Western Australian state election, 1980
Encyclopedia
Elections were held in the state
of Western Australia
on 23 February 1980 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly
and 16 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council
. The Liberal
-National Country
coalition government, led by Premier
Sir Charles Court
, won a third term in office against the Labor Party
, led by Opposition Leader
Ron Davies
.
The election produced very little in terms of the balance of the parties in Parliament—Labor won Kimberley
from the Liberals in the Assembly, and a North Province seat in the Council, but lost two Council seats to the Liberals—one each in North Metropolitan
and South-East Metropolitan
. However, Labor received a substantial swing overall, increasing majorities in seats it already held, and reducing Liberal majorities in western suburban seats and pushing the key seats of Bunbury
and Pilbara into marginal status. Despite a vigorous campaign against each other, the National Country and National parties, which had split in August 1978, failed to gain any seats off each other, each retaining three seats in the Assembly, and the former retaining one in the Council.
Notes:
Notes:
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
on 23 February 1980 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
and 16 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
. The Liberal
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...
-National Country
National Party of Western Australia
The National Party of Western Australia is a political party in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the National Party of Australia but maintains a separate structure and identity....
coalition government, led by Premier
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
Sir Charles Court
Charles Court
Sir Charles Walter Michael Court, was a Western Australian politician, 21st Premier of Western Australia and member for the seat of Nedlands for the Liberal Party for nearly 30 years.-Early life:...
, won a third term in office against the 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 Opposition Leader
Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)
The Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the Legislative Assembly...
Ron Davies
Ron Davies (Western Australian politician)
Ronald "Ron" Davies was an Australian politician, who was an Australian Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Victoria Park from 1961 to 1986....
.
The election produced very little in terms of the balance of the parties in Parliament—Labor won Kimberley
Electoral district of Kimberley
-External links:* ABC Election Profiles: * WAEC District Maps:...
from the Liberals in the Assembly, and a North Province seat in the Council, but lost two Council seats to the Liberals—one each in North Metropolitan
North Metropolitan Province
The North Metropolitan Province was a two-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in metropolitan Perth. It was one of several metropolitan seats created following the enactment of the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1963, and became effective on 22 May 1965...
and South-East Metropolitan
South-East Metropolitan Province
The South-East Metropolitan Province was a two-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in metropolitan Perth. It was one of several metropolitan seats created following the enactment of the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1963, and became effective on 22...
. However, Labor received a substantial swing overall, increasing majorities in seats it already held, and reducing Liberal majorities in western suburban seats and pushing the key seats of Bunbury
Electoral district of Bunbury
The Electoral district of Bunbury is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.The district, taking in the city of Bunbury has existed continuously since 1890, being one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election...
and Pilbara into marginal status. Despite a vigorous campaign against each other, the National Country and National parties, which had split in August 1978, failed to gain any seats off each other, each retaining three seats in the Assembly, and the former retaining one in the Council.
Legislative Assembly
|}Notes:
- 714,724 electors were enrolled to vote at the election, but two seats were uncontested: the seat of Collie, held by Labor's Tom JonesTom Jones (Australian politician)Thomas Henry Jones OAM is a retired Australian politician and trade union leader. He served the Australian Labor Party as member for Collie from 1968 until his retirement in 1989.-Early life:...
and representing 8,854 electors, and East MelvilleElectoral district of East MelvilleEast Melville was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1962 to 1989.The district was based in the inner southern suburbs of Perth. It was a safe Liberal Party seat.-History:...
, won by the Liberals' Antony Trethowan representing 16,804 electors, which was uncontested due to the Labor candidate's failure to submit their nomination on time. - The National Country Party contested seven seats in the 1977 electionWestern Australian state election, 1977Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 19 February 1977 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly and 17 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council...
, winning six of them and attaining 5.28% of the vote. The National Party split from the National Country Party on 10 August 1978, with the former contesting 8 seats and the latter 11.
Legislative Council
|}Notes:
- The National Country Party contested four seats in the 1977 electionWestern Australian state election, 1977Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 19 February 1977 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly and 17 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council...
, winning three of them and attaining 5.56% of the vote. The National Party split from the National Country Party on 10 August 1978, with the former contesting 5 seats and the latter 4.
See also
- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1977–1980Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1977–1980This is a list of members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1977 to 1980:-Notes:...
- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1980–1983Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1980–1983This is a list of members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1983:-Notes:This is a list of members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1983:-Notes:...