New South Wales state election, 1941
Encyclopedia
The 1941 New South Wales state election was held on 10 May 1941. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 33nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly
and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting
.
The replacement of Jack Lang
by William McKell
as leader of the Labor Party
in 1939 reunited and rejuvenated the party. A small number of Labor party members continued to support the far left wing State Labor Party (Hughes-Evans)
but this had minimal impact on the election results. The party moved away from Lang's populist,inflationary policies which were seen as extremist by many voters in the middle ground of the political spectrum. McKell also improved the party's standing in rural electorates by personally selecting locally well-known candidates.
In contrast, the internal party divisions and lack of policy direction that had resulted in Alexander Mair
replacing Bertram Stevens as leader of the United Australia Party
(UAP) and Premier in August 1939 continued in the period prior to the election and throughout the course of the new parliament. These divisions were reflected in the sacking of Robert Menzies
as the Prime Minister
in August 1941 and the disintegration of the UAP at a state level in 1943. The remnant of the UAP combined with the newly formed Commonwealth Party
to form the Democratic Party in that year. Mair remained Leader of the Opposition
until 10 February 1944 when he was replaced by Reginald Weaver
.
The result of the election was a landslide victory for the Labor Party:
The Labor Party government of McKell had a majority of 18 and McKell remained Premier throughout the term of the Parliament. The Labor Party won two further seats from the Country Party at by-elections during the parliament. Jack Lang was expelled from the Labor Party after persistently attacking the governments of McKell and John Curtin
in 1943. He then remained in parliament as the sole representative of Lang Labor
.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting
Instant-runoff voting
Instant-runoff voting , also known as preferential voting, the alternative vote and ranked choice voting, is a voting system used to elect one winner. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and their ballots are counted as one vote for their first choice candidate. If a candidate secures a...
.
The replacement of Jack Lang
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
by William McKell
William McKell
Sir William John McKell GCMG , Australian politician, was Premier of New South Wales from 1941 to 1947, and was the 12th Governor-General of Australia. He was also the oldest Governor General of Australia, at 93 when he died....
as leader of the Labor Party
Leader of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales
The leader of the ALP in the New South Wales Parliament is elected from and by the members of the party caucus, comprising all party members in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. When the Labor party forms a government the leader is the Premier and when the party is in opposition...
in 1939 reunited and rejuvenated the party. A small number of Labor party members continued to support the far left wing State Labor Party (Hughes-Evans)
State Labor Party
The State Labor Party , was an Australian political party which operated exclusively in the state of New South Wales in the early 1940s. The party was initially a far-left faction of the Australian Labor Party, strongly opposed to the right-wing faction of the party dominated by Jack Lang, former...
but this had minimal impact on the election results. The party moved away from Lang's populist,inflationary policies which were seen as extremist by many voters in the middle ground of the political spectrum. McKell also improved the party's standing in rural electorates by personally selecting locally well-known candidates.
In contrast, the internal party divisions and lack of policy direction that had resulted in Alexander Mair
Alexander Mair
Alexander Mair was an Australian politician and served as the Premier of New South Wales from 5 August 1939 to 16 May 1941. Born in Melbourne, working in various businesses, Mair moved to Albury, New South Wales and went on to be a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for fourteen...
replacing Bertram Stevens as leader of the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
(UAP) and Premier in August 1939 continued in the period prior to the election and throughout the course of the new parliament. These divisions were reflected in the sacking of Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
as the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
in August 1941 and the disintegration of the UAP at a state level in 1943. The remnant of the UAP combined with the newly formed Commonwealth Party
Commonwealth Party (New South Wales)
The Commonwealth Party was a short-lived, urban, conservative political party which was active in New South Wales, Australia in 1943-4.Following the defection of Joseph Lyons from the Australian Labor Party to the conservative side of politics in 1931, the opposition Nationalist Party and the five...
to form the Democratic Party in that year. Mair remained Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)
The role of the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in New South Wales is a title held by the leader of the largest minority party in the state lower house, the New South Wales Legislative Assembly...
until 10 February 1944 when he was replaced by Reginald Weaver
Reginald Weaver
Reginald Walter Darcy Weaver was an Australian conservative parliamentarian who served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 28 years. Serving from 1917 in the backbenches, he entered the cabinet of Thomas Bavin in 1929 as Secretary for Mines and Minister for Forests until he returned to...
.
The result of the election was a landslide victory for the Labor Party:
- Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
54 seats - Independent Labor 1 seat
- United Australia PartyUnited Australia PartyThe United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
14 seats - Independent UAP 5 seats
- Country PartyNational Party of AustraliaThe National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
12 seats - Independent 4 seats.
The Labor Party government of McKell had a majority of 18 and McKell remained Premier throughout the term of the Parliament. The Labor Party won two further seats from the Country Party at by-elections during the parliament. Jack Lang was expelled from the Labor Party after persistently attacking the governments of McKell and John Curtin
John Curtin
John Joseph Curtin , Australian politician, served as the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Labor under Curtin formed a minority government in 1941 after the crossbench consisting of two independent MPs crossed the floor in the House of Representatives, bringing down the Coalition minority...
in 1943. He then remained in parliament as the sole representative of Lang Labor
Lang Labor
Lang Labor was the name commonly used to describe three successive break-away sections of the Australian Labor Party, all led by the New South Wales Labor leader Jack Lang premier of NSW .-Initial opposition to Lang's leadership:...
.
Key dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 18 April 1941 | The Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election. |
| 22 April 1941 | Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon. |
| 10 May 1941 | Polling day. |
| 17 June 1941 | Last day for the writs to be returned and the results formally declared. |
| 28 May 1941 | Opening of 33rd Parliament. |
Results
|}- There were 1,540,974 enrolled voters in contested electorates and 143,807 were enrolled in 7 uncontested electorates (four UAP and three Labor).
See also
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1941–1944Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1941–1944
This is a list of members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 to 1944, as elected at the 1941 state election.During this term, the opposition United Australia Party merged with the new Commonwealth Party to form the Democratic Party in late 1943...