Australian federal election, 1931

Australian federal election, 1931

19 December 1931

All 75 seats of the Australian House of Representatives 38 seats were needed for a majority in the House 18 (of the 36) seats of the Australian Senate   First party Second party   Leader Joseph Lyons James Scullin Party UAP/Country coalition Labor Leader since 7 May 1931 26 April 1928 Leader's seat Wilmot Yarra Last election 24 seats 46 seats Seats won 50 seats 14 seats Seat change 26 32 Percentage 48.35% 27.10% Swing 4.18 21.74

Prime Minister before election James Scullin Labor Elected Prime Minister Joseph Lyons UAP/Country coalition

Federal elections were held in Australia on 19 December 1931. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia James Scullin was defeated by the newly formed opposition United Australia Party (descended from the Nationalist Party of Australia) led by ex-Labor Joseph Lyons. The UAP fought the election in the traditional non-Labor Coalition with the Country Party, led by Earle Page, but won enough seats to form an exclusively UAP government.

Results

Independent: Littleton Groom (Darling Downs, Qld)

Seats changing hands

• Members in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

Issues

The election was dominated by the Great Depression in Australia, which was at its height. As the Labor Government had come to office two days before the Wall Street Crash of 1929, it was seen as being responsible for many of the economic and social problems Australia faced. Lang Labor also split from the Labor Party. The result was Labor's primary vote dropping to its lowest level since 1901. The two Labor factions won only 18 seats between them.

See also

• Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1931
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1931–1934
• Members of the Australian Senate, 1932–1935

Notes

References

• University of WA election results in Australia since 1890

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