1948 Geelong state by-election

April 2022 A by-election for the seat of Geelong in the Victorian Legislative Assembly was held on Saturday 13 November 1948. The by-election was triggered by the death of Labor member Fanny Brownbill on 10 October 1948. The candidates were M. J. Travers for the Labor Party (a metalworker employed by the Ford Motors Geelong plant, and former president of the Geelong Trades and Labour Council),https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22677250 LABOUR CANDIDATE FOR GEELONG. The Argus Melbourne 27 October 1948 18 May 2012 7 National Library of Australia S. Baker for the Communist Party, and Edward Montgomery for the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party won the seat, with Montgomery receiving about 45 per cent of preferences from the Communist candidate, and a nearly ten per cent swing away from Labor. This attracted comment from acting state Labor leader Bill Galvin, who said "there was a sinister influence in the way the Liberals and the Communists had put up a united front" in the by-election;https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22712652 HOW RED VOTES GO. The Argus Melbourne 24 November 1948 18 May 2012 2 National Library of Australia and from Labor Prime Minister Ben Chifley, who also noted the role of Communist preferences in Labor's loss.https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2776696 MR. CHIFLEY SAYS RED VOTE DECIDED GEELONG. The Canberra Times 18 November 1948 18 May 2012 2 National Library of Australia Acting Liberal leader Wilfrid Kent Hughes called the win "a magnificent victory for the Liberal Party and the present Government".https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22700864 LEADERS' COMMENTS ON GEELONG POLL "Magnificent victory for Liberals". The Argus Melbourne 15 November 1948 18 May 2012 5 National Library of Australia Results Geelong state by-election, 1948https://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 Liberal VIC Edward Montgomery 9,659 49.58 +10.28 Labor VIC M. J. Travers 8,777 45.05 −10.28 Communist S. Baker 1,045 5.36 +5.36 19,481 97.36 528 2.64 20,009 Liberal VIC Edward Montgomery 10,147 52.09 +9.97 Labor VIC M. J. Travers 9,334 47.91 −9.97 Liberal VIC Labor VIC References Category:1948 elections in Australia Category:Victorian state by-elections Category:1940s in Victoria (state) Category:November 1948 in Australia