1996 Australian Labor Party leadership election

none April 2022 1996 Australian Labor Partyleadership election 1990s ALP logo.png presidential Caucus no December 1991 Australian Labor Party leadership spill 1991 (Dec) 2001 Australian Labor Party leadership election 2001 19 March 1996 160x160px Kim Beazley DC241F Unopposed Leader Paul Keating Kim Beazley The Australian Labor Party held a leadership election on 19 March 1996, following the resignation of Paul Keating after the party's defeat at the 1996 federal election. Kim Beazley was elected unopposed as Keating's replacement, thus becoming Leader of the Opposition. Background Speculation about Keating's successor began midway through his second term in office, as a result of consistently poor polling. Finance Minister Kim Beazley, Health Minister Carmen Lawrence, Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, and Employment Minister Simon Crean were all reported as possible contenders at various stages.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118194107 Early odds for Labor Succession Stakes The Canberra Times 29 July 1994https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130550415 Paul Keating's kiss of death The Canberra Times 13 May 1995https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127532711 Sprucing up Kim Beazley The Canberra Times 24 June 1995 In June 1995, deputy leader Brian Howe announced his resignation. Beazley was elected unopposed as his replacement, thus becoming Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. Keating then endorsed Beazley as his own eventual successor, stating that he was "the obvious person in the long run". It was reported that Carmen Lawrence was the preferred candidate of Howe's Labor Left faction for the deputy leadership, but that she chose not to stand because she did not have the numbers in the caucus as a whole. Her position was thought to have been damaged by an ongoing Western Australian royal commission into her role in the Easton affair.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127531913 21 June 1995 Howe goes: Beazley gets the nod The Canberra Times In April 1995, opinion polling by AGB McNair on behalf of The Sydney Morning Herald had Gareth Evans (20 percent), Carmen Lawrence (18 percent), Kim Beazley (13 percent), and Simon Crean (8 percent) as the favourites to succeed Paul Keating as Labor leader, although 31 percent of respondents were unsure.18% want Lawrence to lead ALP The Sydney Morning Herald 26 April 1995 By July 1995, the same polling firm had Beazley on 27 percent, followed by Lawrence (19 percent), Evans (10 percent), and Crean (9 percent).Beazley favored as next leader The Age 5 July 1995 Keating announced he would resign as Labor leader on the night of 2 March 1996, when it became clear that Labor had lost the federal election to John Howard's Coalition. By the following week, it was correctly being reported that Beazley would be elected unopposed as his successor when the Labor caucus met on 19 March. However, there was initially some concern that he would not win his seat, the Division of Brand in Western Australia – his final margin of victory was only 387 votes.Beazley takes a deep breath 4 March 1996 The AgeLabor's pain begins 9 March 1996 The Sydney Morning Herald Candidates Kim Beazley, incumbent Deputy Leader, former Minister for Finance, Member for Brand Potential candidates who declined to run Simon Crean, former Minister for Employment, Education and Training, Member for Hotham Gareth Evans, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Member for Holt Carmen Lawrence, former Minister for Human Services and Health, Member for Fremantle Results Australian Labor Party Deputy Leadership election, 1996 1990s ALP logo.png presidential Caucus no 1995 1998 140x140px Gareth Evans DC241F 42 (52.2%) 140x140px Simon Crean DC241F 37 (46.8%) Deputy Leader Deputy Leaderafter election Kim Beazley Gareth Evans In the lead-up to the caucus meeting, most media attention was given to who would be the party's new deputy leader. Gareth Evans eventually defeated Simon Crean by 42 votes to 37.Would-be PM Evans elected Deputy Opposition Leader The Sydney Morning Herald 20 March 1996 Deputy leadership ballot Candidate Final ballot % Gareth Evans 42 52.2 Simon Crean 37 46.8 Aftermath After Labor nearly won the 1998 federal election Gareth Evans stood down as deputy leader being replaced by Simon Crean. References Category:Australian Labor Party leadership spills Category:March 1996 in Australia Category:1996 elections in Australia Australian Labor Party leadership election