Western Australian state election, 1943
Encyclopedia
Elections were held in the state
of Western Australia
on 20 November 1943 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly
. The Labor Party
, led by Premier
John Willcock
, won a fourth term in office against the Country
and Nationalist
parties, led by Opposition Leader
Arthur Watts and Robert Ross McDonald respectively.
The election took place in the midst of World War II
, and as such, turnout was considerably down on the previous election. The election was delayed from its intended date of February 1942 by the Legislative Assembly Duration and General Election Postponement Acts (No 51 of 1941, assented 16 January 1942, and No 18 of 1942, assented 9 December 1942) due to the war.
In the previous term, two changes of membership occurred at by-elections. George Lambert, the Labor member for Yilgarn-Coolgardie
, died on 30 June 1941 and was replaced by former Labor branch secretary Lionel Kelly, running under the "Independent Country" banner. He ultimately joined the Labor Party and became a minister in the Bert Hawke government
in the 1950s. In 1943, long-serving and colourful independent Thomas Hughes
resigned his seat of East Perth
to contest the federal seat of Perth
. It was picked up by Labor's Herb Graham
. Prior to the election, former Independent Nationalist Arthur Abbott joined the Nationalist Party.
and Greenough
) and one from the Nationalists (Nelson
, where Ernest Hoar
defeated the incumbent member by just 17 votes), no changes took place at the election. An interesting race in Mount Marshall
opened up by the retirement of incumbent Country member Frederick Warner ended with the Country candidate, Hugh Leslie
, victorious against the ALP and former minister John Lindsay.
|}
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 Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
on 20 November 1943 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
. The Labor Party
Australian 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...
, led by Premier
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
John Willcock
John Willcock
John Collings Willcock was the 15th Premier of Western Australia.-Early life:John Willcock was born at Frogmoor , New South Wales on 9 August 1879. The son of miner Joseph Willcock, he was educated at Sydney High School before emigrating to Western Australia in 1897...
, won a fourth term in office against the Country
National Party of Western Australia
The National Party of Western Australia is a political party in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the National Party of Australia but maintains a separate structure and identity....
and Nationalist
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
parties, led by Opposition Leader
Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)
The Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the Legislative Assembly...
Arthur Watts and Robert Ross McDonald respectively.
The election took place in the midst of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and as such, turnout was considerably down on the previous election. The election was delayed from its intended date of February 1942 by the Legislative Assembly Duration and General Election Postponement Acts (No 51 of 1941, assented 16 January 1942, and No 18 of 1942, assented 9 December 1942) due to the war.
In the previous term, two changes of membership occurred at by-elections. George Lambert, the Labor member for Yilgarn-Coolgardie
Electoral district of Yilgarn-Coolgardie
Yilgarn-Coolgardie was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1930 to 1950.Located in the Goldfields region, the district was an amalgamation of the former districts of Yilgarn and Coolgardie. Created for the 1930 state election, its...
, died on 30 June 1941 and was replaced by former Labor branch secretary Lionel Kelly, running under the "Independent Country" banner. He ultimately joined the Labor Party and became a minister in the Bert Hawke government
Hawke Ministry (Western Australia)
The Hawke Ministry was the 22nd Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, led by Labor Premier Albert Hawke and deputy John Tonkin. It commenced on 23 February 1953, nine days after the McLarty-Watts Ministry, led by Premier Ross McLarty of the Liberal Party, was defeated at the 1953 election...
in the 1950s. In 1943, long-serving and colourful independent Thomas Hughes
Thomas Hughes (Australian politician)
Thomas John Hughes , sometimes known as Diver Hughes, was an Australian politician, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly representing the seat of East Perth for two periods; from 1922 until 1927, and again from 1936 until 1943.-Biography:Hughes was born in South Melbourne,...
resigned his seat of East Perth
Electoral district of East Perth
East Perth was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 1962.Based in inner urban Perth, the district was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election. The district's member from 1894 to 1904 was Walter James,...
to contest the federal seat of Perth
Division of Perth
The Division of Perth is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Western Australia. It is named after Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, where the Division is located...
. It was picked up by Labor's Herb Graham
Herb Graham
-Biography:Graham was born in Narrogin, Western Australia on 6 April 1911 to parents from South Australia. Graham attended school in Narrogin and Northam....
. Prior to the election, former Independent Nationalist Arthur Abbott joined the Nationalist Party.
Results
Apart from Labor gaining two seats from the Country Party (AvonElectoral district of Avon
Avon was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1911 to 2008. The name of the district was changed to Avon Valley in 1950, but reverted back to its original name in 1962....
and Greenough
Electoral district of Greenough
Greenough was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 2008.Greenough was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election. The district was based in the northern part of Western Australia's Wheatbelt region...
) and one from the Nationalists (Nelson
Electoral district of Nelson
Nelson was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 1950.The district was based in the south-western part of Western Australia, including towns such as Manjimup and Pemberton, and was named for the Nelson land district which formed...
, where Ernest Hoar
Ernest Hoar
Ernest Knight Hoar was an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1943 to 1957, representing Nelson until 1950 and Warren-Blackwood thereafter. He served as Minister for Lands and Agriculture from 1953 to 1957....
defeated the incumbent member by just 17 votes), no changes took place at the election. An interesting race in Mount Marshall
Electoral district of Mount Marshall
Mount Marshall was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1930 to 1989.-History:The seat was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1929 and was first contested in the 1930 state election...
opened up by the retirement of incumbent Country member Frederick Warner ended with the Country candidate, Hugh Leslie
Hugh Leslie
Hugh Alan Leslie OBE was a Western Australian Country Party politician and newspaper editor.- Early life :...
, victorious against the ALP and former minister John Lindsay.
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- 274,856 electors were enrolled to vote at the election, but 12 of the 50 seats were uncontested—11 Labor seats (seven more than 1939, including all of the FremantleFremantle, Western AustraliaFremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
seats) representing 57,651 enrolled voters, and one Nationalist seat representing 4,829 voters. The estimated swing from 1939 and 1943 was approximately 4% to Labor.
See also
- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1939–1943Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1939–1943This is a list of members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly between the 1939 election and the 1943 election, together known as the 17th Parliament.-Notes:...
- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1943–1947Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1943–1947This is a list of members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly between the 1943 election and the 1947 election, together known as the 18th Parliament...
- Willcock MinistryWillcock MinistryThe Willcock Ministry was the 19th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, and was led by Labor Premier John Willcock. It succeeded the Second Collier Ministry on 27 August 1936, upon the resignation of Philip Collier as Premier on ill health grounds...