Australian federal election, 1975

Infobox Election
election_name = Australian federal election, 1975
country = Australia
type = parliamentary
ongoing = no
previous_election = Australian federal election, 1974
previous_year = 1974
next_election = Australian federal election, 1977
next_year = 1977
seats_for_election = All 127 seats of the Australian House of Representatives
and all 60 seats of the Australian Senate
election_date = 13 December 1975

leader1 = Malcolm Fraser
leader_since1 = 8 March 1975
party1 = Liberal/National coalition
leaders_seat1 = Wannon
last_election1 = 61 seats
seats1 = 91
seat_change1 = +30
popular_vote1 =
percentage1 = 55.70%
swing1 = +7.40

leader2 = Gough Whitlam
leader_since2 = 8 February 1967
party2 = Australian Labor Party
leaders_seat2 = Werriwa
last_election2 = 66 seats
seats2 = 36
seat_change2 = -30
popular_vote2 =
percentage2 = 44.30%
swing2 = -7.40

title = PM
before_election = Malcolm Fraser
before_party = Liberal/National coalition
after_election = Malcolm Fraser
after_party = Liberal/National coalition

Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses. Malcolm Fraser had been commissioned as prime minister following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, on 11 November 1975. That same day, Fraser advised the calling of the election, in accordance with Kerr's stipulated conditions (see 1975 Australian constitutional crisis). Thus the Liberal Party of Australia, led by Fraser, with coalition partner the National Country Party, led by Doug Anthony, went to the election as a minority caretaker government and defeated the Australian Labor Party under Gough Whitlam, who had been prime minister from 5 December 1972 until his dismissal.

{| class="wikitable"
+Senate (STV) — 1975-77 — Turnout 95.39% (CV) — Informal 9.10%
style="width:20px" |
style="width:180px" | Party
style="width:70px" align=center | Votes
style="width:40px" align=center| %
style="width:40px" align=center| Swing
style="width:40px" align=center| Seats Won
style="width:40px" align=center| Seats Held
-
bgcolor=red |
Australian Labor Party
align=right| 2,931,310
align=right| 40.91
align=right| -6.38
align=right| 27
align=right| 27
-

Liberal/Country (Joint Ticket)
align=right| 2,855,721
align=right| 39.86
align=right| +5.09
align=right| 17
align=right|
-
bgcolor=blue |
Liberal Party of Australia
align=right| 793,772
align=right| 11.08
align=right| +3.26
align=right| 16
align=right| 26
-
bgcolor=gray |
Democratic Labor Party
align=right| 191,049
align=right| 2.67
align=right| -0.89
align=right| 0
align=right| 0
-
bgcolor=purple |
Liberal Movement
align=right| 76,426
align=right| 1.07
align=right| +0.11
align=right| 1
align=right| 1
-
bgcolor=green |
National Country Party
align=right| 38,366
align=right| 0.54
align=right| -0.76
align=right| 1
align=right| 8
-
bgcolor=brown |
Country Liberal Party
align=right| 15,519
align=right| 0.22
align=right| -0.01
align=right| 1
align=right| 1
-
bgcolor=gray |
Independents
align=right| 114,310
align=right| 1.60
align=right| -0.24
align=right| 1
align=right| 1
-
bgcolor=gray |
Other
align=right| 148,240
align=right| 2.07
align=right|
align=right| 0
align=right| 0
-

Total
align=right| 7,164,713
align=right|
align=right|
align=right| 64
align=right| 64Independent: Brian Harradine

Issues

The election followed the controversial dismissal of the Whitlam government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr in the 1975 constitutional crisis. Labor campaigners hoped that the electorate would "maintain [its] rage" and punish the Coalition for its part in bringing down the government, proclaiming "Shame Fraser, Shame". However, the Coalition successfully focused on economic issues and alleged Labor mismanagement of inflation and the so-called Loans Affair, campaigning under the slogan "Turn on the lights, Australia".

ignificance

The 1975 election produced the most one-sided redistribution of seats since Federation. The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory had received an entitlement to elect 2 senators each as a consequence of the 1974 Joint Sitting of the Australian Parliament.

References

* [http://australianpolitics.com/elections/1975/ AustralianPolitics.com 1975 election details]
* [http://elections.uwa.edu.au/ University of WA] election results in Australia since 1890
* [http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/Australian_Electoral_History/House_of_Representative_1949_Present.htm AEC 2PP vote]
*Prior to 1984 the AEC did not undertake a full distribution of preferences for statistical purposes. The stored ballot papers for the 1983 election were put through this process prior to their destruction. Therefore the figures from 1983 onwards show the actual result based on full distribution of preferences.