1974 Western Australian state election

Election in Western Australia April 2022 1974 Western Australian state election Western Australia parliamentary no 1971 Western Australian state election 1971 1977 Western Australian state election 1977 All 51 seats in the Western Australian Legislative Assemblyand 15 (of the 30) seats to the Western Australian Legislative Council26 Assembly seats were needed for a majority yes 1974 03 30 Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1971–1974 Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1974–1977 150x150px Charles Court 5 June 1972 Liberal/Alliance coalition Nedlands 262,621 50.17% 2.50 25 seats 29 seats 4 150x150px John Tonkin 1 January 1967 Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch) Melville 260,805 49.83% 2.50 26 seats 22 seats 4 Premier John Tonkin Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch) Charles Court Liberal/National coalitionElections were held in the state of Western Australia on 30 March 1974 to elect all 51 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council. The one-term Labor government, led by Premier John Tonkin, was defeated by the Liberal Party, led by Opposition Leader Charles Court. Overview The Liberal Party won the election after a campaign focused mostly on inflation, industrial unrest, states' rights and education. Hamilton Barbara August 1974 Australian Political Chronicle: January–April 1974 Australian Journal of Politics and History 20 2 256–259 0004-9522 The outgoing Tonkin government had had a turbulent ride in its three years of office, having only a one-seat majority in the Assembly and being outnumbered two-to-one in the Council. Penrose Sandra December 1974 Australian Political Chronicle: May–August 1974 Australian Journal of Politics and History 20 3 414 0004-9522 The 15-month-old Whitlam Labor federal government had proven unpopular in Western Australia which saw it as taking a centralist view towards federal-state affairs, and Whitlam himself was hit by a soft drink can and a tomato whilst addressing voters at Forrest Place during the campaign. The Country Party had tentatively merged with the Democratic Labor Party in the period preceding the election, going to the voters as the National Alliance which put forward a centrist platform—however, they lost both votes and seats as compared to the 1971 election in doing so. Arthur Bickerton, the member for Pilbara, became the first Minister to be defeated at an election since 1939. To form a parliamentary majority, the National Country Party under its new leader, Ray McPharlin, agreed to form a coalition with the Liberals after the election, and negotiated three seats in the Ministry. Results Legislative Assembly Results of the Western Australian state election, 1974 (Legislative Assembly) Western Australian state election, 30 March 1974 Legislative Assembly Western Australian state election 1971 1977 597,335cont 1 1 538,365 90.13% –1.18% 21,966 4.08% +0.23% yes Liberal WA 208,288 40.33% +10.67% 23 + 6 Labor WA 248,395 48.10% –0.81% 22 – 4 yes WA Country Alliance (CP/DLP)Nat 2 2 55,746 10.80% –5.55% 6 – 2 Democrats Australia Party 2,052 0.40% +0.36% 0 ± 0 Independent 1,918 0.37% –2.91% 0 ± 0 516,399 51 Liberal WA Liberal/NA 262,621 50.17% +2.50% Labor WA 260,805 49.83% –2.50% |} Notes: cont 1 1 604,222 electors were enrolled to vote at the election, but one seat, Mount Marshall, held by the National Alliance's Ray McPharlin and representing 6,887 electors, was uncontested. Nat 2 2 The Western Australian Country Party agreed to a trial merger with the Democratic Labor Party prior to the election, known as the "National Alliance". They contested 44 seats including many in the metropolitan area. The Alliance ceased to exist shortly after the 1974 election, and the National Country Party adopted a more traditional strategy for subsequent elections. Legislative Council Results of the Western Australian state election, 1974 (Legislative Council) Western Australian state election, 30 March 1974 Legislative Council yes 581,784contLC 1 1 523,182 89.93% –1.28% 25,072 4.79% –0.33% Labor WA 235,271 47.23% +0.45% 5 9 Liberal WA 226,288 45.43% +18.07% 9 18 WA Country Alliance (CP/DLP) 36,551 7.34% –13.66% 1 3 Independent –5.86% 0 0 498,110 15 30 Liberal WA Liberal/NA 267,672 51.90% Labor WA 248,040 48.10% |} contLC 1 1 604,222 electors were enrolled to vote at the election, but one seat, Central Province, held by the National Alliance and representing 22,438 electors, was uncontested. Post-election pendulum Liberal/Alliance seats (29)MarginalBunburyJohn SibsonLIB0.3%ScarboroughRay YoungLIB0.5%PilbaraBrian SodemanLIB1.3%MurrayRichard ShaldersLIB1.8%RoeGeoff GrewarLIB1.8% v NAToodyayMick NanovichLIB2.1%AlbanyLeon WattLIB3.0%KarrinyupJim ClarkoLIB4.0%Fairly safeWellingtonJune CraigLIB6.1%SubiacoTom DadourLIB6.4%DaleCyril RushtonLIB6.5%Murchison-EyrePeter CoyneLIB7.0%Merredin-YilgarnHendy CowanNA7.9%CottesloeRoss HutchinsonLIB8.4%South PerthBill GraydenLIB8.6%KimberleyAlan RidgeLIB8.7%East MelvilleDes O'NeilLIB8.9%Mount LawleyRay O'ConnorLIB8.9%SafeKalamundaIan ThompsonLIB12.5%FloreatAndrew MensarosLIB14.8%GascoyneIan LauranceLIB15.9%NedlandsCharles CourtLIB16.8%MooreBert CraneNA17.7% v LIBNarroginPeter JonesNA19.9%StirlingMatt StephensNA20.4%VasseBarry BlaikieLIB21.4%KatanningDick OldNA28.7%GreenoughDavid BrandLIB28.8%Mount MarshallRay McPharlinNAunopp. Labor seats (22)Marginal RockinghamMike BarnettALP0.9% ClontarfDonald MayALP1.9% AvonKen McIverALP4.1% WarrenDavid EvansALP4.5% GeraldtonJeff CarrALP5.3% Mount HawthornRon BertramALP5.7% MundaringJames MoilerALP5.7%Fairly safe CanningTom BatemanALP6.2% MorleyArthur TonkinALP7.4% CollieTom JonesALP9.6%Safe MaylandsJohn HarmanALP12.1% PerthTerry BurkeALP12.2% WelshpoolColin JamiesonALP12.6% KalgoorlieTom EvansALP13.0% Boulder-DundasTom HartreyALP13.2% BalgaBrian BurkeALP13.8% SwanJack SkidmoreALP14.1% Victoria ParkRon DaviesALP14.4% FremantleHarry FletcherALP16.1% AscotMal BryceALP17.2% MelvilleJohn TonkinALP19.5% CockburnDon TaylorALP21.1% See also Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1971–1974 Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1974–1977 Candidates of the 1974 Western Australian state election References Category:Elections in Western Australia Western Australian state election State election, 1974 Western Australian state election