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1975 Australian federal election

{{Short description|none}}

{{Use Australian English|date=November 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1975 Australian federal election

| country = Australia

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1974 Australian federal election

| previous_year = 1974

| next_election = 1977 Australian federal election

| next_year = 1977

| outgoing_members = Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1974–1975

| elected_members = Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1975–1977

| registered = 8,262,413 {{small|{{increase}} 4.62%}}

| turnout = 7,881,873 (95.39%)
({{decrease}}0.03 pp)

| seats_for_election = All 127 seats of the House of Representatives
64 seats were needed for a majority in the House
All 64 seats of the Senate

| election_date = 13 December 1975

| image1 = Image:Malcolm_Fraser_1974_(cropped).jpg

| image_size = 190x190px

| leader1 = Malcolm Fraser

| leader_since1 = 21 March 1975

| party1 = Liberal{{en-dash}}National Country Coalition

| leaders_seat1 = Wannon (Vic.)

| last_election1 = 61 seats

| seats1 = 91 seats

| seat_change1 = {{increase}}30

| popular_vote1 = 4,102,078

| percentage1 = 53.05%

| swing1 = {{increase}}7.32

| image2 = Image:Gough Whitlam headshot.jpg

| leader2 = Gough Whitlam

| leader_since2 = 8 February 1967

| party2 = Australian Labor Party

| leaders_seat2 = Werriwa (NSW)

| last_election2 = 66 seats

| seats2 = 36 seats

| seat_change2 = {{decrease}}30

| popular_vote2 = 3,313,004

| percentage2 = 42.84%

| swing2 = {{decrease}}6.46

| 1blank = TPP

| 2blank = TPP swing

| 1data1 = 55.70%

| 2data1 = {{increase}}7.40

| 1data2 = 44.30%

| 2data2 = {{decrease}}7.40

| map_image = 1975 Australian federal election.svg

| map_size = 350px

| map_caption = Results by division for the House of Representatives, shaded by winning party's margin of victory.

| title = Prime Minister

| before_election = Malcolm Fraser

| before_party = Liberal/NCP coalition

| posttitle = Subsequent Prime Minister

| after_election = Malcolm Fraser

| after_party = Liberal/NCP coalition

}}

The 1975 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election, due to a double dissolution.

Malcolm Fraser had been commissioned as caretaker prime minister following the dismissal of Gough Whitlam's three-year-old Labor government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, on 11 November 1975. The same day, Fraser advised an immediate double dissolution, in accordance with Kerr's stipulated conditions (see 1975 Australian constitutional crisis).

The Coalition of Fraser's Liberal Party of Australia and Doug Anthony's National Country Party secured government in its own right, winning the largest majority government to date in Australian history.{{efn|While the Coalition under John Howard and Labor under Anthony Albanese won 94 seats in 1996 and 2025 respectively, this only accounted for 63.51% and 62.66% of all seats in the House of Representatives, as there were 148 seats in 1996 and 150 in 2025. The Coalition under Fraser won 91 seats, which, although smaller than 94, accounted for 71.65% of the House of Representatives, which had 127 seats in 1975. Therefore, while Howard and Albanese won three more seats than Fraser in 1996 and 2025, Fraser still won a larger majority.}} The Liberals actually won a majority in their own right, with 68 seats–the first time that the main non-Labor party had done so since adopting the Liberal banner in 1944. Although Fraser had no need for the support of the National Country Party, the Coalition was retained. It was also the first time a party won over 90 seats at an Australian election. This was the last federal election the Coalition (or any other party) won more than 50% of the primary vote.

Labor suffered a 30-seat swing and saw its lower house caucus cut almost in half, to 36 seats—fewer than it had when Whitlam became leader in the aftermath of the Coalition landslide nearly 10 years earlier, in the 1966 election. With only 28% of the House of Representatives seats, this was the worst seat share for Labor since the current Liberal-Labor party contest from 1946.

__TOC__

Results

=House of Representatives results=

{{mainarticle|Results of the 1975 Australian federal election (House of Representatives)}}

File:Australian House of Representatives elected members, 1975.svg (91)

Coalition

{{Color box|{{Australian politics/party colours|Liberal}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal (68)

{{Color box|{{Australian politics/party colours|National}}|border=darkgray}} NCP (22)

{{Color box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party}}|border=darkgray}} CLP (1)


Opposition (36)

{{Color box|{{Australian politics/party colours|Labor}}|border=darkgray}} Labor (36)

{{notelist}}]]

class="wikitable"

|+ House of Reps (IRV) – 1975–77—Turnout 95.39% (CV) – Informal 1.89%File:1975 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=4|  

| colspan=2| Liberal–NCP coalition

| align=right| 4,102,078

| align=right| 53.05

| align=right| +7.32

| align=right| 91

| align=right| +30

{{Australian party style|Liberal}} |  

| Liberal

| align=right| 3,232,159

| align=right| 41.80

| align=right| +6.85

| align=right| 68

| align=right| +28

{{Australian party style|Nationals}} |  

| National Country{{Pad|100px}}

| align=right| 853,943

| align=right| 11.04

| align=right| +0.28

| align=right| 22

| align=right| +1

{{Australian party style|CLP}} |  

| Country Liberal

| align=right| 15,976

| align=right| 0.21

| align=right| +0.21

| align=right| 1

| align=right| +1

{{Australian party style|Labor}} |  

| colspan=2| Labor

| align=right| 3,313,004

| align=right| 42.84

| align=right| −6.46

| align=right| 36

| align=right| −30

{{Australian party style|dlp}} |  

| colspan=2| Democratic Labor

| align=right| 101,750

| align=right| 1.32

| align=right| −0.10

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Workers}} |  

| colspan=2| Workers

| align=right| 60,130

| align=right| 0.78

| align=right| +0.78

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Liberal Movement}} |  

| colspan=2| Liberal Movement

| align=right| 49,484

| align=right| 0.64

| align=right| –0.14

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Australia}} |  

| colspan=2| Australia

| align=right| 33,630

| align=right| 0.43

| align=right| −1.89

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Communist}} |  

| colspan=2| Communist

| align=right| 9,393

| align=right| 0.12

| align=right| +0.11

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Independent}} |  

| colspan=2| Independent

| align=right| 63,109

| align=right| 0.82

| align=right| +0.42

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

 

| colspan=2| Total

| align=right| 7,732,578

| align=right|  

| align=right|  

| align=right| 127

| align=right|  

colspan=8 align=center| Two-party-preferred {{Nobold|(estimated)}}
{{Australian party style|Liberal}} |  

| colspan=2| Liberal–NCP coalition

| align=center| Win

| align=right| 55.70

| align=right| +7.40

| align=right| 91

| align=right| +30

{{Australian party style|Labor}} |  

| colspan=2| Labor

| align=right|  

| align=right| 44.30

| align=right| −7.40

| align=right| 36

| align=right| −30

{{bar box

| title=Popular vote

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|42.84}}

{{bar percent|Liberal|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|41.80}}

{{bar percent|National|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|11.25}}

{{bar percent|DLP|#008080|1.32}}

{{bar percent|Other|#777777|2.79}}

}}

{{bar box

| title=Two-party-preferred vote

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent|Coalition|{{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}|55.70}}

{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|44.30}}

}}

{{bar box

| title=Parliament seats

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent|Coalition|{{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}|71.65}}

{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|28.35}}

}}

=Senate results=

File:Australian Senate elected members, 1975.svg (35)

Coalition

{{Color box|{{Australian politics/party colours|Liberal}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal (26)

{{Color box|{{Australian politics/party colours|National}}|border=darkgray}} NCP (8)

{{Color box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party}}|border=darkgray}} CLP (1)


Opposition (27)

{{Color box|{{Australian politics/party colours|Labor}}|border=darkgray}} Labor (27)


Crossbench (2)

{{Color box|{{Australian politics/party colours|Liberal Movement}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal Movement (1)

{{Color box|{{Australian politics/party colours|Independent}}|border=darkgray}} Independent (1)

{{notelist}}]]

class="wikitable"

|+ Senate (STV) – 1975–77—Turnout 95.39% (CV) – Informal 9.10%File:1975 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=5|  

| colspan=2| Liberal–NCP coalition (total)

| align=right| 3,706,989

| align=right| 51.74

| align=right| +7.85

| align=right| 35

| align=right| 35

| align=right| +6

 

| Liberal–NCP joint ticket

| align=right| 2,855,721

| align=right| 39.86

| align=right| +5.09

| align=right| 17

| align=right| *

| align=right| *

{{Australian party style|Liberal}} |  

| Liberal

| align=right| 793,772

| align=right| 11.08

| align=right| +3.26

| align=right| 16

| align=right| 26

| align=right| +3

{{Australian party style|Country}} |  

| National Country

| align=right| 41,977

| align=right| 0.59

| align=right| −0.71

| align=right| 1

| align=right| 8

| align=right| +2

{{Australian party style|CLP}} |  

| Country Liberal

| align=right| 15,519

| align=right| 0.22

| align=right| +0.22

| align=right| 1

| align=right| 1

| align=right| +1

{{Australian party style|Labor}} |  

| colspan=2| Labor

| align=right| 2,931,310

| align=right| 40.91

| align=right| −6.38

| align=right| 27

| align=right| 27

| align=right| −2

{{Australian party style|dlp}} |  

| colspan=2| Democratic Labor

| align=right| 191,049

| align=right| 2.67

| align=right| −0.89

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Liberal Movement}} |  

| colspan=2| Liberal Movement

| align=right| 76,426

| align=right| 1.07

| align=right| +0.11

| align=right| 1

| align=right| 1

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Workers}} |  

| colspan=2| Workers

| align=right| 62,385

| align=right| 0.87

| align=right| +0.87

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Republican}} |  

| colspan=2| Family Movement

| align=right| 45,658

| align=right| 0.64

| align=right| +0.64

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Australia}} |  

| colspan=2| Australia

| align=right| 34,632

| align=right| 0.48

| align=right| –0.91

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|United Tasmania Group}} |  

| colspan=2| United Tasmania

| align=right| 1,227

| align=right| 0.02

| align=right| –0.01

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Socialist}} |  

| colspan=2| Socialist

| align=right| 727

| align=right| 0.01

| align=right| +0.01

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

| align=right| 0

{{Australian party style|Independent}} |  

| colspan=2| Independents

| align=right| 114,310

| align=right| 1.60

| align=right| –0.52

| align=right| 1

| align=right| 1

| align=right| 0

 

| colspan=2| Total

| align=right| 7,164,713

| align=right|  

| align=right|  

| align=right| 64

| align=right| 64

| align=right| +4

;Notes

Seats changing hands

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2"| Seat

! colspan="4"| Pre-1975

! rowspan="2"| Swing

! colspan="4"| Post-1975

colspan="2"| Party

! Member

! Margin

! Margin

! Member

! colspan="2"| Party

Barton, NSW

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Len Reynolds

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 10.0

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.9

| Jim Bradfield

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Bowman, Qld

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Len Keogh

| style="text-align:right;"| 1.3

| style="text-align:right;"| 8.4

| style="text-align:right;"| 7.1

| David Jull

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Braddon, Tas

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Ron Davies

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.8

| style="text-align:right;"| 8.6

| style="text-align:right;"| 3.8

| Ray Groom

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Brisbane, Qld

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Manfred Cross

| style="text-align:right;"| 1.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.0

| style="text-align:right;"| 3.9

| Peter Johnson

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Canberra, ACT

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Kep Enderby

| style="text-align:right;"| 7.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 10.4

| style="text-align:right;"| 3.3

| John Haslem

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Capricornia, Qld

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Doug Everingham

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.9

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.0

| style="text-align:right;"| 0.1

| Colin Carige

| National Country

| {{Australian party style|Nationals}}| 

Casey, Vic

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Race Mathews

| style="text-align:right;"| 1.5

| style="text-align:right;"| 9.0

| style="text-align:right;"| 7.5

| Peter Falconer

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Cook, NSW

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Ray Thorburn

| style="text-align:right;"| 0.5

| style="text-align:right;"| 8.3

| style="text-align:right;"| 7.8

| Don Dobie

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Dawson, Qld

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Rex Patterson

| style="text-align:right;"| 0.6

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.2

| style="text-align:right;"| 3.6

| Ray Braithwaite

| National Country

| {{Australian party style|Nationals}}| 

Denison, Tas

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| John Coates

| style="text-align:right;"| 2.8

| style="text-align:right;"| 7.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.9

| Michael Hodgman

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Diamond Valley, Vic

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| David McKenzie

| style="text-align:right;"| 0.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 9.8

| style="text-align:right;"| 9.1

| Neil Brown

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Eden-Monaro, NSW

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Bob Whan

| style="text-align:right;"| 0.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.6

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.5

| Murray Sainsbury

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Evans, NSW

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Allan Mulder

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.9

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.9

| style="text-align:right;"| 2.0

| John Abel

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Franklin, Tas

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Ray Sherry

| style="text-align:right;"| 12.9

| style="text-align:right;"| 14.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 1.8

| Bruce Goodluck

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Henty, Vic

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Joan Child

| style="text-align:right;"| 1.5

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.2

| Ken Aldred

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Holt, Vic

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Max Oldmeadow

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.9

| style="text-align:right;"| 8.5

| style="text-align:right;"| 1.6

| William Yates

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Isaacs, Vic

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Gareth Clayton

| style="text-align:right;"| 0.6

| style="text-align:right;"| 7.5

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.9

| David Hamer

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Kalgoorlie, WA

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Fred Collard

| style="text-align:right;"| 2.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.3

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.3

| Mick Cotter

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Kingston, SA

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Richard Gun

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 12.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.6

| Grant Chapman

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

La Trobe, Vic

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Tony Lamb

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.6

| style="text-align:right;"| 8.9

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.3

| Marshall Baillieu

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Leichhardt, Qld

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Bill Fulton

| style="text-align:right;"| 3.3

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 2.4

| David Thomson

| National Country

| {{Australian party style|Nationals}}| 

Macarthur, NSW

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| John Kerin

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.4

| style="text-align:right;"| 8.5

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.1

| Michael Baume

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Macquarie, NSW

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Tony Luchetti

| style="text-align:right;"| 8.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 10.3

| style="text-align:right;"| 1.6

| Reg Gillard

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

McMillan, Vic

| {{Australian party style|Nationals}}| 

| National Country

| Arthur Hewson

| style="text-align:right;"| N/A

| style="text-align:right;"| 2.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.7

| Barry Simon

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Perth, WA

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Joe Berinson

| style="text-align:right;"| 8.2

| style="text-align:right;"| 9.0

| style="text-align:right;"| 0.8

| Ross McLean

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Phillip, NSW

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Joe Riordan

| style="text-align:right;"| 4.5

| style="text-align:right;"| 7.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 2.6

| Jack Birney

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

St George, NSW

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Bill Morrison

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.8

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.8

| style="text-align:right;"| 0.0

| Maurice Neil

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Swan, WA

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| Adrian Bennett

| style="text-align:right;"| 5.6

| style="text-align:right;"| 7.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 2.1

| John Martyr

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

Tangney, WA

| {{Australian party style|Labor}}| 

| Labor

| John Dawkins

| style="text-align:right;"| 3.1

| style="text-align:right;"| 9.7

| style="text-align:right;"| 6.6

| Peter Richardson

| Liberal

| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}| 

  • Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

Issues and significance

File:1975 Election Australia Gallagher Index.png result: 14.19]]

The election followed the dismissal of the Whitlam government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr in the 1975 constitutional crisis. Labor campaigners hoped that the electorate would "maintain [its] rage" and punish the Coalition for its part in bringing down the government, proclaiming "Shame Fraser, Shame". However, the Coalition focused on economic issues following the 1973 oil crisis and 1973–75 recession, the Loans Affair, alleged Labor mismanagement of inflation, and campaigned under the slogan "Turn on the lights, Australia" (drawing on a contemporary cynicism: "Would the last businessman leaving Australia please turn out the lights?").{{Cite news |last=Twomey |first=Anne |date=19 April 2017 |title=Australian politics explainer: Gough Whitlam's dismissal as prime minister |work= The Conversation |url=https://theconversation.com/australian-politics-explainer-gough-whitlams-dismissal-as-prime-minister-74148 |url-status=live |access-date=23 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823064145/https://theconversation.com/australian-politics-explainer-gough-whitlams-dismissal-as-prime-minister-74148 |archive-date=23 August 2023}}{{Cite web |title=1975 Federal Election |url=https://australianpolitics.com/elections/federal-1975 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823065523/https://australianpolitics.com/elections/federal-1975 |first=Malcolm |last=Farnsworth |archive-date=23 August 2023 |access-date=23 August 2023 |website=AustralianPolitics.com}}

The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory received an entitlement to elect two senators each as a consequence of the Senate (Representation of Territories) Act 1973, passed during the 1974 Joint Sitting of the Australian Parliament.

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://australianpolitics.com/elections/1975/ AustralianPolitics.com 1975 election details]
  • [http://elections.uwa.edu.au/ University of WA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118085343/http://elections.uwa.edu.au/ |date=18 January 2015 }} election results in Australia since 1890
  • [http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/Australian_Electoral_History/House_of_Representative_1949_Present.htm AEC 2PP vote]

{{Australian elections}}

Federal

Federal election

Federal election

Category:Federal elections in Australia

Category:Gough Whitlam

Category:Malcolm Fraser