New South Wales state election, 1947

The 1947 New South Wales state election was held on 3 May 1947. It 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...

and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution. The election was for all of the 90 seats in the Legislative Assembly

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...

Issues

At the beginning of 1947, Labor had been in power for 6 years under the premiership of 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....

. The urban conservative parties, which had been in a state of disarray at the previous election in 1944

New South Wales state election, 1944

The 1944 New South Wales state election was held on 27 May 1944. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution...

had been unified as the Liberal Party

Liberal Party of Australia

The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...

under the federal leadership of Robert Menzies

Robert Menzies

Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....

. However, in New South Wales the Liberals had lost their two most experienced and capable leaders, 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...

who had died in November 1945 and 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...

who had resigned from parliament to unsuccessfully contest a NSW senate seat at the 1946 federal election

Australian federal election, 1946

Federal elections were held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...

. They had been led by Vernon Treatt

Vernon Treatt

Sir Vernon Haddon Treatt KBE, MM, QC was an Australian lawyer, soldier, Rhodes Scholar and politician. Born in Singleton, New South Wales and educated at Shore School, Treatt interrupted his studies at the University of Sydney to enlist at the outbreak of the First World War...

since March 1946. In February 1947, 3 moths before the election was due, McKell stunned most people in the Labor Party and general community by announcing that he would resign to take up the position of Governor-General

Governor-General of Australia

The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...

. McKell's preference as a successor was his ally in the struggle against 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...

, Bob Heffron. However, revealing the residual influence of Lang, the caucus chose his preferred candidate, the Housing Minister, James McGirr

James McGirr

James McGirr was the Labor Premier of New South Wales from 6 February 1947 to 3 April 1952.A Catholic, McGirr was the seventh son of John Patrick McGirr, farmer and Irish immigrant, and Mary McGirr, whose maiden name was O'Sullivan. Born in Parkes, New South Wales, he grew up on a dairy farm near...

. Both parties went to the election with untried leaders. However, residual respect for McKell, continuing economic growth, the popularity of the federal Labor government and the memory of the factional fights among the state's conservative politicians gave Labor a significant advantage in the campaign .

Results

While Labor lost some of the traditionally conservative seats it had picked up at the 1944 election to the Liberal Party, the result of the election was a land-slide victory for Labor. Many of the gains of the Liberal and Country parties were conservative members who had been elected as independents at the previous election. They had rejoined the parties when some degree of order had been restored:

Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The 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...

52 seats
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:...

2 seats
Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...

18 seats
Country Party
National Party of Australia
The 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...

15 seats
Joint Liberal-Country Party endorsement 1 seat
Independent 2 seats

Aftermath

McGirr, Treatt and Country Party Leader Michael Bruxner

Michael Bruxner

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Michael Frederick Bruxner KBE, DSO, JP was an Australian politician and soldier, serving for many years as Leader of the Country Party and its predecessors...

retained their leadership roles throughout the parliament.

There were 11 by-elections during the parliament with a net loss of 3 seats for Labor.

Seats changing party representation

Seat	Incumbent member	New member	\|Party

Albury	John Hurley John Hurley Cornelius John Hurley was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 109 days in 1946-7. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party.-Early life:...	Labor	Doug Padman	Liberal
Corowa Electoral district of Corowa Corowa was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales.Created in 1904, it takes its name from town of Corowa. In 1920, Corowa, Albury and Wagga Wagga was absorbed into Murray and elected four members under proportional representation... ‡		Independent	Ebenezer Kendell Ebenezer Kendell Ebenezer Thomas Kendell was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1946 until 1950. He was a member of the Country Party.-Early life:...	Country
Drummoyne Electoral district of Drummoyne Drummoyne is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Sidoti of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...	Robert Greig Robert Greig (politician) Robert Greig was an Australian politician for the Labour party. He represented the Electoral district of Drummoyne 1941—1947. He served alongside Thomas Bavin in the Electoral district of Ryde 1920-27.-References:...	Labor	Robert Dewley Robert Dewley Robert Charles Dewley was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1947 until 1953. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Australia....	Liberal
Hornsby Electoral district of Hornsby Hornsby is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. Hornsby is one of two post-1927 electorates to have never been held by the Labor party and always by the Liberals, a predecessor party to the Liberals, or an independent, the other such district...	Sydney Storey Sydney Storey Sydney Albert Dawson Storey was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1941 and 1962...	Independent Democrat	Sydney Storey Sydney Storey Sydney Albert Dawson Storey was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1941 and 1962...	Liberal
Lachlan Electoral district of Lachlan Lachlan was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. During the first two Parliaments , there was an electorate in the same area called Lachlan and Lower Darling, named after the Lachlan and Darling Rivers. Lachlan was created in 1859 and...	John Chanter John Courtenay Chanter For John Courtenay Chanter's father, John Moore Chanter, a member of the New South Wales and Australian parliaments see John ChanterJohn Courtenay Chanter was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1943 and 1947...	Labor	Robert Medcalf Robert Medcalf Robert George Medcalf was an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.Medcalf was the member for Lachlan from 1947 to 1950 and the member for Dubbo from 1950 to 1953.-Notes:...	Country Party
Lane Cove Electoral district of Lane Cove Lane Cove is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Anthony Roberts of the Liberal Party of Australia...	Henry Woodward Henry Woodward (Australian politician) Henry Phipps John Woodward was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for a single term between 1944 and 1947. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party.-Early life:...	Labor	Ken McCaw Ken McCaw Sir Kenneth Malcolm McCaw QC , an Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Lane Cove for the Liberal Party of Australia from 1947 until his retirement from political office in 1975...	Liberal
Mosman Electoral district of Mosman Mosman was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1913 and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Mosman. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into Middle Harbour. Mosman...	Donald Macdonald Donald Macdonald (Australian politician) Donald Peter Macdonald was an Australian politician and clergyman. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1941 and 1947 and an Independent member of parliament.-Early life:...	Independent	Pat Morton Pat Morton Philip Henry Morton was an Australian businessman and politician. Born in Lismore in Northern New South Wales to a prominent political family and educated at Lismore High School, Morton left school at fourteen to be employed in a legal firm, before branching out into various businesses...	Liberal
Nepean Electoral district of Nepean (New South Wales) Nepean was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1859, and named after the Nepean River. It was abolished in 1904 with the downsizing of the Assembly after Federation. Nepean was recreated in 1927 and abolished again in...	Joseph Jackson Joseph Jackson (Australian politician) Joseph Jackson was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1922 until 1956...	Independent Democrat	Joseph Jackson Joseph Jackson (Australian politician) Joseph Jackson was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1922 until 1956...	Liberal
Orange Electoral district of Orange Orange is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Andrew Gee of the National Party of Australia....	Robert O'Halloran Robert O'Halloran Robert "Bob" Emmet O'Halloran was an Australian politician. He was an Labor Party Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly spanning 27 years, representing Eastern Suburbs between 1920 to 1927 and Orange between 1941 and 1947.-Early years:O'Halloran was born in Euchareena, New South Wales...	Labor	Charles Cutler Charles Cutler Sir Charles Benjamin Cutler KBE, ED was an Australian politician, holding office for 28 years as an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Orange...	Country
Oxley	Les Jordan Les Jordan Leslie Charles Jordan was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1944 until his death in 1965 . He was initially elected as a member of the Country Party but changed allegiance to the Liberal Party of Australia in 1959.Jordan was born in Sydney...	Independent	Les Jordan Les Jordan Leslie Charles Jordan was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1944 until his death in 1965 . He was initially elected as a member of the Country Party but changed allegiance to the Liberal Party of Australia in 1959.Jordan was born in Sydney...	Country
Ryde Electoral district of Ryde Ryde is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It includes the suburbs and localities of Denistone, Denistone East, Denistone West, Macquarie Park, Marsfield, Meadowbank, Melrose Park, Ryde, North Ryde, West Ryde; and part of Eastwood.It is... ¶		Independent Democrat	Eric Hearnshaw Eric Hearnshaw Eric Hearnshaw was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1945 until 1965. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Australia....	Liberal
Tamworth Electoral district of Tamworth Tamworth is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Kevin Anderson of the National Party of Australia...	Bill Chaffey Bill Chaffey William Adolphus Chaffey was an Australian farmer, soldier and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the district of Tamworth...	Independent	Bill Chaffey Bill Chaffey William Adolphus Chaffey was an Australian farmer, soldier and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the district of Tamworth...	Country

¶Hearnshaw had won the seat at a 1945 by-election caused by the death of Independent James Shand

‡ Kendell had won the seat at a 1946 by-election caused by the resignation of Independent Christopher Lethbridge

Christopher Lethbridge

Christopher Baron Lethbridge was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1937 and 1946. He was an Independent member of parliament.-Early life:...

Key dates

Date	Event
29 March 1947	The Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election.
3 April 1947	Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon.
3 May 1947	Polling day.
127 May 1947	Last day for the writs to be returned and the results formally declared.
28 May 1947	Opening of 35th Parliament.

Tabulated Results