1988 New South Wales state election

State election for New South Wales, Australia in March 1988 August 2019 August 2019 1988 New South Wales state election New South Wales parliamentary no 1984 New South Wales state election 1984 1991 New South Wales state election 1991 All 109 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and 15 (of the 45) seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council55 Assembly seats were needed for a majority yes 1988 03 19 Nick Greiner, official portrait as Australian Consul-General in New York (2021) b.jpg 130 130 170 0 0 center Nick Greiner 15 March 1983 Liberal/National coalition Liberal/National coalition Ku-ring-gai 1,588,095 49.54% 6.52 37 seats 38 seats 59 21 Barrie Unsworth.png 140 130 170 0 10 center Barrie Unsworth 4 July 1986 Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch) Rockdale 1,233,612 38.48% 10.27 58 seats 56 seats 43 13 TPP TPP swing 55.96% 44.02% 8.40 8.40 1988 New South Wales state election.svg 350px Two-candidate-preferred margin by electorate Premier Barrie Unsworth Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch) Nick Greiner Liberal/National coalition Elections to the 49th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 19 March 1988. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and a third of the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The Labor government of Premier Barrie Unsworth was defeated by the Liberal–National Coalition, led by Opposition Leader Nick Greiner in a landslide victory against Labor. The election took place following a redistribution of seats, which resulted in the Assembly growing from 99 to 109 seats. Issues The Labor Party, under Neville Wran and, since 1986, Barrie Unsworth, had been in office for 12 years. A number of corruption scandals had tarnished Labor's image. Among these was the jailing of Labor's Minister for Corrective Services Rex Jackson in 1987 for accepting bribes for the early release of prisoners. Even before then, two by-elections in 1986 indicated that NSW voters were about to call time on the three-term Labor government. When Unsworth, then a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, ran for the previously safe Labor Assembly seat of Rockdale in 1986, he only won it by 54 votes after losing more than 17 percent of Labor's primary vote from 1981. Additionally, Labor suffered a 22-percent primary vote swing in Wran's old seat of Bass Hill, allowing the Liberals to take it on a 103-vote margin.27 November 2005 By-election bloodbaths Crikey http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2005/11/27/by-election-bloodbaths/ 13 June 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20111005115337/http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2005/11/27/by-election-bloodbaths/ 5 October 2011 Bowe William However, by-elections in Heathcote and Bankstown in 1987 saw only small swings against the government. The Liberals' campaign slogan was "A change for the better". Greiner campaigned on a promise to clean up state government, foreshadowing the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, as well as promising to freeze government expenditure, create 16,000 new employment and training positions, and pay more attention to law enforcement. In rural electorates, Labor's positions on gun laws and conservation alienated many voters. Health care was also a campaign issue. Future Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott admitted in 2005 that he voted Labor at this election saying that Unsworth "was the best deal premier that New South Wales had ever had" and knew that it would not damage Greiner's prospects at this election.http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/I-voted-Labor-says-Abbott/2005/06/12/1118514925725.html I voted Labor, says Abbott 12 June 2005 live 27 March 2022 The Sunday Morning Herald https://web.archive.org/web/20050614012027/http://www.smh.com.au:80/news/National/I-voted-Labor-says-Abbott/2005/06/12/1118514925725.html 14 June 2005 Key dates Date Event 22 February 1988 The Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election.Antony Green Antony Green 1988 election totals https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/electionresults18562007/1988/Totals.htm New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007 Parliament of New South Wales 14 August 2019 26 February 1988 Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon. 19 March 1988 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm. 25 March 1988 The Unsworth ministry resigned and the Greiner-Murray ministry was sworn in. 22 April 1988 The writ was returned and the results formally declared. 27 April 1988 Parliament resumed for business. Results Legislative Assembly Results of the 1988 New South Wales state election (Legislative Assembly) The result was a landslide for the Coalition parties. Election analyst Antony Green later noted that "the 1988 result was startling, the worst Labor performance, and best Coalition result, since the Lang era of the 1930s".Green Antony Antony Green Changing Boundaries Changing Fortunes: an analysis of the NSW Elections of 1988 and 1991 Occasional Paper No 7 https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/changing-boundaries-changing-fortunes-an-analysi/op07-98.pdf NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service 14 August 2019 October 1998 Labor lost heartland seats including Balmain, Newcastle and Swansea for the first time since the turn of the century. Seven non-aligned Independents were elected to the Legislative Assembly. File:1988 NSW Legislative Assembly.svg 3541447 63870 1.07 0.84 Labor 1233612 10.27 43 13 Liberal 1147613 3.62 39 16 National 440482 2.90 20 5 Independents 261719 3.08 7 3 Democrats 58163 1.03 0 0 Independent EFF 39194 New 0 New Call to Australia 14205 0.37 0 0 Illawarra Workers Party 6755 New 0 New #cd2027 Socialist 2717 0.05 0 0 #fdc500 Nuclear Disarmament 1064 New 0 New y Two-party-preferred #06667c Liberal/National Coalition 1725936 8.4 Labor 1358049 8.4 {{bar box|float=right|title=Popular vote|titlebar=#ddd|width=600px|barwidth=410px|bars= Labor Australian Labor Party 38.48 Liberal Liberal Party of Australia 35.80 National National Party of Australia 13.74 Independents Independent 8.16 Democrats Australian Democrats 1.81 Independent EFF #3B444B 1.22 Others #777777 0.77 #ddd Two-party-preferred vote Coalition Coalition (Australia) 55.96 Labor Australian Labor Party 44.04 #ddd Parliamentary seats Labor Australian Labor Party 39.45 43 Liberal Liberal Party of Australia 35.78 39 National National Party of Australia 18.35 20 Independents Independent 6.42 7 }} Legislative Council Results of the 1988 New South Wales state election (Legislative Council) File:1988 NSW Legislative Council.svg 3541447 267113 0.60 1.42 Seats Won Not Up Total Seats Seat Change #06667c Liberal National Coalition 1403300 3.54 7 12 19 1 Labor 1140634 9.37 6 15 21 3 #800080 Call to Australia 174553 0.35 1 2 3 1 Democrats 90634 0.42 1 1 2 1 Independent EFF 72965 New 0 0 0 New Community Independents 52992 New 0 0 0 New Environment Group 48536 New 0 0 0 New #fdc500 Nuclear Disarmament 28161 New 0 0 0 New Aboriginal Team 13363 New 0 0 0 New Humanist Party 11895 New 0 0 0 New Defence Ex-Service Team 6970 New 0 0 0 New Independents 3396 0.31 0 0 0 0 #a4c639 Marijuana 2713 0.09 0 0 0 0 Seats changing hands Seat Pre-1988 Swing Post-1988 Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Albury  Labor Harold Mair 2.1 -13.8 11.7 Ian Glachan Liberal  Ballina  Independent* new seat N/A N/A 18.0 Don Page National  Balmain  Labor Peter Crawford 19.3 -21.0 1.7 Dawn Fraser Independent  Bass Hill ¶  Liberal Michael Owen 18.4 (ALP) -14.1 4.3 Bill Lovelee Labor  Bathurst  Labor Mick Clough 7.6 -9.8 2.2 David Berry Liberal  Bligh  Liberal Michael Yabsley 0.2 -0.8 0.6 Clover Moore Independent  Blue Mountains  Labor Bob Debus 4.6 -4.9 0.3 Barry Morris Liberal  Burrinjuck  Labor Terry Sheahan 4.9 -8.6 3.7 Alby Schultz Liberal  Cessnock  Labor Stan Neilly 8.9 -9.4 0.5 Bob Roberts Liberal  Earlwood  Labor Ken Gabb 5.9 -7.2 1.3 Phil White Liberal  Georges River  Labor Frank Walker 5.9 -8.0 2.1 Terry Griffiths Liberal  Gladesville  Labor Rodney Cavalier 5.3 -8.3 3.0 Ivan Petch Liberal  Gosford  Labor Brian McGowan* 0.9 -8.7 7.8 Chris Hartcher Liberal  Heathcote  Labor Ian McManus* 5.1 -6.9 1.8 Allan Andrews Liberal  Lismore  Independent Bruce Duncan N/A N/A 19.9 Bill Rixon National  Minchinbury  Labor new seat 10.4 -12.9 2.5 Anne Cohen Liberal  Monaro  Labor John Akister 8.0 -11.9 3.9 Peter Cochran National  Newcastle  Labor Arthur Wade 14.5 -19.8 5.3 George Keegan Independent  Parramatta  Labor Barry Wilde 5.4 -5.9 0.5 John Books Liberal  Penrith  Labor Peter Anderson 8.1 -10.3 2.2 Guy Matheson Liberal  Ryde  Labor Garry McIlwaine 5.1 -5.3 0.2 Michael Photios Liberal  Sutherland  Labor Maurie Keane 5.1 -7.6 2.5 Chris Downy Liberal  Swansea  Labor Don Bowman 18.7 -27.1 8.4 Ivan Welsh Independent  The Entrance  Labor new seat 7.9 -9.9 2.0 Bob Graham Liberal  Members listed in italics did not recontest their seats. Ballina was a new seat created from much of the area of the old district of Lismore, which was held by Independent member Bruce Duncan, who retired from politics at this election. The sitting Labor member for Gosford, Brian McGowan instead contested the new seat of The Entrance and lost. The sitting Labor member for Heathcote, Ian McManus instead contested the new seat of Burragorang and won. In addition, the National party held the seat of Northern Tablelands, which it had won from Labor in the 1987 by-election. ¶ Bass Hill was won by the Liberal party in the 1986 by-election. It was regained by Labor in this election. Redistribution affected seats Seat 1984 election 1986 redistribution Swing 1988 election Party Member Margin Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Camden  Liberal John Fahey 5.2  Labor Notional 5.8 -5.7 0.1 Peter Primrose Labor  Wollongong  Independent Frank Arkell 4.2  Labor Notional 4.7 -10.2 5.5 Frank Arkell Independent  Post-election pendulum Liberal/National seats (59)MarginalRydeMichael PhotiosLIB0.2%Blue MountainsBarry MorrisLIB0.3%ParramattaJohn BooksLIB0.5%CessnockBob RobertsLIB0.5%EarlwoodPhil WhiteLIB1.3%HeathcoteAllan AndrewsLIB1.8%The EntranceBob GrahamLIB2.0%Georges RiverTerry GriffithsLIB2.1%PenrithGuy MathesonLIB2.2%BathurstDavid BerryLIB2.2%SutherlandChris DownyLIB2.5%MinchinburyAnne CohenLIB2.5%GladesvilleIvan PetchLIB3.0%BurrinjuckAlby SchultzLIB3.7%MonaroPeter CochranNAT3.9%Fairly safeHurstvilleGuy YeomansLIB6.4%WakehurstJohn BoothLIB7.5%GosfordChris HartcherLIB7.8%SafeMurwillumbahDon BeckNAT10.1%PittwaterJim LongleyLIB10.1% v INDMirandaRon PhillipsLIB11.5%CronullaMalcolm KerrLIB11.6%AlburyIan GlachanLIB11.7%ManlyDavid HayLIB12.2%StrathfieldPaul ZammitLIB12.8%DavidsonTerry MetherellLIB14.0% v INDHornsbyNeil PickardLIB14.7%ClarenceIan CausleyNAT15.0%Southern HighlandsJohn FaheyLIB16.8%EastwoodAndrew TinkLIB17.6%Upper HunterGeorge SourisNAT17.8%BallinaDon PageNAT18.0%CarlingfordWayne MertonLIB18.2%MurrumbidgeeAdrian CruickshankNAT18.4%BegaRussell SmithLIB18.7%Northern TablelandsRay ChappellNAT19.0%GoulburnRobert WebsterNAT19.3%Port MacquarieBruce JefferyNAT19.4%Myall LakesJohn TurnerNAT19.9%LismoreBill RixonNAT19.9%Middle HarbourPeter CollinsLIB21.2%DubboGerry PeacockeNAT21.3%Coffs HarbourMatt SingletonNAT21.4%CastlereaghRoger WottonNAT21.9%HawkesburyKevin RozzoliLIB22.1%OrangeGarry WestNAT22.5%Wagga WaggaJoe SchippLIB22.6%Lane CoveJohn DowdLIB22.6%LachlanIan ArmstrongNAT23.6%MosmanPhillip SmilesLIB23.9%ManningWendy MachinNAT23.9%BarwonWal MurrayNAT24.3%TamworthNoel ParkNAT25.4%The HillsFred CatersonLIB25.9%NorthcottBruce BairdLIB26.0%MurrayJim SmallNAT27.0%VaucluseRay AstonLIB27.2%Ku-ring-gaiNick GreinerLIB29.7%GordonTim MooreLIB32.9% Labor seats (43)Marginal CamdenPeter PrimroseALP0.1% CharlestownRichard FaceALP0.1% Port StephensBob MartinALP0.2% WaverleyErnie PageALP0.5% KeiraCol MarkhamALP0.8% MaitlandAllan WalshALP0.8% AshfieldPaul WhelanALP1.2% CoogeeMichael ClearyALP1.2% Broken HillBill BeckrogeALP2.0% DrummoyneJohn MurrayALP2.1% KogarahBrian LangtonALP2.2% LakembaWes DavorenALP2.6% LondonderryPaul GibsonALP3.0% CanterburyKevin MossALP3.4% v EFF FairfieldGeoff IrwinALP3.9% WentworthvillePam AllanALP3.9% Bass HillBill LoveleeALP4.3% IllawarraTerry RumbleALP4.4% WyongHarry MooreALP4.5% Macquarie FieldsStan KnowlesALP4.9% Seven HillsBob ChristieALP5.0% MulgoaTony AquilinaALP5.5% CampbelltownMichael KnightALP5.7%Fairly safe Lake MacquarieMerv HunterALP6.4% BurragorangIan McManusALP6.6% CabramattaJohn NewmanALP6.6% McKellSandra NoriALP6.6% v IND RockdaleBarrie UnsworthALP7.0 RiverstoneRichard AmeryALP7.2 East HillsPat RoganALP7.4 PeatsTony DoyleALP7.5 BankstownDoug SheddenALP9.2 BlacktownJohn AquilinaALP9.2 HeffronLaurie BreretonALP9.2 WallsendKen BoothALP9.4Safe MaroubraBob CarrALP10.4% AuburnPeter NagleALP10.7% SmithfieldJanice CrosioALP10.8% GranvilleLaurie FergusonALP10.9% KiamaBob HarrisonALP11.4% WaratahJohn PriceALP11.4% LiverpoolGeorge PaciulloALP14.1% MarrickvilleAndrew RefshaugeALP15.5% Crossbench seats (7)BlighClover MooreIND0.6% v LIBBalmainDawn FraserIND1.7% v ALPNewcastleGeorge KeeganIND5.3% v ALPWollongongFrank ArkellIND5.5% v ALPSwanseaIvan WelshIND8.4% v ALPNorth ShoreTed MackIND9.9% v LIBSouth CoastJohn HattonIND14.7% v LIB See also Candidates of the 1988 New South Wales state election References Category:Elections in New South Wales New South Wales state election State election, 1988 New South Wales state election