Tasmanian state election, 1959
Encyclopedia
A general election for the House of Assembly
was held in the Australia
n state
of Tasmania
on 2 May 1959.
The two previous elections had resulted in a parliamentary deadlock due to an even number of seats (30) in the House of Assembly. Prior to the 1959 election, the number of seats was increased to 35.
Robert Cosgrove
had retired as Premier of Tasmania, and had been replaced by Eric Reece
on 26 August 1958.
won the most seats in the newly-expanded House of Assembly, but not enough to govern in a majority as two seats were won by Independents
. The 1959 election was the last occasion in which an ungrouped independent (Bill Wedd) won a seat in Tasmania.
Former Labor Treasurer Dr Reg Turnbull won two quotas in his own right as an independent in Bass
, representing 5.64% of the statewide result.
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Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
was held in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
on 2 May 1959.
The two previous elections had resulted in a parliamentary deadlock due to an even number of seats (30) in the House of Assembly. Prior to the 1959 election, the number of seats was increased to 35.
Robert Cosgrove
Robert Cosgrove
Sir Robert Cosgrove KCMG was an Australian politician, trade unionist, and twice Premier of Tasmania from 18 December 1939 to 18 December 1947 and 25 February 1948 to 26 August 1958....
had retired as Premier of Tasmania, and had been replaced by Eric Reece
Eric Reece
Eric Elliott Reece, AC was Premier of Tasmania on two occasions: from 26 August 1958 to 26 May 1969, and from 3 May 1972 to 31 March 1975.-Biography:...
on 26 August 1958.
Results
The Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
won the most seats in the newly-expanded House of Assembly, but not enough to govern in a majority as two seats were won by Independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. The 1959 election was the last occasion in which an ungrouped independent (Bill Wedd) won a seat in Tasmania.
Former Labor Treasurer Dr Reg Turnbull won two quotas in his own right as an independent in Bass
Division of Bass (state)
The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...
, representing 5.64% of the statewide result.
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Distribution of Seats
EWLINE
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External links
- Assembly Election Results, 1959, Parliament of TasmaniaParliament of TasmaniaThe Parliament of Tasmania consists of the Tasmanian Legislative Council, Tasmanian House of Assembly and the Monarch represented by the Governor of Tasmania....
. - Report on Parliamentary Elections, 1959, Tasmanian Electoral Commission.