Australian federal election, 1943
Australian federal election, 1943
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Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin defeated, in a still-existing record landslide by both two-party vote and swing, the opposition Country Party led by Arthur Fadden and coalition partner the United Australia Party led by Billy Hughes.
Although the UAP was the nominal senior partner in the Coalition, it found itself bereft of leadership following the forced resignation of its leader, Robert Menzies. Hughes succeeded him as UAP leader, but at the age of 77 was too old and frail to be a wartime Prime Minister. Country Party leader Fadden was thus forced to take over as Prime Minister, but only stayed in office for six weeks before two independents joined Labor in voting down his budget. Governor-General Lord Gowrie was reluctant to call an election for a Parliament barely a year old, especially considering the international situation. At his urging, the independents threw their support to Labor for the remainder of the parliamentary term.
Over the next two years, Curtin proved to be a very popular and effective leader, and the Coalition was unable to get the better of him. Labor thus went into the election in a strong position, and scored an 18-seat swing. Notably, the Coalition was completely shut out in Western Australia, and lost all but one of its seats in South Australia.
This election was significant in the fact that it resulted in the election of the first female member of the House of Representatives, Enid Lyons, and the first female Senator, Dorothy Tangney. The election remains Labor's greatest federal victory in terms of proportion of seats and two party preferred votes in the lower house, and primary vote in the Senate.
House of Reps (IRV) — 1943–46 — Turnout 96.32% (CV) — Informal 2.89%
|
Party |
Votes |
% |
Swing |
Seats |
Change |
|
Australian Labor Party |
2,058,578 |
49.94 |
+9.78 |
49 |
+17 |
(1 elected unopposed) |
|
United Australia Party |
661,750 |
16.05 |
−14.17 |
12 |
−11 |
|
Country Party |
287,000 |
6.96 |
−6.74 |
7 |
−7 |
|
Country-National Party (QLD) |
166,419 |
4.04 |
* |
3 |
+3 |
|
Liberal Country Party (VIC) |
145,665 |
3.53 |
* |
1 |
+1 |
|
One Parliament for Australia |
87,112 |
2.11 |
* |
0 |
0 |
|
Country Party (QLD) |
61,196 |
1.48 |
* |
1 |
+1 |
|
State Labor Party |
29,752 |
0.72 |
−1.89 |
0 |
0 |
|
Independents |
501,054 |
12.15 |
+4.08 |
1 |
0 |
|
Other |
123,965 |
3.01 |
|
0 |
−4 |
|
Total |
4,122,491 |
|
|
74 |
|
|
Australian Labor Party |
WIN |
58.20 |
+7.90 |
49 |
+17 |
|
Country/UAP coalition |
|
41.80 |
−7.90 |
19 |
−17 |
Independent: Arthur Coles (Henty, Vic)
Senate (PBV) — 1943–46 — Turnout 96.31% (CV) — Informal 9.73%
|
Party |
Votes |
% |
Swing |
Seats Won |
Seats Held |
Change |
|
Australian Labor Party |
2,139,164 |
55.09 |
+17.57 |
19 |
22 |
+5 |
|
Country/UAP (Joint Ticket) |
995,910 |
25.65 |
−18.05 |
0 |
|
|
|
Country-National Party (QLD) |
184,181 |
4.74 |
* |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Liberal & Country League (SA) |
148,419 |
3.82 |
* |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nationalist Country Party (WA) |
101,738 |
2.62 |
* |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Christian New Order (NSW) |
101,247 |
2.61 |
* |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Country Party |
37,350 |
0.96 |
* |
0 |
2 |
−2 |
|
United Australia Party |
* |
* |
−6.71 |
0 |
12 |
−3 |
|
Other |
175,161 |
4.51 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
3,883,170 |
|
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19 |
36 |
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Seats changing hands
Seat |
Pre-1943 |
Swing |
Post-1943 |
Party |
Member |
Margin |
Margin |
Member |
Party |
Adelaide, SA |
|
United Australia |
Fred Stacey |
4.7 |
20.3 |
15.6 |
Cyril Chambers |
Labor |
|
Barker, SA |
|
Country |
Archie Cameron* |
N/A |
14.2 |
1.7 |
Archie Cameron |
United Australia |
|
Boothby, SA |
|
United Australia |
Grenfell Price |
6.6 |
16.1 |
0.9 |
Thomas Sheehy |
Labor |
|
Denison, Tas |
|
United Australia |
Arthur Beck |
1.1 |
10.1 |
9.0 |
John Gaha |
Labor |
|
Eden-Monaro, NSW |
|
United Australia |
John Perkins |
4.8 |
10.8 |
5.4 |
Allan Fraser |
Labor |
|
Grey, SA |
|
Country |
Oliver Badman* |
7.7 |
10.2 |
2.5 |
Edgar Russell |
Labor |
|
Hume, NSW |
|
Country |
Thomas Collins |
0.9 |
7.2 |
6.3 |
Arthur Fuller |
Labor |
|
Lilley, Qld |
|
United Australia |
William Jolly |
9.6 |
9.9 |
0.4 |
James Hadley |
Labor |
|
Maranoa, Qld |
|
Labor |
Frank Baker |
1.6 |
2.6 |
1.0 |
Charles Adermann |
Country |
|
Martin, NSW |
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United Australia |
William McCall |
2.6 |
8.3 |
5.7 |
Fred Daly |
Labor |
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Parkes, NSW |
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United Australia |
Charles Marr |
7.4 |
10.3 |
2.9 |
Les Haylen |
Labor |
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Perth, WA |
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United Australia |
Walter Nairn |
14.5 |
20.5 |
6.0 |
Tom Burke |
Labor |
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Robertson, NSW |
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United Australia |
Eric Spooner |
0.3 |
9.2 |
8.9 |
Thomas Williams |
Labor |
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Swan, WA |
|
Country |
Thomas Marwick* |
7.5 |
10.5 |
3.0 |
Don Mountjoy |
Labor |
|
Wakefield, SA |
|
United Australia |
Jack Duncan-Hughes |
3.4 |
4.6 |
1.2 |
Albert Smith |
Labor |
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- *Oliver Badman and Archie Cameron ran as candidates for the UAP, Thomas Marwick ran as an independent.
See also
Notes
References
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| Federal elections | |
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| Referendums | |
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- Elections in: Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
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