1995 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill

none April 2022 1995 Liberal Party of AustraliaLeadership spill Liberal-Party-of-Australia-stub.svg presidential Caucus no 1994 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill 1994 2007 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election 2007 30 January 1995 160x160px 0047AB John Howard Unopposed Seat Bennelong (NSW) Leader Alexander Downer John Howard A leadership spill of the federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party of Australia was held on 30 January 1995 after the resignation of Alexander Downer following several months of poor personal ratings for him.http://www.newspoll.com.au/opinion-polls-2/opinion-polls-2/ Newspoll Archive 2015 Newspoll.com 2018-12-17 2018-12-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20181218011043/http://www.newspoll.com.au/opinion-polls-2/opinion-polls-2/ dead John Howard was elected unopposed in a vote of Liberal Party Members of Parliament.Canberra Times, 31 January 1995 Howard thus became the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Australia. Peter Costello remained deputy leader. Howard became the first Liberal leader to be elected unopposed since Harold Holt in 1966. Background By January 1995, internal Liberal Party polling showed that with Downer as leader, the Coalition had a slim chance of holding its marginal seats in the next election, let alone of winning government. In mid-January Downer began negotiating in with former leader now back-bencher John Hewson, but this resulted in Hewson publicly declaring he wanted the shadow Treasury portfolio which meant Downer would have to sack deputy leader Peter Costello from the position.https://www.afr.com/politics/blast-from-past-sparks-fresh-librawl-19950124-k68bp Blast from past sparks fresh Librawl 24 January 1995 Australian Financial Review On 30 January 1995, he resigned as Liberal Leader. Candidates John Howard, Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Manager of Opposition Business in the House and Member for Bennelong Aftermath Downer pledged his support to Howard and said he would "kneecap" anyone who undermined Howard's second attempt at winning the prime ministership. Ward Ian December 1995 Australian Political Chronicle: January–June 1995 Australian Journal of Politics and History 41 3 This would be the last leadership vote for the Liberal Party for the next 12 years, after having 8 votes over the previous 12.corporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House Canberra Party leadership changes and challenges: a quick guide https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Research/Quick_Guides/2022-23/PartyChangesChallenges 2025-05-13 www.aph.gov.au en-AU References Category:Liberal Party of Australia leadership spills Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill