Western Australian state election, 1962
Encyclopedia
Elections were held in the state
of Western Australia
on 31 March 1962 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly
. The Liberal
-Country
coalition government, led by Premier
Sir David Brand
, won a second term in office against the Labor Party
, led by Opposition Leader
Bert Hawke.
The election resulted in a confirmation of the status quo, with the only apparent seat changes since the 1959 election
being due to the changes of affiliation of the two Independent Liberal members. Edward Oldfield
, representing Mount Lawley
, had joined the Labor Party during the previous term, whilst Bill Grayden
, representing South Perth
, had joined the Liberal Party. Both were re-elected.
Two seats changed between the Country and Liberal Parties. In Avon
, the sitting member James Mann (Liberal) retired after 32 years in Parliament, and Harry Gayfer, one of the two Country Party candidates, succeeded him in the seat. Meanwhile, in outer-metropolitan Darling Range
, Liberal candidate Ken Dunn defeated the sitting Country member Ray Owen
. The Labor candidate (Jack Metcalfe) narrowly won the primary vote, whilst Dunn polled one vote ahead of Owen, meaning Owen was eliminated and his votes distributed between Dunn and Metcalfe. A petition was filed and the Court of Disputed Returns ordered a fresh election for 22 July 1962, which widened the gap to 15 votes.
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 31 March 1962 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 Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
-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....
coalition government, 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...
Sir David Brand
David Brand
Sir David Brand KCMG was the 19th and longest serving Premier of Western Australia and a Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1945 to 1975.-Early life:...
, won a second term in office against 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 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...
Bert Hawke.
The election resulted in a confirmation of the status quo, with the only apparent seat changes since the 1959 election
Western Australian state election, 1959
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 21 March 1959 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The result was a hung parliament—the two-term Labor government, led by Premier Bert Hawke, was defeated with an average swing against it of about 7 per cent, but the...
being due to the changes of affiliation of the two Independent Liberal members. Edward Oldfield
Edward Oldfield
Edward Peate Oldfield was an Australian politician, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1951 until 1965 representing the seats of Maylands and Mount Lawley at different times.-Biography:...
, representing Mount Lawley
Electoral district of Mount Lawley
Mount Lawley is an electorate in the state of Western Australia. Mount Lawley is named for the inner north-eastern Perth suburb of Mount Lawley which falls within its borders....
, had joined the Labor Party during the previous term, whilst Bill Grayden
Bill Grayden
William Leonard "Bill" Grayden AM was an Australian politician. Born in Perth, Western Australia, he was educated at state schools and then at Perth Technical College, becoming a mechanical engineer. He served in the military from 1940-1946...
, representing South Perth
Electoral district of South Perth
South Perth is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.The district is located in the suburbs immediately south of the Perth CBD....
, had joined the Liberal Party. Both were re-elected.
Two seats changed between the Country and Liberal Parties. In Avon
Electoral 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....
, the sitting member James Mann (Liberal) retired after 32 years in Parliament, and Harry Gayfer, one of the two Country Party candidates, succeeded him in the seat. Meanwhile, in outer-metropolitan Darling Range
Electoral district of Darling Range
Darling Range is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.The district is based to the east and south-east of Perth.-Geography:Darling Range is situated in the outer east and south-east of Perth...
, Liberal candidate Ken Dunn defeated the sitting Country member Ray Owen
Ray Owen
Raymond "Ray" Owen was a professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s, and chairman of the 1980s, who at club level played for Widnes, and Wakefield Trinity, playing at /, i.e. number 7, at club level was chairman for Widnes....
. The Labor candidate (Jack Metcalfe) narrowly won the primary vote, whilst Dunn polled one vote ahead of Owen, meaning Owen was eliminated and his votes distributed between Dunn and Metcalfe. A petition was filed and the Court of Disputed Returns ordered a fresh election for 22 July 1962, which widened the gap to 15 votes.
Results
|}- 381,805 electors were enrolled to vote at the election, but 11 seats (22% of the total) were uncontested—4 Labor seats (two more than 1959) representing 29,773 enrolled voters, 4 Liberal seats (one less than 1959) representing 26,836 enrolled voters, and 3 Country seats (one less than 1959) representing 15,532 enrolled voters.
See also
- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1959–1962Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1959–1962This is a list of members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly between the 1959 election and the 1962 election, together known as the 23rd Parliament.-Notes:...
- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1962–1965Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1962–1965This is a list of members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1962 to 1965:-Notes:...