1950 Victorian state election

Australian state election April 2022 1950 Victorian state election Victoria 1901 parliamentary no 1947 Victorian state election 1947 1952 Victorian state election 1952 All 65 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly33 seats needed for a majority yes 1950 5 13 TomHollway.jpg 140 130 170 0 10 center Thomas Hollway 3 December 1940 Liberal and Country Party 080CAB Ballarat 40.69% 3.53 27 seats 30 seats 27 seats 3 John_Cain_1954.jpg 180 130 170 32 24 center John Cain 18 October 1937 Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch) Northcote 45.29% 4.42 17 seats 16 seats 24 seats 8 Johnmcdonaldmp.jpg 140 130 170 0 7 center John McDonald 22 November 1945 Country Party (Victoria) Shepparton 10.64% 4.28 20 seats 16 seats 13 seats 3 1950 Victorian state election.svg 400px Results in each electorate Premier Thomas Hollway Liberal and Country Party Thomas Hollway Liberal and Country Party The 1950 Victorian state election was held in the Australian state of Victoria on Saturday 13 May 1950 to elect 65 members of the state's Legislative Assembly. Background The previous state election in May 1947 had resulted in the Liberal–Country coalition led by Thomas Hollway winning by a substantial majority. In late 1948, Country leader and Deputy Premier John McDonald criticised Hollway over his "lack of strength" in dealing with a long-running transport strike, and his conciliatory negotiations with the transport unions.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2775132 VICTORIAN HOUSE DISSOLVED ELECTION IN MAY. The Canberra Times ACT 13 April 1950 18 May 2012 1 National Library of Australia Hollway responded by sacking McDonald as his deputy and dissolving the coalition. The Country Party became the official opposition (with three seats more than Labor in the assembly). Hollway formed a minority Liberal government, convincing four Country Party assembly members (Guye, Hedditch, Hipworth and Mibus) to defect to his party, which he provocatively renamed the Liberal and Country Party.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26489537 NO CHANGE IN VICTORIAN CABINET. The Mercury Hobart, Tas. 24 March 1949 18 May 2012 14 National Library of Australia Despite lacking a majority, Hollway's government survived for nearly a year due to the support of two Country members (Bennett and Hyland) and the casting vote of the Speaker, Sir Thomas Maltby, in vital divisions. In February 1950, the LCP voted to expel two members of the parliamentary party—Fred Edmunds and John Lechte—for disloyalty, reducing the government's members to 30.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52771169 EARLY ELECTION IS TIPPED IN VIC. The Examiner Launceston, Tas. 15 February 1950 18 May 2012 5 National Library of Australia On 12 April, the Governor of Victoria, Sir Dallas Brooks, summoned McDonald and Labor leader John Cain to gain their assurance that they would not form a joint ministry. Hollway was then summoned, and agreeing that the house had become unworkable and that there was no chance of the LCP and Country Party reconciling, was granted a dissolution of the assembly. Labor had lost the seat of Geelong to the Liberals in a 1948 by-election following the death of Fanny Brownbill.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47142560 GEELONG SEAT. The West Australian Perth 16 November 1948 18 May 2012 10 Edition: 2nd EDITION National Library of Australia Former Premier and member for Korong, Sir Albert Dunstan, died suddenly on 14 April, the day after the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly and the issue of the election writs. Due to the proximity of the general election, no by-election was held for his seat.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22822682 Sir Albert Dunstans career 'SHREWDEST MAN IN STATE POLITICS' IS DEAD. The Argus Melbourne 15 April 1950 18 May 2012 5 National Library of Australia Results Legislative Assembly Results of the 1950 Victorian state election (Legislative Assembly) Victorian state election, 13 May 1950Election held on 13 May 1950, Australian Politics and Elections Database (University of Western Australia).Colin A Hughes, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964, Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968 (0708102700). Legislative Assembly Victorian state election 1947 1952 1,294,159 1,221,734 94.40 +0.96 13,901 1.14 −0.19 Labor VIC 546,978 45.29 +4.42 24 +8 yes Liberal VIC Liberal and Country 491,448 40.69 +3.53 27 −3 Country VIC 128,537 10.64 −4.28 13 −3 Communist 6,308 0.52 +0.39 0 ±0 Independent 34,562 2.86 −4.06 1 ±0 1,207,833 65 |} Aftermath With the coalition between the Country Party and the Liberal and Country Party dissolved in the previous term, Hollway's LCP government's loss of six seats put it in a precarious situation—even further into minority although still holding more seats than each of Labor and the Country Party—so Hollway was expected to hold onto government.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52717570 Hollway Govt. Expected To Continue In Vic. The Examiner (Tasmania) CIX 53 Tasmania, Australia 15 May 1950 4 June 2021 1 National Library of Australia Negotiations between the CP and LCP continued into June, with the LCP proposing to offer Country leader John McDonald the role of Speaker, and cabinet positions to Country Party MPs in a "composite" government.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22834478 Mr. Hollway wants coalition Government LIBERALS WOOING C.P. WITH FOUR CABINET POSTS The Argus (Melbourne) 32,378 Victoria, Australia 10 June 1950 4 June 2021 9 National Library of Australia On 16 June, Hollway announced his new cabinet, with new ministers Les Norman and John Don being sworn in by the governor on 19 June to replace ministers who had resigned or lost their seats, although by this point it was clear that Hollway's government would be defeated on the floor of the Legislative Assembly in a no-confidence motion,http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248080243 New Cabinet for Victoria The Daily Telegraph XV 75 New South Wales, Australia 17 June 1950 4 June 2021 12 National Library of Australia which was all but confirmed when the state Labor caucus decided to support the Country Party over Hollway's government.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219763270 VICTORIAN GOVT. FACES CERTAIN DEFEAT Lithgow Mercury New South Wales, Australia 21 June 1950 4 June 2021 1 (Edition 1) National Library of Australia On 22 June, McDonald gave notice of his intention to raise a motion of no-confidence against Hollway's government, which he did. Debate continued for 17 hours until 4am on 23 June, when the Labor and Country parties combined to carry the no-confidence motion.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130789048 Four-day-old Vic. Govt. defeated News 54 8,386 South Australia 23 June 1950 4 June 2021 1 National Library of Australia Hollway resigned his commission as premier, after the governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, refused his request to dissolve the assembly and call a fresh election. Brooks then commissioned McDonald to form a government with only 13 seats in the assembly, but with the promise of support from the Labor Party on confidence and supply.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48627326 C. P. MINISTRY IN VICTORIA Barrier Miner LXIII 17,191 New South Wales, Australia 26 June 1950 4 June 2021 8 National Library of Australia As of 2024, this was the last Victorian state election that the Country Party/National party received over 10% of the vote. See also Candidates of the 1950 Victorian state election 1949 Victorian Legislative Council election References Category:1950 elections in Australia Category:Elections in Victoria (state) Category:1950s in Victoria (state) Category:May 1950 in Australia Category:History of Australia