1945 Victorian state election

{{see also|First Cain ministry|Second Dunstan ministry|Macfarlan ministry}}

The Country Party was returned to power at the 1943 state election, with Albert Dunstan serving as premier.{{cite web |title=DUNSTAN'S MAJORITY ASSURED |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/272122207 |publisher=Daily Mirror |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=5 |date=14 June 1943}}{{cite web |title=DUNSTAN GOVERNMENT RETURNED |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/269297204 |publisher=Corryong Courier |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=3 |date=17 June 1943}} The ministry was composed entirely of Country MPs, with the United Australia Party (UAP) giving supply in parliament.{{cite web |title=Sir Albert Arthur Dunstan (1882–1950) |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dunstan-sir-albert-arthur-6055 |publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=6 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241103151043/https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dunstan-sir-albert-arthur-6055 |archive-date=3 November 2024}}{{cite web |title=JOINT STATE CABINET MOVE TODAY |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246280970 |publisher=The Herald |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=3 |date=26 August 1943}}

On 10 September 1943, the Dunstan government was defeated on the floor of parliament after Labor Party MPs voted for a motion of no confidence brought forward by UAP leader Thomas Hollway on the issue of electoral redistribution.{{cite web |title=Dunstan Government May Be Replaced By U.A.P. Ministry |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/193048916 |publisher=Daily Examiner |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=4 |date=9 September 1943}}{{cite web |title=UAP And Labour Oust Dunstan Government |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/78457571 |publisher=The Daily News |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=14 |date=10 September 1943}} Dunstan resigned as premier on 14 September, and Labor leader John Cain was sworn in.{{cite web |title=DEFEAT OF THE DUNSTAN GOVERNMENT |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/68824110 |publisher=Advocate |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=2 |date=13 September 1943}}{{cite web |title=LABOUR MINISTRY FOR VICTORIA |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11783878 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=1 |date=14 September 1943}}

Four days later on 18 September 1943, Dunstan was again sworn in as premier after the Country Party formed a coalition government with the UAP.{{cite web |title=DUNSTAN TO BE PREMIER AGAIN |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167629126 |publisher=The Newcastle Sun |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=3 |date=15 September 1943}}{{cite web |title=Dunstan Again Premier of Victoria |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/193053190 |publisher=Daily Examiner |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=3 |date=17 September 1943}}

A Victorian division of the Liberal Party of Australia, which had been formed on 13 October 1944, was established between December 1944 and January 1945.{{cite web |title=THE LIBERAL PARTY'S EXECUTIVE |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205995120 |publisher=The Age |access-date=11 January 2025 |page=3 |date=30 December 1944}}{{cite web |title=First Executive Meeting |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206862808 |publisher=The Age |access-date=11 January 2025 |page=5 |date=5 January 1945}} The Victorian UAP branch and its parliamentary members joined the Liberal Party on 5 March 1945, with the state parliamentary UAP becoming the state parliamentary Liberal Party, prior to the national UAP being absorbed into the Liberal Party of Australia in October 1945.{{cite web |title=STATE UAP AND LIBERAL PARTY |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1093543 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=4 |date=5 March 1945}}{{cite web |title=STATE UAP NOW LIBERAL PARTY |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1101648 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=5 |date=6 March 1945}}

On 25 September 1945, the second Dunstan ministry was defeated on the floor of the Legislative Assembly amid dissatisfaction with the premier's leadership.{{cite web |last1=Wright |first1=R. |title=Ian Macfarlan (1881–1964) |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/macfarlan-ian-10950 |publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=6 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614071602/https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/macfarlan-ian-10950 |archive-date=14 June 2024}} Five dissident Liberals, two expelled Country MPs (Albert Allnutt and Edwin Mackrell), two independents and one Independent Labor MP voted with Labor to block supply to the government.{{cite web |title=DUNSTAN MINISTRY DEFEATED |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205650329 |publisher=The Age |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=1 |date=26 September 1945}}

Instead of resigning, Dunstan persuaded governor Winston Dugan to grant him a dissolution of parliament, on the condition that the budget was passed. When it became clear that the Assembly would not grant supply, Dugan commissioned deputy Liberal leader Ian Macfarlan to serve as premier with written assurances from Labor and other non-Country MPs. Macfarlan formed a government on 2 October 1945 and parliament was dissolved, with Macfarlan serving as premier until 21 November 1945, eleven days after the state election.{{cite web |title=WHY MR. MACFARLAN FORMED CABINET |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/226558951 |publisher=Weekly Times |access-date=6 January 2025 |page=3 |date=3 October 1945}}

{{main|Candidates of the 1945 Victorian state election}}

The Labor Party endorsed 56 candidates, the Country Party endorsed 33, the Liberal Party endorsed 31 and the Communist Party of Australia endorsed six.{{cite web |title=NOMINATIONS TODAY IN STATE ELECTION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245669110 |publisher=The Herald |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=7 |date=22 October 1945}}{{cite web |title=Three Last-minute Endorsements |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12148644 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=1 |date=23 October 1945}}{{cite web |title=STATE ELECTION NOMINATIONS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/278631047 |publisher=The Sun News-Pictorial |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=6 |date=23 October 1945}}

Five Liberal MPs who voted against the Dunstan government and joined the Macfarlan ministry (William Cumming, William Everard, William Haworth, Thomas Maltby and Archie Michaelis) − as well as Macfarlan himself − had their preselection vetoed by the Liberal Party's State Council.{{cite web |title=SIX LIBERALS VETOED FOR SELECTION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12145222 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=5 |date=4 October 1945}}{{cite web |title=Liberal Unity Talk With Breakaways |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245659373 |publisher=The Herald |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=1 |date=6 October 1945}} The Liberals endorsed candidates against all so-called "breakaways", although the party still recommended preferencing the breakaways over Labor candidates.{{cite web |title=LIBERAL PREFERENCES TO SIX BREAKAWAYS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245662764 |publisher=The Herald |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=5 |date=23 October 1945}}{{cite web |title=ALBERT PARK WILL BE HARD FIGHT |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12149832 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=6 |date=29 October 1945}}

The breakaways − along with ministers Edwin Mackrell (Independent Country) and Leslie Hollins (independent), as well as Macfarlan supporter Henry Zwar (Independent Liberal) − contested the election as "Ministerial Liberal" candidates.{{cite web |title=Attempts to Reunite Liberal Sections |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205655524 |publisher=The Age |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=3 |date=22 October 1945}} They were also referred to as "Marfarlan Liberals" or "Government Liberals".{{cite web |title=164 Candidates Contest 54 Seats |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/268258274 |publisher=Ovens and Murray Advertiser |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=3 |date=24 October 1945}}{{cite web |title=Victorian Election Position |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/144984916 |publisher=Daily Advertiser |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=2 |date=12 November 1945}}

In Toorak, four different Liberal candidates stood without official party endorsement, in what The Argus described as "probably the most complicated and bewildering [contest] in the history of the electorate".{{cite web |title=BATTLE OF PAMPHLETS IN TOORAK |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12151254 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=3 |date=5 November 1945}} Incumbent Liberal MP Harold Thonemann was endorsed by the local Liberal selection committee, but a number of branch members supported Robert Hamilton as the candidate.{{cite web |title=PREFERENCES IN TOORAK |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12150412 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=5 |date=31 October 1945}} Neither candidate was officially endorsed by the Liberals, leaving both to stand as "Unendorsed Liberal" candidates, while Charles Kennett stood as an Independent Liberal and Robert Bruce stood as a Ministerial Liberal (also using the "Liberal and Country League" label).{{cite web |title=VICTORIAN ELECTIONS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/42465407 |publisher=Cairns Post |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=5 |date=9 November 1945}}{{cite web |title=TOORAK UNENDORSED LIBERALS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12152474 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=7 |date=10 November 1945}} Additionally, Albert Nicholls stood as an Independent Labor candidate and John Smith ran under the "Moderate Labor" label.{{cite web |title=POSITION IN TOORAK CONFUSED |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12150877 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=9 |date=3 November 1945}}{{cite web |title=LABOUR QUARREL IN TOORAK |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12152111 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=4 |date=9 November 1945}}

Labor announced it would establish a Minister for Employment if elected, with Cain promising a "sane and stable government for the grave years ahead".{{cite web |title=STATE ELECTION POLL TODAY |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205641969 |publisher=The Age |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=3 |date=10 November 1945}} Dunstan said a Country Party government would support the "full utilisation of our vast coal resources" and oppose further electoral redistributions that would "further deprive country people of their parliamentary representation".

The Liberals focused its campaign around education, including making education free from pre-school to university, raising the school-leaving age to 16 and extending free bus services to cover primary and secondary schools.{{cite web |title=ELECTION ISSUES STAYED BY PARTY LEADERS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245661901 |publisher=The Herald |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=8 |date=30 October 1945}} Although the Ministerial Liberals did not have enough candidates to lead the next government, Macfarlan still campaigned, saying his government had "restored harmony" and "shown its capacity to deal promptly with matters that have long been neglected".{{cite web |title=Premier Says Government Was Hopeless |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/278631062 |publisher=The Sun News-Pictorial |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=5 |date=23 October 1945}}

The Communist Party called for the immediate improvement in the wages and working conditions of the public service and the police, proportional representation in the Legislative Assembly, the abolition of the Legislative Council, universal suffrage at the age of 18 in state and local elections, and the nationalisation of the Metropolitan Gas Company.{{cite web |title=COMMUNIST PARTY POLICY |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205655521 |publisher=The Age |access-date=8 January 2025 |page=3 |date=22 October 1945}}

{{main|Results of the 1945 Victorian state election (Legislative Assembly)}}

• 1946 Victorian Legislative Council election

{{notelist}}

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{{Victorian elections}}

Victoria

Category:Elections in Victoria (state)

Victoria