1946 Australian federal election

none April 2024 June 2023 1946 Australian federal election Australia parliamentary no 1943 Australian federal election 1943 1949 Australian federal election 1949 Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1943–1946 Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1946–1949 4,739,853 ( 6.12%) 4,453,941 (93.97%)(2.35 pp) All 75The Northern Territory had one seat, but members for the territories did not have full voting rights until 1966 and did not count toward government formation. seats of the House of Representatives 38 seats were needed for a majority in the House 19 (of the 36) seats of the Senate 28 September 1946 190x190px File:Benchifley.jpg Ben Chifley 13 July 1945 Australian Labor Party Macquarie (NSW) 49 seats 43 seats 6 2,159,953 49.71% 0.22 54.10% 4.10 File:Portrait Menzies 1950s.jpg Robert Menzies 23 September 1943 Liberal Party of Australia LiberalCountry Kooyong (Vic.) 19 seats 29 seats 10 1,896,349 43.65% 13.20 45.90% 4.10 170x170px E2725B Jack Lang Labor (Non-Communist) Reid (NSW)(won seat) 0 seats 1 seat 1 69,138 1.59% 0.87 Independents IND 150x150px N/A N/A Independents N/A 79,040 1.82% −10.34 3 seats 2 seats 1 Independent politician TPP TPP swing Prime Minister Ben Chifley Australian Labor Party Subsequent Prime Minister Ben Chifley Australian Labor Party 1946 Australian federal election.svg Results by division for the House of Representatives, shaded by winning party's margin of victory. Primary A federal election was held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Labor Party led by Prime Minister Ben Chifley defeated the opposition Liberal–Country coalition, led by Robert Menzies. It was the Liberal Party's first federal election since its creation. This was the first time the Labor party had won a second consecutive election. This was also the last time the Labor party would win a federal election until the 1972 election. The election was held in conjunction with three referendum questions, one of which was carried. Results House of Representatives Results of the 1946 Australian federal election (House of Representatives) thumb|#F00011 Labor: 43 seats #00008B Liberal: 18 seats #008000 Country: 11 seats #E2725B Lang Labor: 1 seat #707070 Independent: 1 seat + House of Reps (IRV) — 1946–49—Turnout 93.97% (CV) — Informal 2.45%alt=|center|300x300px Party First preference votes % Swing Seats Change   Labor 2,159,953 49.71 −0.22 43 −6   Liberal–Country coalition 1,896,349 43.65 +13.20 29 +6   Liberal100px 1,431,682 32.95 +11.05 18 +4   Country100px 464,667 10.70 +2.16 11 +2   Labor (Non-Communist) 69,138 1.59 +0.87 1 +1   Communist 64,811 1.49 +1.49 0 0   Services 55,140 1.27 +1.27 0 0   Protestant People's 20,111 0.46 +0.46 0 0   Independents 79,040 1.82 −10.34 2Including Northern Territory -1   Total 4,344,542     75 Two-party-preferred (estimated)   Labor Win 54.10 −4.10 43 −6   Liberal–Country coalition 45.90 +4.10 29 +6 Notes Independent: Doris Blackburn (Bourke, Vic.) In South Australia, the Liberal Party was known as the Liberal and Country League. First preference vote var(--background-color-interactive) 600px 410px Labor Australian Labor Party 49.71 Liberal Liberal Party of Australia 32.95 Country National Party of Australia 10.70 Lang Labor #E2725B 1.59 Independent/Other Independent (politician) 1.83 Two-party-preferred vote var(--background-color-interactive) 600px 410px Labor Australian Labor Party 54.10 Coalition Coalition (Australia) 45.90 Parliament seats var(--background-color-interactive) 600px 410px Labor Australian Labor Party 58.11 Coalition Coalition (Australia) 35.14 Senate + Senate (P BV) — 1946–49—Turnout 93.97% (CV) — Informal 8.01%alt=|center|300x300px Party First preference votes % Swing Seats won Seats held Change   Labor 2,133,272 52.06 −3.02 16 33 +11   Liberal–Country coalition 1,775,022 43.33 +5.18 3 3 –11   Liberal–Country joint ticket 1,561,718 38.12 N/A 3 N/A N/A   Liberal 213,304 5.21 N/A 0 2 –10   Country N/A N/A N/A 0 1 –1   Protestant People's 123,541 3.02 +3.02 0 0 0   Services 37,724 0.92 +0.92 0 0 0   Independents 27,767 0.68 –3.83 0 0 0   Total 4,097,326     19 36 Notes Of the three senators elected on Liberal–Country joint tickets, two were Liberal Party members and one was a Country Party member. Seats changing hands Seat Pre-1946 Swing Post-1946 Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Bourke, Vic  Labor Bill Bryson 3.6 4.7 1.1 Doris Blackburn Independent  Calare, NSW  Labor John Breen 9.9 11.7 1.8 John Howse Liberal  Capricornia, Qld  Labor Frank Forde 5.9 8.8 2.9 Charles Davidson Country  Franklin, Tas  Labor Charles Frost 9.9 10.0 0.1 Bill Falkinder Liberal  Henty, Vic  Independent Arthur Coles 5.5 9.8 4.3 Jo Gullett Liberal  Reid, NSW  Labor Charles Morgan N/A 7.4 4.2 Jack Lang Lang Labor  Swan, WA  Labor Don Mountjoy 3.0 3.2 0.2 Len Hamilton Country  Wakefield, SA  Labor Albert Smith 1.2 3.9 2.7 Philip McBride Liberal  Wilmot, Tas  Liberal Allan Guy 1.7 3.4 1.7 Gil Duthie Labor  Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election. See also Candidates of the 1946 Australian federal election Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1946–1949 Members of the Australian Senate, 1947–1950 Notes References University of WA https://web.archive.org/web/20150118085343/http://elections.uwa.edu.au/ 18 January 2015 election results in Australia since 1890 Two-party-preferred vote since 1937 Category:Federal elections in Australia Category:1946 elections in Australia Category:September 1946 in Australia Category:Aftermath of World War II in Australia