1971 Kew state by-election

1971 Kew state by-election

17 April 1971

Electoral district of Kew in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Turnout82.8% ( 10.2)
  First party Second party
 
Candidate Rupert Hamer Rosslyn Ives
Party Liberal Labor
Primary vote 13,422 6,325
Percentage 64.8% 30.5%
Swing 23.1 4.7

Location of the electoral district of Kew in Melbourne

MP before election

Arthur Rylah
Liberal

Elected MP

Rupert Hamer
Liberal

A by-election for the seat of Kew was held on 17 April 1971 following the resignation of then Deputy Premier, Arthur Rylah. The by-election was won by Liberal candidate, Rupert Hamer, he won with a 64.8% primary vote and a swing of 23.1% in his primary vote.

Background

Since it was first created in 1927, the electoral district of Kew has typically been a safe seat for the Liberal Party.

The by-election was called after the sitting member and Deputy Premier at the time, Arthur Rylah, resigned from parliament. Rylah's resignation followed a failed attempt from members of the local East Kew branch to challenge his preselection. A month after Rylah's resignation announcement, he has collapsed at his desk and spent the following four months in hospital.[1]

Candidates

A total of 3 candidates ran in the by-election.

Party Candidate Background
  Liberal Rupert Hamer Member of the Legislative Council for East Yarra Province[2]
  Labor Rosslyn Ives
  Independent L. R. Hull

Results

1971 Kew state by-election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rupert Hamer 13,422 64.8 +23.1
Labor Rosslyn Ives 6,325 30.5 +4.7
Independent L R Hull 968 4.7 +4.7
Total formal votes 20,715 97.7 +0.5
Informal votes 497 2.3 −0.5
Turnout 21,212 82.8 −10.2
Liberal hold Swing None
  • Preferences were not distributed as Hamer won with an absolute majority of votes (50% of votes).

See also

References

  1. ^ Costar, B. J. (2002). "Rylah, Sir Arthur Gordon (1909–1974)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Meet Our Alumni – The Hon Sir Rupert James Hamer AC, KCMG, ED". Melbourne Grammar School. 2018. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  3. ^ Carr, Adam. "The Forty-ffifth Parliament Elected 30 May 1970". Adam Carr's Election Archive. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2022.

Further reading

  • Hughes, Colin A. (1987). Voting for the Australian state lower houses, 1975–1984. Canberra: Dept. of Political Science, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University. ISBN 0-909779-24-4.