House of Representatives By-Elections 1901–2008
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Parliament of Australia Department of Parliamentary Services Parliamentary Library Information, analysis and advice for the Parliament RESEARCH PAPER www.aph.gov.au/library 22 September 2008, no. 7, 2008–09, ISSN 1834-9854 House of Representatives by-elections 1901–2008 Scott Bennett Politics and Public Administration Section Gerard Newman Formerly Statistics and Mapping Section Executive summary This paper details of House of Representatives by-elections held from that for Darling Downs on 14 September 1901 to the most recent held on 6 September 2008 for Lyne and Mayo: • There have been 144 by-elections, an average of 3.5 per parliament. • The number of nominations has grown over the years from 2.2 per by-election to 10.4 per by-election. • In only four cases was a by-election contested by just a single candidate. • An increasing tendency has been for governments to avoid contesting by-elections in their opponents’ safe seats. • In only seven cases has the Opposition party failed to contest a by-election. • Sixty-seven of the by-elections followed the death of the member, 71 members resigned, there have been five voided elections, and one MP was expelled from the House. • Since 1949 most by-elections have been caused by the resignation of the sitting member and have occurred in safe seats. • On 35 occasions the party complexion of a seat has altered at a by-election. • Five of the losses have been by the Opposition of the day. • The average two-party preferred swing against the government of the day has been 4.0 per cent. • Since 1949 the largest two-party swing against a government occurred in Canberra in 1995. The largest swing to a government occurred in McPherson in 1981. Contents Party abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 The organisation of Commonwealth by-elections ................................................................. 1 The reasons why by-elections have been held ....................................................................... 1 The timing of by-elections ..................................................................................................... 2 By-elections 1994–95 ........................................................................................................ 3 Vacancies for which no by-election was held 1901–2008 ................................................ 4 Number of nominations .......................................................................................................... 4 Candidates per by-election ................................................................................................ 5 Voter turnout .......................................................................................................................... 6 Party performance ....................................................................................................................... 6 Seats lost at by-elections 1901–2005 ..................................................................................... 6 Impact upon party .............................................................................................................. 7 Impact upon Government/Opposition ............................................................................... 7 Party win/loss performance at by-elections 1901–2008 .................................................... 8 By-elections caused by resignation—safeness of seat 1949–2005 ................................... 8 Analysing by-election swings since 1949 .............................................................................. 9 Average swings against government: by-elections 1949–2005 ........................................ 9 Two-party preferred swings, By-elections 1949–2005 ................................................... 11 Personal and political matters ................................................................................................... 12 The changing of the old guard ............................................................................................. 12 Future Prime Ministers ......................................................................................................... 12 The passing of Prime Ministers ............................................................................................ 12 The passing of leaders of the Opposition ............................................................................. 13 Family matters ...................................................................................................................... 13 Famous entries into the House ............................................................................................. 14 Kicked upstairs? ................................................................................................................... 14 A matter of treason ............................................................................................................... 15 By-elections that caused ripples ........................................................................................... 15 Voided elections ................................................................................................................... 17 Appendix 1: House of Representatives by-elections, 1901–2008 ............................................ 18 Appendix 2: Electoral division details ...................................................................................... 21 First past the post electoral system .................................................................................. 21 Preferential voting electoral system ................................................................................ 23 Appendix 3: Notes on Commonwealth by-elections ................................................................ 41 Appendix 4: By-election timing ................................................................................................ 52 Appendix 5: Sources on by-elections in Australia .................................................................... 56 General studies ..................................................................................................................... 56 Case studies .......................................................................................................................... 56 Party abbreviations AAP Advance Australia Party AC Australian Constitutionalist AFI Australians Against Further Immigration ALP Australian Labor Party ANAG Australian National Action Group AntiSoc Anti-Socialist AP Australia Party APPG Australian Pensioner Pressure Group AR Australian Republican ARM Australian Reform Movement ASP Australian Shooters Party Atok Atokist CDP Christian Democratic Party CCE Conservatives for Climate and Environment CEC Citizens Electoral Council Com Communist Party Cons Conservative Const Constitutionalist CP Country Party CRep Constitutional Republican CTA Call to Australia Dem Australian Democrats DLP Democratic Labor Party DOGS Council for the Defence of Government Schools DSP Deadly Serious Party EcRef Economic Reform FF Family First FishP The Fishing Party FLP Federal Labor Party FLR Family Law Reform Party FP Farmers' Party FPA Federal Party of Australia FST Australia First Party FT Free Trade Grn Greens Gry Grey Power GWA The Greens (WA) HAN Pauline Hanson’s One Nation HMP Help End Marijuana Prohibition HPA Hope Party Australia ICP Independent CP ILab Independent Labor ILCL Independent Liberal Country League ILib Independent Liberal INat Independent Nationalist Ind Independent LDP Liberty and Democracy Party LFF Liberals for forests Lib Liberal Party LibF Liberal Forum LLab Lang Labor LP Liberal Party LRG Liberal Reform Group NA National Alliance NAP New Australian Party Nat Nationalist NCPP Non-Custodial Parents Party NGST No GST Party NHP National Humanitarian Party NLP Natural Law Party NP National Party NSP National Socialist Party ON One Nation ONNSW One Nation NSW Division PCP Progressive Conservative Party PLP Progressive Labour Party PORP Property Owners’ Rights Party PP Progress Party Prot Protectionist ProtLab Protestant Labor RARI Reclaim Australia: Reduce Immigration RPA Republican Party of Australia RSNP Returned Soldiers National Party SA Socialist Alliance SC Social Credit SLib State Liberal Soc Socialist SPA Socialist Party of Australia SWP Socialist Workers’ Party TA Taxpayers' Association UAP United Australia Party UM Uninflated Movement Unite Unite Australia Party UTG United Tasmanian Group UWU Unemployed Workers Union VFU Victorian Farmers’ Union VOTE Voice of the Elderly House of Representatives by-elections 1901–2008 Introduction This Research Paper details the 144 by-elections for the House of Representatives held to date, and includes some of the factors involved in their being held. It also discusses relevant factors such as the timing of by-elections, the number of nominations, the voter turnout and party performance over the years, and the swings that have occurred. The paper concludes with a general discussion of some of the personal and political aspects of the by-elections. The organisation of Commonwealth by-elections By-elections are held to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives resulting from the death, resignation, absence without leave, expulsion, disqualification