leader Bill Hayden was told by his closest supporters that he must resign, which he did. Hawke was then elected leader unopposed. Later that morning, emboldened by the December by-election but unaware of the events in Brisbane, Fraser in Canberra called a snap election for 5 March. In response to his removal, Hayden claimed that a "drover's dog" could lead the ALP to victory.

Contents

References

References

★ University of WA election results in Australia since 1890

★ AEC 2PP vote

★ AustralianPolitics.com election details