New South Wales state election, 1965
Encyclopedia
The 1965 New South Wales state election was held on 1 May 1965. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting
and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly
.
, who had been seen as a generational change for the party leadership had been premier for 1 year. However, Renshaw, had difficulty adjusting to a televised campaign and his manner, the result of spending much of his early life in remote New South Wales, had not resonated with urban voters. The longevity of the government was an issue promoted by the opposition which described it as being composed of "tired old men". Continuing cost overruns and construction delays at the Sydney Opera House
detracted from the government's economic management and accusations that the Speaker
, Ray Maher
had indecently exposed himself to a staff member disrupted the start of the government's campaign. In addition, the government's keynote policy of releasing large tracts of land in Sydney for residential development was leaked to the opposition, which then claimed it as its own policy. Labor continued to have an ideological difficulty matching the Opposition's promises of state aid for non-government schools and this was the most decisive issue in the election. However, its other policies included increased high school bursaries, measures to reduce unfair trading, reduced power costs, increased sick leave and reform of Workers' Compensation schemes.
In contrast to Labor the leader of the conservative coalition, Robin Askin was skillful in his use of television and put forward a positive program. Promises for non-government schools included free transport, library grants, low interest loans, textbook subsidies and bursaries. Askin accused the state government of allowing the transport infrastructure of the state to decline and pledge his government to improve the Illawarra and Eastern Suburbs rail lines. He promised to integrate the state's bus and train fares and reduce suburban rail costs. Motor registry costs would be reduced and better rent control was to be introduced for pensioners Askin also promised to recruit more police and give more resources for mental health and district hospitals.
.
had gained the seat of Waratah from the Labor Party at a by-election caused by the death of Edward Greaves
. Sam Jones regained the seat for Labor at the general election.
Despite a strong swing of more than 5% to the coalition, the result of the election remained in doubt for 2 weeks. The effects of a long incumbency bolstered by the cumulative effects of a number of re-distributions limited Labor's loss of seats to 9. In several of these the margin of defeat was less than 300 votes. In the final result the Coalition had 47 seats, one short of a majority. However, it could rely on the support of Douglas Darby
a former member of the party who had been elected as a Liberal Independent but was subsequently readmitted to the party room and Harold Coates
, a conservative independent who had won the seat of Hartley
. After providing a Speaker, the coalition was able to form a government with a majority of 3 in the Assembly.
The DLP contested 28 seats and, while it gained less than 2.5% of the state-wide primary vote, its preferences strongly favoured the coalition and were vital to its success. The Communist party was reduced to 13 candidates who received negligible support.
and Charles Cutler
became Premier and Deputy Premier in New South Wales' first conservative government for 24 years. Renshaw became Leader of the Opposition
, a post he held throughout the term of the parliament. During this parliament there were 3 by-elections. These resulted in the Country party gaining one seat from Labor and one seat from the Liberal Party.
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 1961 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 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
In May 1965, Labor had been in power for 24 years and 54 year old Jack RenshawJack Renshaw
John Brophy "Jack" Renshaw AC was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of New South Wales from 30 April 1964 to 13 May 1965.-Early life:...
, who had been seen as a generational change for the party leadership had been premier for 1 year. However, Renshaw, had difficulty adjusting to a televised campaign and his manner, the result of spending much of his early life in remote New South Wales, had not resonated with urban voters. The longevity of the government was an issue promoted by the opposition which described it as being composed of "tired old men". Continuing cost overruns and construction delays at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
detracted from the government's economic management and accusations that the Speaker
Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly, New South Wales's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is Shelley Hancock, who was elected on 3 May 2011...
, Ray Maher
Ray Maher
The Hon. Raphael Septimus Maher was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1953 until 1966 and a member of the Australian Labor Party . Maher was the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1959 and 1966.-Early life:Maher...
had indecently exposed himself to a staff member disrupted the start of the government's campaign. In addition, the government's keynote policy of releasing large tracts of land in Sydney for residential development was leaked to the opposition, which then claimed it as its own policy. Labor continued to have an ideological difficulty matching the Opposition's promises of state aid for non-government schools and this was the most decisive issue in the election. However, its other policies included increased high school bursaries, measures to reduce unfair trading, reduced power costs, increased sick leave and reform of Workers' Compensation schemes.
In contrast to Labor the leader of the conservative coalition, Robin Askin was skillful in his use of television and put forward a positive program. Promises for non-government schools included free transport, library grants, low interest loans, textbook subsidies and bursaries. Askin accused the state government of allowing the transport infrastructure of the state to decline and pledge his government to improve the Illawarra and Eastern Suburbs rail lines. He promised to integrate the state's bus and train fares and reduce suburban rail costs. Motor registry costs would be reduced and better rent control was to be introduced for pensioners Askin also promised to recruit more police and give more resources for mental health and district hospitals.
.
Results
Prior to the election, Independent Frank PurdueFrank Purdue
Frank Outen Jensen Purdue was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1956 until 1962 and again between 1964 and 1965. He was prominent in local Government and was Lord Mayor of Newcastle, NSW for 9 years between 1951 and 1965...
had gained the seat of Waratah from the Labor Party at a by-election caused by the death of Edward Greaves
Edward Greaves
Edward Greaves was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1962 until 1963. He was a member of the ALP....
. Sam Jones regained the seat for Labor at the general election.
Despite a strong swing of more than 5% to the coalition, the result of the election remained in doubt for 2 weeks. The effects of a long incumbency bolstered by the cumulative effects of a number of re-distributions limited Labor's loss of seats to 9. In several of these the margin of defeat was less than 300 votes. In the final result the Coalition had 47 seats, one short of a majority. However, it could rely on the support of Douglas Darby
Douglas Darby
Evelyn Douglas Darby MP was an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly...
a former member of the party who had been elected as a Liberal Independent but was subsequently readmitted to the party room and Harold Coates
Harold Coates
Harold George Coates, OBE was an Australian politician, serving as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly during the period 1965-1976.-Political career:...
, a conservative independent who had won the seat of Hartley
Electoral district of Hartley (New South Wales)
Hartley was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1859 in the Lithgow area and named after the town of Hartley, near Lithgow. It replaced part of Cook and Westmoreland. From 1891 to 1894, it elected two members...
. After providing a Speaker, the coalition was able to form a government with a majority of 3 in the Assembly.
- LiberalLiberal Party of AustraliaThe 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...
31 seats - Independent Liberal 1 seat
- 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...
16 seats - 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...
45 seats - Independent 1 seat
The DLP contested 28 seats and, while it gained less than 2.5% of the state-wide primary vote, its preferences strongly favoured the coalition and were vital to its success. The Communist party was reduced to 13 candidates who received negligible support.
Seats changing party representation
This table lists changes in party representation since the 1965 election| Seat | Incumbent member | |Party | New member | |Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bligh Electoral district of Bligh Bligh was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was created in 1962, partly replacing Paddington-Waverley and was an urban electorate, covering 13.03 km² and taking in the suburbs of Potts Point, Darling Point, Woolloomooloo, Elizabeth... |
Tom Morey Tom Morey (politician) Tom Morey was an Australian politician, elected from 1962 to 1965 as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, for the electoral district of Bligh. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party.-Notes:... |
Labor | Morton Cohen | Liberal | ||
| Coogee Electoral district of Coogee Coogee is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Bruce Notley-Smith of the Liberal Party.-Members for Coogee:-Election results:... |
Lou Walsh Lou Walsh Louis Andrew Walsh was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1953 and 1956 and again between 1962 and 1965. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party.-Early life:... |
Labor | Kevin Ellis Kevin Ellis (Australian politician) Sir Kevin William Collin Ellis KBE was an Australian politician, elected as a Liberal member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.... |
Liberal | ||
| Goulburn Electoral district of Goulburn Goulburn is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Pru Goward of the Liberal Party of Australia.... |
Laurie Tully Laurie Tully Laurence John Tully was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1946 until 1965. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party .... |
Labor | Ron Brewer Ron Brewer (politician) Ronald Alfred St Clair "Ron" Brewer was an Australian politician. He was the Country Party member for Goulburn in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1965 to 1984.... |
Country | ||
| Hartley Electoral district of Hartley (New South Wales) Hartley was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1859 in the Lithgow area and named after the town of Hartley, near Lithgow. It replaced part of Cook and Westmoreland. From 1891 to 1894, it elected two members... |
James Robson Jim Robson (politician) James Hutchins "Jim" Robson was an Australian politician. He was the Labor member for Hartley in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1956 to 1965.... |
Labor | Harold Coates Harold Coates Harold George Coates, OBE was an Australian politician, serving as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly during the period 1965-1976.-Political career:... |
Independent | ||
| Hurstville Electoral district of Hurstville Hurstville was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after and including the Sydney suburb of Hurstville.... |
Bill Rigby Bill Rigby (politician) William Matthew Rigby was an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1959 to 1965, representing the electorate of Hurstville.... |
Labor | Tom Mead | Liberal | ||
| Lismore Electoral district of Lismore Lismore is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Thomas George of the National Party of Australia.... |
Keith Compton Keith Compton Keith Clive Compton was an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1959 to 1965, representing the electorate of Lismore.... |
Labor | Bruce Duncan Bruce Duncan Robert Bruce Duncan was an Australian politician. He was the member for Lismore in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1965 to 1988, first as a member of the Country Party and then as an independent.... |
Country | ||
| Monaro Electoral district of Monaro Monaro is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Barilaro of the National Party of Australia.... |
John Seiffert John Seiffert John Wesley Seiffert was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until his death in 1965... |
Labor | Steve Mauger Steve Mauger Stephen George "Steve" Mauger was an Australian politician. He was the Liberal member for Monaro in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1965 to 1976, and was Minister for Youth, Ethnic and Community Affairs from 1975 to 1976.Mauger was born in Williamstown in Victoria to Albert Stephen... |
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... |
Alfred Bennett Alfred Bennett (Australian politician) Alfred Ernest Bennett was an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1962 to 1965, representing the electorate of Nepean.... |
Labor | Ron Dunbier Ron Dunbier Rowland Albert "Ron" Dunbier was an Australian politician. He was the Liberal member for Nepean in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1965 to 1971.... |
Liberal | ||
| Wollongong-Kembla Electoral district of Wollongong-Kembla Wollongong-Kembla was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was created in 1941, and abolished in 1968, being split into Wollongong and Kembla.-Members for Wollongong-Kembla:... |
Doug Porter Doug Porter (politician) Douglas Elliott Porter was an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1964 to 1965, representing the electorate of Wollongong-Kembla.... |
Labor | Jack Hough Jack Hough Michael William "Jack" Hough was an Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing Wollongong-Kembla from 1965 to 1968 and Wollongong from 1968 to 1971.... |
Liberal | ||
Key dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 31 March 1965 | The Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election. |
| 5 April 1965 | Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon. |
| 1 May 1965 | Polling day. |
| 28 May 1965 | Last day for the writs to be returned and the results formally declared. |
| 26 May 1965 | Opening of 41st Parliament. |
Tabulated Results
|}- There were 2,218,550 enrolled voters in 92 contested electorates and 38,018 were enrolled in 2 uncontested electorates (1 Labor, 1 Country).
Aftermath
Robert AskinRobert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
and 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...
became Premier and Deputy Premier in New South Wales' first conservative government for 24 years. Renshaw became 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...
, a post he held throughout the term of the parliament. During this parliament there were 3 by-elections. These resulted in the Country party gaining one seat from Labor and one seat from the Liberal Party.
See also
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1965–1968Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1965–1968
This is a list of members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1965 to 1968, as elected at the 1965 state election.* Premier: Robert Askin...