1950 Victorian state election

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

1950 Victorian state election
← 1947 13 May 1950 (1950-05-13) 1952 →
65 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Thomas Hollway
John Cain
 John McDonald
Party
Liberal and Country
Labor
Country
Leader since 3 December 1940 18 October 1937 22 November 1945
Leader's seat Ballarat Northcote Shepparton
Last election 27 seats 17 seats 20 seats
Seats before 30 seats 16 seats 16 seats
Seats won 27 seats 24 seats 13 seats
Seat change Decrease 3 Increase 8 Decrease 3
Percentage 40.69% 45.29% 10.64%
Swing Increase 3.53 Increase 4.42 Decrease 4.28
Results in each electorate.
Premier before election

Thomas Hollway

Liberal and Country

 Elected Premier

Thomas Hollway

Liberal and Country

The 1950 Victorian state election was held in the Australian

Victoria on Saturday 13 May 1950 to elect 65 members of the state's Legislative Assembly
.

Background

The

Liberal and Country Party.[2]

Despite lacking a majority, Hollway's government survived for nearly a year due to the support of two Country members (

John Cain to gain their assurance that they would not form a joint ministry. Hollway was then summoned, and agreeing that the house had become unworkable and that there was no chance of the LCP and Country Party reconciling, was granted a dissolution of the assembly.[1]

Labor had lost the seat of Geelong to the Liberals in a 1948 by-election following the death of Fanny Brownbill.[4]

Former Premier and member for Korong, Sir Albert Dunstan, died suddenly on 14 April, the day after the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly and the issue of the election writs. Due to the proximity of the general election, no by-election was held for his seat.[5]

Results

Legislative Assembly

See also: Results of the 1950 Victorian state election (Legislative Assembly)

Victorian state election, 13 May 1950[6][7]
Legislative Assembly
<< 1947–1952 >>

Enrolled voters 1,294,159
Votes cast 1,221,734 Turnout 94.40 +0.96
Informal votes 13,901 Informal 1.14 −0.19
Summary of votes by party
Party Primary votes % Swing Seats Change
  Labor 546,978 45.29 +4.42 24 +8
 
Liberal and Country
 		491,448 40.69 +3.53 27 −3
  Country 128,537 10.64 −4.28 13 −3
  Communist 6,308 0.52 +0.39 0 ±0
  Independent 34,562 2.86 −4.06 1 ±0
Total 1,207,833     65  

Aftermath

With the coalition between the Country Party and the Liberal and Country Party dissolved in the previous term, Hollway's LCP government's loss of six seats put it in a precarious situation—even further into minority although still holding more seats than each of Labor and the Country Party—so Hollway was expected to hold onto government.[8]

Negotiations between the CP and LCP continued into June, with the LCP proposing to offer Country leader John McDonald the role of Speaker, and cabinet positions to Country Party MPs in a "composite" government.[9] On 16 June, Hollway announced his new cabinet, with new ministers Les Norman and John Don being sworn in by the governor on 19 June to replace ministers who had resigned or lost their seats, although by this point it was clear that Hollway's government would be defeated on the floor of the Legislative Assembly in a no-confidence motion,[10] which was all but confirmed when the state Labor caucus decided to support the Country Party over Hollway's government.[11]

On 22 June, McDonald gave notice of his intention to raise a motion of no-confidence against Hollway's government, which he did. Debate continued for 17 hours until 4am on 23 June, when the Labor and Country parties combined to carry the no-confidence motion.[12] Hollway resigned his commission as premier, after the governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, refused his request to dissolve the assembly and call a fresh election. Brooks then commissioned McDonald to form a government with only 13 seats in the assembly, but with the promise of support from the Labor Party on confidence and supply.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "VICTORIAN HOUSE DISSOLVED ELECTION IN MAY". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 13 April 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  2. ^ "NO CHANGE IN VICTORIAN CABINET". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 24 March 1949. p. 14. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  3. ^ "EARLY ELECTION IS TIPPED IN VIC". The Examiner. Launceston, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 15 February 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  4. ^ "GEELONG SEAT". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 16 November 1948. p. 10 Edition: 2nd EDITION. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Sir Albert Dunstans career 'SHREWDEST MAN IN STATE POLITICS' IS DEAD". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 15 April 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  6. ^ Election held on 13 May 1950, Australian Politics and Elections Database (University of Western Australia).
  7. ISBN 0708102700
    ).
  8. ^ "Hollway Govt. Expected To Continue In Vic". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. CIX, no. 53. Tasmania, Australia. 15 May 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 4 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Mr. Hollway wants coalition Government LIBERALS WOOING C.P. WITH FOUR CABINET POSTS". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 32, 378. Victoria, Australia. 10 June 1950. p. 9. Retrieved 4 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "New Cabinet for Victoria". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XV, no. 75. New South Wales, Australia. 17 June 1950. p. 12. Retrieved 4 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "VICTORIAN GOVT. FACES CERTAIN DEFEAT". Lithgow Mercury. New South Wales, Australia. 21 June 1950. p. 1 (Edition 1). Retrieved 4 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Four-day-old Vic. Govt. defeated". News. Vol. 54, no. 8, 386. South Australia. 23 June 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 4 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. Barrier Miner
    . Vol. LXIII, no. 17, 191. New South Wales, Australia. 26 June 1950. p. 8. Retrieved 4 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1950_Victorian_state_election&oldid=1212654798"