1925 Australian federal election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1925 Australian federal election
| country = Australia
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| vote_type = Primary
| previous_election = 1922 Australian federal election
| previous_year = 1922
| outgoing_members = Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1922–1925
| elected_members = Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1925–1928
| next_election = 1928 Australian federal election
| next_year = 1928
| registered = 3,302,016 {{increase}}{{small|10.79%}}
| turnout = 2,987,200 (91.39%){{efn|Turnout in contested seats}}
({{increase}}32.03 pp)
| seats_for_election = All 76{{efn|The Northern Territory had one seat, but members for the territories did not have full voting rights until 1966 and did not count toward government formation.}} seats in the House of Representatives
38 seats were needed for a majority in the House
22 (of the 36) seats in the Senate
| election_date = {{Start date|df=yes|1925|11|14}}
| image1 = Image:Stanley Bruce 1926.jpg
| image_size = 190x190px
| leader1 = Stanley Bruce
| leader_since1 = 9 February 1923
| party1 = Nationalist/Country coalition
| leaders_seat1 = Flinders (Vic.)
| percentage1 = 53.80%
| swing1 = {{increase}}2.60%
| last_election1 = 26 seats{{efn|As there was no formal Coalition between the Nationalist Party and the Country Party before the previous election, the seats were won by individual party. However, post-1922 election the two parties combined could form a majority in Parliament and formally announced a Coalition agreement.}}
| seats1 = 51 seats{{efn|The Member for Wimmera (Percy Stewart) was represented as an "Independent Country" candidate.}}
| popular_vote1 = 1,551,760
| seat_change1 = {{increase}}11{{efn|As Nationalist–Country Coalition. If separate parties, Nationalist: +11, Country –1.}}
| image2 = Image:Matthew Charlton 1925.jpg
| leader2 = Matthew Charlton
| leader_since2 = 16 May 1922
| party2 = Australian Labor Party
| leaders_seat2 = Hunter (NSW)
| percentage2 = 45.04%
| swing2 = {{increase}}2.74%
| last_election2 = 29 seats
| seats2 = 23 + NT
| popular_vote2 = 1,313,627
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}}6
| title = Prime Minister
| posttitle = Subsequent Prime Minister
| before_election = Stanley Bruce
| before_party = Nationalist/Country coalition
| after_election = Stanley Bruce
| after_party = Nationalist/Country coalition
| map_image = 1925_Australian_federal_election.svg
| map_size =
| map_caption = Results by division for the House of Representatives, shaded by winning party's margin of victory.
}}
The 1925 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 14 November 1925. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives and 22 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist–Country coalition, led by Prime Minister Stanley Bruce, defeated the opposition Labor Party led by Matthew Charlton in a landslide. This was the first time any party had won a fourth consecutive federal election.
Compulsory voting for federal elections was introduced in 1924 and first used in the 1925 elections, where 91.4% of the electorate cast a vote, compared to 59.4% at the 1922 elections.
Background
In 1924, Bruce and Page formulated an electoral pact between the Nationalist Party and Country Party, whereby each party agreed not to oppose incumbent candidates from the other party and to co-operate to choose the strongest candidate in seats held by the ALP. Both parties agreed to accept the pact, although only after both Bruce and Page made clear they would resign as party leaders if the pact was rejected. The pact proved particularly controversial within the Country Party, with cabinet minister Percy Stewart resigning in protest and some members of the organisational wing seeing it as an attack on the party's independence.{{cite book|first=Stephen|last=Wilks|year=2020|title='Now is the Psychological Moment': Earle Page and the Imagining of Australia|url=https://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/n6924/pdf/book.pdf|publisher=ANU Press|isbn=9781760463687|page=145}}
Campaign
Prime Minister Stanley Bruce was a supporter of the White Australia Policy, and made it an issue in his campaign for the 1925 Australian Federal election.
{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155676023 |title=ISSUES OF THE ELECTIONS |newspaper=The Age |issue=21,999 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=6 October 1925 |access-date=9 December 2016 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}
It is necessary that we should determine what are the ideals towards which every Australian would desire to strive. I think those ideals might well be stated as being to secure our national safety, and to ensure the maintenance of our White Australia Policy to continue as an integral portion of the British Empire. We intend to keep this country white and not allow its people to be faced with the problems that at present are practically insoluble in many parts of the world.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ywV16n6mOUUC&q=%22stanley+bruce%22&pg=PA301|title=The Great Barrier Reef: History, Science, Heritage|last=Bowen|first=James|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2002|isbn=0-521-82430-3|page=301|author2=Bowen, Margarita|access-date=24 January 2008}}
Results
=House of Representatives=
{{see also|Results of the Australian federal election, 1925 (House of Representatives)}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ House of Reps (IRV) – 1925–28 – Turnout 91.39% (CV) – Informal 2.36%File:1925 Australian House.svg ! colspan=3 style="width:180px" | Party ! style="width:70px"| Votes ! style="width:40px"| % ! style="width:40px"| Swing ! style="width:40px"| Seats ! style="width:40px"| Change |
| rowspan=3|
| colspan=2| Nationalist–Country coalition | align=right| 1,551,760 | align=right| 53.20 | align=right| +5.41 | align=right| 51 | align=right| +11 |
| {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}|
|Nationalist{{Pad|100px}} | style="text-align:right"| 1,238,397 | style="text-align:right"| 42.46 | style="text-align:right"| +7.23 | style="text-align:right"| 37 | style="text-align:right"| +11 |
| {{Australian party style|Country}}|
|Country{{Pad|100px}} | style="text-align:right"| 313,363 | style="text-align:right"| 10.74 | style="text-align:right"| –1.82 | style="text-align:right"| 13 | style="text-align:right"| –1 |
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}|
| colspan=2| Labor | style="text-align:right"| 1,313,627 | style="text-align:right"| 45.04 | style="text-align:right"| +2.74 | style="text-align:right"| 24{{efn|Including Northern Territory}} | style="text-align:right"| –6 |
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|
| colspan=2| Independents | style="text-align:right"| 51,251 | style="text-align:right"| 1.76 | style="text-align:right"| –2.80 | style="text-align:right"| 2 | style="text-align:right"| +1 |
|
| colspan=2| Total | style="text-align:right"| 2,916,638 | style="text-align:right"| | style="text-align:right"| | style="text-align:right"| 76 | style="text-align:right"| |
| colspan=8 align=center| Two-party-preferred {{Nobold|(estimated)}} |
|---|
| {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}|
| colspan=2| Nationalist–Country coalition | style="text-align:center"|Win | style="text-align:right"| 53.80 | style="text-align:right"| +2.60 | style="text-align:right"| 51 | style="text-align:right"| +11 |
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}|
| colspan=2| Labor | style="text-align:center"| | style="text-align:right"| 46.20 | style="text-align:right"| −2.60 | style="text-align:right"| 23 | style="text-align:right"| –6 |
----
Notes
- Independents: Percy Stewart (Wimmera, Vic.), William Watson (Fremantle, WA).
- Labor lost Kennedy, Qld., when the sitting member Charles McDonald died on the day before the election, leading to his opponent Grosvenor Francis being declared elected unopposed.{{Cite news|title=Kennedy Seat|work =Brisbane Courier |date=14 November 1925 | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20977534 |page=7|access-date=19 July 2010}}
{{bar box
| title=Popular vote
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|45.04}}
{{bar percent|Nationalist|#6495ED|42.46}}
{{bar percent|Country|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|10.74}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|1.76}}
}}
{{bar box
| title=Two-party-preferred vote
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|Coalition|#6495ED|53.80}}
{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|46.20}}
}}
{{bar box
| title=Parliament seats
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|Coalition|#6495ED|68.00}}
{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|30.67}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|2.67}}
}}
=Senate=
{{see also|Results of the 1925 Australian federal election (Senate)}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ Senate (P BV) – 1925–28 – Turnout 91.31% (CV) – Informal 6.96%File:1925 Australian Senate.svg ! colspan=3 style="width:180px" | Party ! style="width:70px"| Votes ! style="width:40px"| % ! style="width:40px"| Swing ! style="width:40px"| Seats won ! style="width:40px"| Seats held ! style="width:40px"| Change |
| rowspan=3|
| colspan=2| Nationalist–Country coalition | align=right| 1,537,282 | align=right| 54.81 | align=right| N/A | align=right| 22 | align=right| 28 | align=right| N/A |
| {{Australian party style|Nationalist}} |
| Nationalist{{Pad|100px}} | align=right| 1,272,127 | align=right| 45.35 | align=right| +9.12 | align=right| 18 | align=right| 24 | align=right| 0 |
| {{Australian party style|Country}} |
| Country{{Pad|100px}} | align=right| 265,155 | align=right| 9.45 | align=right| –3.53 | align=right| 4 | align=right| 4 | align=right| +4 |
| {{Australian party style|Labor}} |
| colspan=2| Labor | align=right| 1,262,912 | align=right| 45.02 | align=right| –0.67 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 8 | align=right| –4 |
| {{Australian party style|Independent}} |
| colspan=2| Independents | align=right| 4,808 | align=right| 0.17 | align=right| –1.87 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 0 |
|
| colspan=2| Total | align=right| 2,805,002 | align=right| | align=right| | align=right| 22 | align=right| 36 | align=right| |
Seats changing hands
| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2"| Seat ! colspan="4"| Pre-1925 ! rowspan="2"| Swing ! colspan="4"| Post-1925 |
| colspan="2"| Party
! Member ! Margin ! Margin ! Member ! colspan="2"| Party |
|---|
| Angas, SA
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| | Labor | style="text-align:right;"| 8.0 | style="text-align:right;"| 8.3 | style="text-align:right;"| 0.3 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Balaclava, Vic
| {{Australian party style|Liberal (1922)}}| | Liberal | style="text-align:right;"| 100.0 | style="text-align:right;"| 30.3 | style="text-align:right;"| 19.7 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Barker, SA
| {{Australian party style|Liberal (1922)}}| | Liberal | style="text-align:right;"| 2.3 | style="text-align:right;"| 9.3 | style="text-align:right;"| 11.6 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Barton, NSW
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| | Labor | style="text-align:right;"| 7.6 | style="text-align:right;"| 8.6 | style="text-align:right;"| 1.0 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Darwin, Tas
| {{Australian party style|Nationals}}| | Country | style="text-align:right;"| 0.4 | style="text-align:right;"| 10.9 | style="text-align:right;"| 10.5* | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Denison, Tas
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| | Labor | style="text-align:right;"| 0.4 | style="text-align:right;"| 2.6 | style="text-align:right;"| 2.2 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Gwydir, NSW
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| | Labor | style="text-align:right;"| 0.1 | style="text-align:right;"| 3.2 | style="text-align:right;"| 3.1 | Country | {{Australian party style|Nationals}}| |
| Kennedy, Qld
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| | Labor | style="text-align:right;"| N/A | style="text-align:right;"| 100.0 | style="text-align:right;"| 100.0 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Kooyong, Vic
| {{Australian party style|Liberal (1922)}}| | Liberal | style="text-align:right;"| 0.6 | style="text-align:right;"| 18.3 | style="text-align:right;"| 17.7 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Wakefield, SA
| {{Australian party style|Liberal (1922)}}| | Liberal | style="text-align:right;"| 5.3 | style="text-align:right;"| 9.5 | style="text-align:right;"| 14.8 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Wannon, Vic
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| | Labor | style="text-align:right;"| 0.8 | style="text-align:right;"| 4.8 | style="text-align:right;"| 4.0 | Nationalist | {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}| |
| Wimmera, Vic
| {{Australian party style|Nationals}}| | Country | style="text-align:right;"| 21.2 | style="text-align:right;"| 77.8 | style="text-align:right;"| 27.8 | Independent | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| |
- Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.
- *Figure is Nationalist versus Labor.
See also
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://elections.uwa.edu.au/ University of WA] election results in Australia since 1890
- [http://pappubahry.com/pseph/aus_stats/tpp_tables/ Two-party-preferred vote since 1919]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070328204339/http://www.australianpolitics.com/voting/systems/compulsory.shtml Compulsory Voting in Australia]
{{Australian elections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Federal Election, 1925}}
Category:Federal elections in Australia