Victorian state election, 1988
Victorian state election, 1988
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1 October 1988 (1988-10-01) |
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|
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Elections were held in the Australian state of Victoria on Saturday 1 October 1988 to elect the 88 members of the state's Legislative Assembly and 22 members of the 44-member Legislative Council.
The Labor government of Premier John Cain won a third term in office, despite a swing against it, and only lost the seat of Warrandyte in Melbourne's north-east. This was credited by commentators to a strong campaign targeting Liberal leader Jeff Kennett whose aggressive leadership style was still seen as a liability, as well as continuing instability in the federal Coalition.[1] Its narrow wins in middle class marginal seats saw it win a majority despite achieving less than half of the two party preferred vote.[2]
Results
Legislative Assembly
Victorian state election, 1 October 1988 Legislative Assembly
<< 1985 — 1992 >> |
Enrolled voters |
2,739,614 |
|
|
Votes cast |
2,530,027 |
|
Turnout |
92.35 |
-0.86 |
Informal votes |
98,525 |
|
Informal |
3.89 |
+1.21 |
Summary of votes by party |
Party |
Primary votes |
% |
Swing |
Seats |
Change |
|
Labor |
1,131,750 |
46.55 |
–3.46 |
46 |
– 1 |
|
Liberal |
986,311 |
40.51 |
–1.30 |
33 |
+ 2 |
|
National |
188,776 |
7.76 |
+0.47 |
9 |
– 1 |
|
Democrats |
25,611 |
1.05 |
+1.05 |
0 |
± 0 |
|
Call to Australia |
25,543 |
1.05 |
+1.05 |
0 |
± 0 |
|
Democratic Labor |
6,018 |
0.25 |
+0.25 |
0 |
± 0 |
|
Independent |
67,493 |
2.78 |
+1.94 |
0 |
± 0 |
Total |
2,431,502 |
|
|
88 |
|
Two-party-preferred |
|
Labor |
1,202,294 |
49.49 |
–1.21 |
|
|
|
Liberal |
1,227,295 |
50.51 |
+1.21 |
|
|
Legislative Council
Victorian state election, 1 October 1988 Legislative Council
|
Enrolled voters |
2,739,614 |
|
|
Votes cast |
2,529,569 |
|
Turnout |
92.33 |
–0.86 |
Informal votes |
109,578 |
|
Informal |
4.33 |
+1.32 |
Summary of votes by party |
Party |
Primary votes |
% |
Swing |
Seats won |
Seats held |
|
Labor |
1,164,796 |
48.13 |
+0.85 |
9 |
19 |
|
Liberal |
1,052,591 |
43.50 |
+2.35 |
10 |
19 |
|
National |
181,074 |
7.48 |
+0.81 |
3 |
6 |
|
Call to Australia |
5,363 |
0.22 |
–0.49 |
0 |
0 |
|
Independent |
16,167 |
0.67 |
+0.45 |
0 |
0 |
Total |
2,419,991 |
|
|
22 |
44 |
Seats changing hands
- Members in italics did not recontest their seats.
Key dates
Date |
Event |
29 August 1988 |
The Legislative Council was prorogued and the Legislative Assembly was dissolved.[3] |
29 August 1988 |
Writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election.[4] |
2 September 1988 |
The Constitution Act Amendment (Electoral Procedures) Act 1988 (No.31) comes into operation.[5] |
5 September 1988 |
The electoral rolls were closed. |
9 September 1988 |
Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon. |
1 October 1988 |
Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm. |
13 October 1988 |
The Cain Ministry was reconstituted, with two new ministers sworn in.[6] |
21 October 1988 |
The writ was returned and the results formally declared. |
25 October 1988 |
Parliament resumed for business.[7] |
Post-election Pendulum
Aftermath
On 23 May 1989, Jeff Kennett was voted out of the Liberal leadership in favour of Alan Brown; Brown led the party until 23 April 1991 when he was also forced out after a successful comeback by Kennett. During Brown's period as Opposition Leader, the Liberals negotiated the first coalition agreement with the Nationals in over forty years, in part due to a belief by some (in spite of what political scientist Brian Costar called a "lack of psephological evidence to support this assertion") that had the parties been in coalition at the election, they would have won.[8]
References
- ↑ Costar, Brian; Economou, Nick (1992). "Elections and Electoral Change 1982–92". In Considine, M. and Costar, B. J. Trials in Power: Cain, Kirner and Victoria 1982–92. pp. 255–256.
- ↑ Shamshullah, Ardel (June 1989). "Australian Political Chronicle: July–December 1988: Victoria". Australian Journal of Politics and History 35 (2): 252–253. ISSN 0004-9522.
- ↑ "Proroguing the Legislative Council and dissolving the Legislative Assembly: Proclamation". Victorian Government Gazette. 29 August 1988. p. 1988:S77 (Special).
- ↑ "Simultaneous Election". Victorian Government Gazette. 29 August 1988. p. 1988:S77 (Special).
- ↑ "Constitution Act Amendment (Electoral Procedures) Act 1988 (No.31): Proclamation of Commencement". Victorian Government Gazette. 2 September 1988. p. 1988:S79 (Special).
- ↑ "Ministers of the Crown (per 51287/88)". Victorian Government Gazette. 13 October 1988. p. 1988:S84 (Special).
- ↑ "Fixing the time for holding the first session of the Fifty-first Parliament of Victoria". Victorian Government Gazette. 13 October 1988. p. 1988:S83.
- ↑ B. J. Costar, 'Coalition Government: An Unequal Partnership' in B. J. Costar & N. Economou (eds) The Kennett Revolution: Victorian Politics in the 1990s, UNSW Press, Sydney, 1998, p. 89
See also