Australian federal election, 1972
Encyclopedia
Federal elections were held in Australia on 2 December 1972. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives
were up for election. The Liberal Party of Australia
had been in power since 1949, under Prime Minister of Australia
William McMahon
since March 1971 with coalition
partner the Country Party led by Doug Anthony
, but were defeated by the Australian Labor Party
led by Gough Whitlam
.
See Australian Senate election, 1970
for Senate composition.
and Country
parties had been in Government for 23 years. Successive Coalition governments had focused their energies on national economic development and defence. However, Australia's economic development in the 1950s and 1960s had led to the emergence of a range of "quality of life" issues related to urban development, education, and healthcare. By 1972 these "quality of life" issues had come to represent a major political problem for the coalition parties. Traditionally all of these areas had been handled by the state governments, and the Coalition had always asserted the importance of states' rights, a view backed by Liberal state premiers like Robert Askin
and Henry Bolte
. Throughout 1966 to 1972, Gough Whitlam, as Labor leader, developed policies designed to deal with the problems of urban and regional development using the financial powers granted to the federal government under the Australian Constitution. The Labor focus on "cities, schools and hospitals", as Whitlam put it, made it electorally appealing especially to the growing proportion of the Australian electorate living in the outer suburbs of the major cities.
Many commentators came to believe that the inability of the coalition parties to counteract these policies made its focus on national development and defence seem dated by contrast, especially as the Vietnam War
began to enter its final stages. Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War had been initially popular, but as the prospect of a US victory diminished protests grew, especially focusing on the need to conscript
soldiers to fight. Liberal policies towards Vietnam had always focused on the need to "contain" communist China, but the gradual US and Australian withdrawal was hard to reconcile with this commitment. In addition, the government was embarrassed after criticising the opposition leader, Gough Whitlam, for visiting China only shortly before American President Nixon visited in 1972.
Finally the incumbent Prime Minister William McMahon
was no match for Whitlam, a witty and powerful orator. McMahon's position was precarious to begin with as he had only emerged as Liberal Leader after a prolonged period of turmoil following the Coalition's unexpectedly poor showing at half Senate elections held in 1970, and various state elections. He was further weakened by concerns about inflation and negative press coverage. For example, Rupert Murdoch
and his Australian newspaper supported the ALP. The ALP ran a strong campaign under the famous slogan, ‘It's Time
’ – a slogan which, coupled with its progressive policy programme, gave it great momentum within the electorate after 23 years of Conservative rule.
No Senate
seats were up for election, although Queensland did hold a by-election for a single Senate seat because it had fallen vacant when Liberal Senator Annabelle Rankin
resigned in 1971. The Queensland Parliament's temporary appointee, Neville Bonner
(Australia's first Aboriginal Senator), faced and won a by-election held in conjunction with the next House of Representatives following, as required by Section 15 of the Constitution before it was amended by referendum in 1977.
, 1996 election or 2007 election, for example). The comparatively small size of Whitlam's win is partly explained by his strong performance at the previous election of 1969
, where he achieved a 7 percent swing, gaining 18 seats, from a low of 41 of 124 seats and a 43 percent two-party figure at the 1966 election
. In addition, the Senate was hostile to Whitlam, with the Coalition and Democratic Labor Parties holding more seats than the ALP, as the term of the Senate at the time was 1970
to 1974. This in particular would make governing difficult and led to the early double dissolution election of 1974
.
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
were up for election. The Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
had been in power since 1949, under Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
William McMahon
William McMahon
Sir William "Billy" McMahon, GCMG, CH , was an Australian Liberal politician and the 20th Prime Minister of Australia...
since March 1971 with coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
partner the Country Party led by Doug Anthony
Doug Anthony
John Douglas Anthony, AC, CH , is a former Australian politician. He was leader of the National Party from 1971 to 1984, and Deputy Prime Minister from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1975 to 1983.-Early life:...
, but were defeated by the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
led by Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
.
| Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | |
| Australian Labor Party Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
3,273,549 | 49.59 | +2.64 | 67 | +8 | |
| Liberal Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
2,115,085 | 32.04 | −2.73 | 38 | −8 | |
| Country Party | 622,826 | 9.44 | +0.88 | 20 | 0 | |
| Democratic Labor Party Democratic Labor Party (historical) The Democratic Labor Party was an Australian political party that existed from 1955 until 1978.-History:The DLP was formed as a result of a split in the Australian Labor Party that began in 1954. The split was between the party's national leadership, under the then party leader Dr H.V... |
346,415 | 5.25 | −0.77 | 0 | 0 | |
| Australia Party Australia Party The Australia Party was the name of a minor political party in Australia .... |
159,916 | 2.42 | +1.55 | 0 | 0 | |
| Other | 83,259 | 1.26 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 6,601,050 | 125 | ||||
| Australian Labor Party Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
WIN | 52.70 | +2.50 | 67 | +8 | |
| Liberal/Country coalition Coalition (Australia) The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922... |
47.30 | −2.50 | 58 | −8 |
See Australian Senate election, 1970
Australian Senate election, 1970
Half-senate elections were held in Australia on 21 November 1970.Independents: Reg Turnbull , Michael Townley , Syd Negus -See also:*Candidates of the Australian Senate election, 1970...
for Senate composition.
Seats changing hands
| Seat | Pre-1972 | Swing | Post-1972 | ||||||
| Party | Member | Margin | Margin | Member | Party | ||||
| Bendigo, Vic Division of Bendigo The Division of Bendigo is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the city of Bendigo... |
Labor | David Kennedy David Kennedy (Australian politician) Andrew David Kennedy was an Australian politician. Born in Ulverstone, Tasmania, he attended University High School in Melbourne and then the University of Melbourne, after which he became a teacher in Victorian state schools... |
3.0 | 3.2 | 0.2 | John Bourchier John Bourchier (Australian politician) John William Bourchier, CBE was an Australian politician. Born in Ballarat, Victoria, he was a company manager before entering politics. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Liberal member for Bendigo. He held the seat until his defeat by future Victorian... |
Liberal | ||
| Casey, Vic Division of Casey The Division of Casey is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1969 and is named for Richard Casey, who was Governor-General of Australia 1965-69. It is located in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne and includes the suburbs of Croydon, Montrose and Olinda... |
Liberal | Peter Howson Peter Howson (Australian politician) Peter Howson, CMG was an Australian politician.-Biography:Howson was born in London, England in 1919 to Jessie and George Arthur Howson, and was educated at Stowe School and Trinity College, Cambridge... |
5.0 | 7.2 | 2.2 | Race Mathews Race Mathews Charles Race Thorson Mathews, always known as Race Mathews is a Co-operative economist, and former member of Victoria's State Parliament and Australia's Federal Parliament for the Australian Labor Party... |
Labor | ||
| Cook, NSW Division of Cook The Division of Cook is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1969 and is named for James Cook, who mapped the east coast of Australia in 1770. It is located in the southern suburbs of Sydney, including Caringbah, Cronulla, Miranda and Sylvania... |
Liberal | Don Dobie Don Dobie James Donald Mathieson "Don" Dobie was an Australian politician. Born in Glasgow in Scotland, he migrated to Australia as a child and was educated at Brisbane Grammar School, the University of Melbourne, and Columbia University in New York... |
2.8 | 3.5 | 0.7 | Ray Thorburn Ray Thorburn Raymond William "Ray" Thorburn was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he was educated at Sydney Technical College before becoming an electrical engineer... |
Labor | ||
| Darling Downs, Qld Division of Darling Downs The Division of Darling Downs was an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created at Federation in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was abolished in 1984 when it was replaced by the Division of Groom... |
Liberal | Reginald Swartz Reginald Swartz Sir Reginald William Colin Swartz KBE , best known as Reg Swartz, was a Minister during the governments of Sir Robert Menzies, Harold Holt and John Gorton in Australia... |
N/A | 3.4 | 11.3 | Tom McVeigh Tom McVeigh Daniel Thomas "Tom" McVeigh is a former Australian politician.McVeigh was born in Allora, Queensland and was a farmer before entering the Australian Parliament... |
Country | ||
| Denison, Tas Division of Denison The Division of Denison is anAustralian Electoral Division in Tasmania.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir William Denison, who was Lt-Governor of Van Diemens Land 1847-55... |
Liberal | Robert Solomon Robert Solomon (Australian politician) Robert John Solomon AM is a retired Australian politician. Born in Condobolin, New South Wales, he was educated at Barker College, the University of Sydney and Oxford University before receiving a PhD from the University of Tasmania... |
2.6 | 7.2 | 4.6 | John Coates John Coates (Australian politician) John Coates is a retired Australian politician. Born in Melbourne, he was educated at the University of Sydney, after which he became a biochemist at the University of Tasmania. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Denison, defeating sitting... |
Labor | ||
| Diamond Valley, Vic Division of Diamond Valley The Division of Diamond Valley was anAustralian Electoral Division in Victoria.The division was created in 1969 and abolished in 1984. It was named for the Diamond Creek area. It was located in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, including Doncaster, Watsonia, Eltham and Templestowe... |
Liberal | Neil Brown Neil Brown (Australian politician) Neil Anthony Brown, QC is an Australian lawyer, arbitrator, mediator and former Member of the Federal Parliament of Australia and Minister in the Federal Government.... |
6.1 | 7.7 | 1.6 | David McKenzie | Labor | ||
| Evans, NSW Division of Evans The Division of Evans was anAustralian Electoral Division in New South Wales.The division was created in 1949 and abolished in 1977. It was named for George Evans, an early explorer. It was located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney, including Ashfield, Croydon and Drummoyne... |
Liberal | Malcolm Mackay | 1.2 | 3.9 | 2.7 | Allan Mulder Allan Mulder Allan William Mulder was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he was a systems operator with Sydney City Council before his election to Canterbury Municipal Council, of which he was Mayor in 1967. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for... |
Labor | ||
| Forrest, WA Division of Forrest The Division of Forrest is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. The division was created in 1922 and is named for Sir John Forrest, the first Premier of Western Australia and a federal Cabinet minister. It is located in the south-western corner of the state, including the towns of... |
Labor | Frank Kirwan Frank Kirwan Frank McLeod Kirwan was an Australian politician. Born in Norseman, Western Australia, he was educated at state schools and the School of Mines in Perth, after which he became an electrical fitter. He was an official with the Electrical Trades Union and was also a Methodist minister... |
1.1 | 4.7 | 3.6 | Peter Drummond Peter Drummond (Australian politician) Peter Hertford Drummond is a retired Australian politician. Born in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, he moved to Western Australia where he farmed at Mount Barker before entering politics. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Liberal member for Forrest, defeating... |
Liberal | ||
| Holt, Vic Division of Holt The Division of Holt is anAustralian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1969 and is named for Harold Holt, who was Prime Minister of Australia 1966-67. It is located in... |
Liberal | Len Reid Len Reid Leonard Reid was a former Liberal Party of Australia member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly and the Australian House of Representatives.... |
3.5 | 7.9 | 4.4 | Max Oldmeadow Max Oldmeadow Maxwell Wilkinson "Max" Oldmeadow, OAM was an Australian politician. Born in Melbourne, he attended the University of Melbourne and then Melbourne Teachers' College. He served in the military during World War II, 1942-45. He was then a teacher and part-time lecturer at Monash University, and was... |
Labor | ||
| Hume, NSW Division of Hume The Division of Hume is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. The Division is located in the central part of the state, just north of the Australian Capital Territory. The Division covers a predominantly rural area, with agriculture and coal mining the main industries... |
Country | John Pettitt John Pettitt John Alexander Pettitt was an Australian politician. Born in Geelong, Victoria, he was educated at Geelong College before becoming a farmer at Harden, New South Wales. He served in the military from 1940-43... |
1.0 | 2.9 | 1.9 | Frank Olley Frank Olley Frank Olley was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he was educated at Granville Technical College before becoming an electrical tradesman with the New South Wales State Electricity Commission. He was involved in local politics as a member of Yass Municipal Council... |
Labor | ||
| La Trobe, Vic Division of La Trobe The Division of La Trobe is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the outer eastern/south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. It was originally located closer to the city, but redistributions moved it further south-east. It originally included the suburbs of Croydon,... |
Liberal | John Jess John Jess John David Jess, CBE was an Australian politician. Born in Melbourne, he attended Melbourne Grammar School before becoming an estate agent. He was elected to the Australian House of Representatives in a 1960 by-election for the seat of La Trobe, representing the Liberal Party. He held the seat... |
5.2 | 10.2 | 5.0 | Tony Lamb Tony Lamb Antony Hamilton "Tony" Lamb, OAM was an Australian politician. Born in Horsham, Victoria, he was educated at the University of Melbourne and then the Victorian College of Pharmacy, becoming a pharmacist. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for La... |
Labor | ||
| Lilley, Qld Division of Lilley The Division of Lilley is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was first proclaimed in 1913. The division is named after Sir Charles Lilley, a former Premier of Queensland and a former Chief Justice in the Supreme Court of Queensland.... |
Liberal | Kevin Cairns | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.0 | Frank Doyle Frank Doyle (Australian politician) Francis Edward "Frank" Doyle was an Australian politician. Born in Oakey, Queensland, he was an engine driver and secretary of the Queensland branch of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen before entering politics... |
Labor | ||
| Macarthur, NSW Division of Macarthur The Division of Macarthur is an Australia Federal electoral division covering outer south-west Sydney. Its present boundaries cover the southern suburbs of Campbelltown, all of the local government area of Camden and small parts of Wollondilly. It covers 537 km² and is named after John... |
Liberal | Jeff Bate | 3.8 | 6.0 | 2.2 | John Kerin John Kerin John Charles Kerin, AM is an Australian economist and former Australian Labor Party politician.-Career in politics:... |
Labor | ||
| McMillan, Vic Division of McMillan The Division of McMillan is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the western part of the Gippsland region, which extends for the length of Victoria's eastern Bass Strait coastline. It includes the outer south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Pakenham, and also... |
Liberal | Alexander Buchanan Alexander Buchanan Alexander Andrew Buchanan was an Australian politician. Born in Melbourne, he was educated there at Scotch College and then at the University of Melbourne. He became a manager and a manufacturing and wholesale merchant before serving in the military 1942-43... |
N/A | 2.9 | 2.4 | Arthur Hewson | Country | ||
| McPherson, Qld Division of McPherson The Division of McPherson is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created in 1948 and is named for the McPherson Range, which forms one of the divisional boundaries... |
Country | Charles Barnes Charles Barnes Charles Edward "Ceb" Barnes was a long serving member of the Australian House of Representatives who served as a Minister under five prime ministers.... |
N/A | 6.5 | 4.7 | Eric Robinson Eric Robinson (Australian politician) Eric Laidlaw Robinson was an Australian politician.Robinson took over his family's sporting goods business and built it up from a single store into a chain along the Queensland coast. He was president of the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party in from 1968 to 1973. He was elected to the... |
Liberal | ||
| Mitchell, NSW Division of Mitchell The Division of Mitchell is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the north-west suburbs of Sydney, and includes the entire suburbs of Baulkham Hills, Beaumont Hills, Bella Vista, Box Hill, Kellyville, Nelson and Winston Hills... |
Liberal | Leslie Irwin Leslie Irwin Leslie Herbert Irwin, CBE was an Australian politician. Born in Newcastle, New South Wales, he was educated at state schools and underwent military service 1916-30. Upon the end of his service, he became a bank manager. In 1961, he was selected as the Liberal candidate for the seat of Mitchell in... |
2.5 | 3.7 | 1.2 | Alfred Ashley-Brown Alfred Ashley-Brown Alfred Ashley-Brown was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he was a company director, and served in the military 1942-45. A member of Blacktown City Council, he was the mayor from 1961–65 and 1968-71. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for... |
Labor | ||
| Phillip, NSW Division of Phillip The Division of Phillip was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It was located in the Sydney's eastern suburbs, and was named after Captain Arthur Phillip, captain of the First Fleet and first Governor of New South Wales... |
Liberal | William Aston William Aston Sir William John Aston, KCMG was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he attended state schools before becoming an accountant and company director. He served in World War II from 1942-44, and was involved in local politics as a member of Waverley Council... |
0.4 | 4.1 | 3.7 | Joe Riordan Joe Riordan Joseph Martin "Joe" Riordan AO is a former Australian politician and briefly government minister.A Catholic, Riordan was born in Sydney and educated at Patrician Brothers School and Marist Brother College in that city. He married Patricia Watkins in 1955; they have four sons and two daughters... |
Labor | ||
| Stirling, WA Division of Stirling The Division of Stirling is an Australian Electoral Division in the inner northern and beachside suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. It includes the suburbs of Balcatta, Balga, Carine, Innaloo, Nollamara, North Beach, Scarborough, Stirling, Trigg and Yokine.... |
Labor | Harry Webb Harry Webb (Australian politician) Charles Harry Webb was an Australian politician. Born in England, he migrated to Australia in 1913 and was educated at state schools, after which he became a locomotive engineman... |
5.5 | 8.4 | 2.9 | Ian Viner Ian Viner Robert Ian Viner AO is an Australian former politician. He was the Liberal Party of Australia member for the House of Representatives seat of Stirling from 1972 until his defeat by Ron Edwards in the 1983 election... |
Liberal | ||
| Sturt, SA Division of Sturt The Division of Sturt is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia.First proclaimed for the 1949 election, Sturt was named for Captain Charles Sturt, nineteenth century explorer and the first European to discover the Murray River... |
Labor | Norman Foster | 0.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 | Ian Wilson Ian Wilson (politician) Ian Bonython Cameron Wilson , solicitor, company director and Australian politician, was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the son of Sir Keith Wilson, a prominent United Australia Party and Liberal Party politician... |
Liberal | ||
- Members in italics did not contest their seat at this election.
Issues
The 1972 Election campaigns was concerned with a combination of Vietnam and domestic policy issues, and the role of the federal government in resolving these issues. The Coalition of the LiberalLiberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
and Country
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
parties had been in Government for 23 years. Successive Coalition governments had focused their energies on national economic development and defence. However, Australia's economic development in the 1950s and 1960s had led to the emergence of a range of "quality of life" issues related to urban development, education, and healthcare. By 1972 these "quality of life" issues had come to represent a major political problem for the coalition parties. Traditionally all of these areas had been handled by the state governments, and the Coalition had always asserted the importance of states' rights, a view backed by Liberal state premiers like Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
and Henry Bolte
Henry Bolte
Sir Henry Edward Bolte GCMG was an Australian politician. He was the 38th and longest serving Premier of Victoria.- Early years :...
. Throughout 1966 to 1972, Gough Whitlam, as Labor leader, developed policies designed to deal with the problems of urban and regional development using the financial powers granted to the federal government under the Australian Constitution. The Labor focus on "cities, schools and hospitals", as Whitlam put it, made it electorally appealing especially to the growing proportion of the Australian electorate living in the outer suburbs of the major cities.
Many commentators came to believe that the inability of the coalition parties to counteract these policies made its focus on national development and defence seem dated by contrast, especially as the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
began to enter its final stages. Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War had been initially popular, but as the prospect of a US victory diminished protests grew, especially focusing on the need to conscript
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
soldiers to fight. Liberal policies towards Vietnam had always focused on the need to "contain" communist China, but the gradual US and Australian withdrawal was hard to reconcile with this commitment. In addition, the government was embarrassed after criticising the opposition leader, Gough Whitlam, for visiting China only shortly before American President Nixon visited in 1972.
Finally the incumbent Prime Minister William McMahon
William McMahon
Sir William "Billy" McMahon, GCMG, CH , was an Australian Liberal politician and the 20th Prime Minister of Australia...
was no match for Whitlam, a witty and powerful orator. McMahon's position was precarious to begin with as he had only emerged as Liberal Leader after a prolonged period of turmoil following the Coalition's unexpectedly poor showing at half Senate elections held in 1970, and various state elections. He was further weakened by concerns about inflation and negative press coverage. For example, Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
and his Australian newspaper supported the ALP. The ALP ran a strong campaign under the famous slogan, ‘It's Time
It's Time
It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative government, Labor put forward a raft of major policy proposals, accompanied by a...
’ – a slogan which, coupled with its progressive policy programme, gave it great momentum within the electorate after 23 years of Conservative rule.
No Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
seats were up for election, although Queensland did hold a by-election for a single Senate seat because it had fallen vacant when Liberal Senator Annabelle Rankin
Annabelle Rankin
Dame Annabelle Jane Mary Rankin DBE was the second woman member of the Australian Senate, the first woman from Queensland to sit in the Parliament of Australia, the first woman to have a federal portfolio and the first woman to be appointed head of a foreign mission.-Biography:Rankin was born in...
resigned in 1971. The Queensland Parliament's temporary appointee, Neville Bonner
Neville Bonner
Neville Thomas Bonner AO was an Australian politician, and the first indigenous Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia...
(Australia's first Aboriginal Senator), faced and won a by-election held in conjunction with the next House of Representatives following, as required by Section 15 of the Constitution before it was amended by referendum in 1977.
Significance
The 1972 election ended 23 years of conservative Government. The new Labor Government of Gough Whitlam was eager to make long-planned reforms, although it struggled against a lack of experience in its cabinet. The 1972 election is also unusual as Whitlam only scraped into office with a thin majority of 9 seats. Typically, elections that produce a change of government in Australia are decisive (as in the 1983 electionAustralian federal election, 1983
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, following a double dissolution...
, 1996 election or 2007 election, for example). The comparatively small size of Whitlam's win is partly explained by his strong performance at the previous election of 1969
Australian federal election, 1969
Federal elections were held in Australia on 25 October 1969. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia John Gorton with coalition partner the Country Party led by John McEwen defeated the Australian...
, where he achieved a 7 percent swing, gaining 18 seats, from a low of 41 of 124 seats and a 43 percent two-party figure at the 1966 election
Australian federal election, 1966
Federal elections were held in Australia on 26 November 1966. All 124 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt with coalition partner the Country Party led by John McEwen defeated the...
. In addition, the Senate was hostile to Whitlam, with the Coalition and Democratic Labor Parties holding more seats than the ALP, as the term of the Senate at the time was 1970
Australian Senate election, 1970
Half-senate elections were held in Australia on 21 November 1970.Independents: Reg Turnbull , Michael Townley , Syd Negus -See also:*Candidates of the Australian Senate election, 1970...
to 1974. This in particular would make governing difficult and led to the early double dissolution election of 1974
Australian federal election, 1974
Federal elections were held in Australia on 18 May 1974. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, due to a double dissolution...
.
See also
- Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1972Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1972This article provides information on candidates who stood for the 1972 Australian federal election. The election was held on 2 December 1972.-Labor:*Arthur Calwell MP *Allan Fraser MP *Charles Griffiths MP...
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1972-1974Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1972-1974This is a list of members of the Australian House of Representatives from 1972 to 1974. At the 2 December 1972 election, all 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election...