Are the good burghers of Griffith poised to make history? – House of Representatives by-elections 1901–2014

Posted 22/01/2014 by Toby Bellwood

The Australian Electoral Commission has announced the candidates who have nominated to fill the vacancy caused by Kevin Rudd's resignation. Early voting has begun so it’s a good time to review some of the history of by-elections for the House of Representatives.

The Griffith by-election is due to be held on 8 February 2014, 1526 days since the previous by-election, a period exceeded only by Balaclava (Vic) and Macquarie (NSW) in 1951 (1946 days) and Fremantle (WA) in 1945 (1547 days).

Here we draw on Stephen Barber, Christopher Lawley, Scott Bennett and Gerard Newman's paper from 2009 (House of Representatives by-elections 1901-2009), which is still current as there have been no by-elections held since Bradfield and Higgins on 5 December 2009. Once the result from the Griffith by-election is known, we will update this paper to reflect the current situation.

In their paper, Barber et al. make the following observations:

there have been 146 by-elections, an average of 3.5 per parliament
the number of nominations has grown over time from 2.2 per by-election in the 24 occurrences to 1918 to 11.5 per by-election since 2000
in four cases a by-election was contested by a single candidate
there has been an increasing tendency for governments to avoid contesting by-elections in their opponents’ safe seats
in only seven cases has the opposition party failed to contest a by-election
67 of the by-elections followed the death of the member, 73 members resigned, there have been five voided elections, and one MP was expelled from the House
since 1949 most by-elections have been caused by resignation of the sitting member and have occurred in safe seats
on 35 occasions the party complexion of a seat has altered at a by-election
five of the losses have been by the opposition of the day
the average two-party preferred swing against the government of the day has been 4.0 per cent and
since 1949 the largest two-party swing against a government occurred in Canberra in 1995. The largest swing to a government occurred in McPherson in 1981.

Of particular interest here is that, of the 146 by-elections, only 35 (24%) have resulted in a seat changing hands, of which only five have been lost by the Opposition of the day (3.4%), and only one has been won from the Opposition by the Government, being Kalgoorlie in 1920. The four other opposition party losses were Riverina 1904 (to the Protectionist Party), Maranoa 1921 (to the Country Party), Cunningham 2002 (to the Green Party), Lyne 2008 (to an independent candidate).

On the 1920 Kalgoorlie by-election

On 7 November 1920 Hugh Mahon chaired a public meeting in Melbourne sponsored by the Irish Ireland League and, in a speech attacking the British presence in Ireland, spoke of ‘this bloody and accursed Empire’. He was expelled from the House of Representatives four days later for his ‘seditious and disloyal utterances’ after the House found him ‘guilty of conduct unfitting him to remain a member of this House’. Mahon's is the only expulsion to have occurred from the Parliament, and it forced a by-election (Kalgoorlie 1920) which he contested but ultimately lost. The House of Representatives lost the power to expel members with the passage of the Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987.

Other sources of information:

The 43rd Parliamentary Handbook
The Australian Electoral Commission
Antony Green’s blog
Adam Carr's (Psephos) website

Complete list of House of Representative by-elections

By-election date	Division/State	Member elected	Party	Previous Member	Party	Cause of by-election	Days vacant
14/09/1901	Darling Downs, Qld	Groom, LE	PROT	Groom, WH	PROT	Died	37
26/03/1902	Tasmania	Hartnoll, W	FT	Piesse, FW	FT	Died	20
4/09/1903	East Sydney, NSW	Reid, GH	FT	Reid, GH	FT	Resigned	17
26/02/1904	Wilmot, Tas.	Cameron, DN	FT	Braddon, ENC	FT	Died	24
30/03/1904	Melbourne, Vic.	Maloney, WRN	ALP	McEacharn, MD	PROT	Election void	20
18/05/1904	Riverina, NSW	Chanter, JM	PROT	Blackwood, RO	FT	Election void	35
10/07/1907	Echuca, Vic.	Palmer, AC	PROT	Palmer, AC	PROT	Election void	30
13/06/1908	Adelaide, SA	Roberts, EA	ALP	Kingston, CC	PROT	Died	33
28/08/1909	Wakefield, SA	Foster, RW		Holder, FW		Died	36
24/08/1910	Kooyong, Vic.	Best, RW	LIB	Knox, W	LIB	Resigned	29
8/02/1911	Batman, Vic.	Brennan, F	ALP	Beard, HE	ALP	Died	52
11/03/1911	North Sydney, NSW	Ryrie, G de L	LIB	Edwards, GB	LIB	Died	35
11/11/1911	Boothby, SA	Gordon, DJ	LIB	Batchelor, EL	ALP	Died	34
1/06/1912	Werriwa, NSW	Bennett, BH	ALP	Hall, DR	ALP	Resigned	61
22/12/1913	Kalgoorlie, WA	Mahon, H	ALP	Frazer, CE	ALP	Died	27
10/01/1914	Adelaide, SA	Yates, GE	ALP	Roberts, EA	ALP	Died	39
6/02/1915	Bendigo, Vic.	Hampson, AJ	ALP	Arthur, JA	ALP	Died	59
20/02/1915	Grampians, Vic.	Salmon, CC	LIB	Jolley, EFG	ALP	Died	50
6/05/1915	Dalley, NSW	Mahony, WG	ALP	Howe, R	ALP	Died	34
11/12/1915	Wide Bay, Qld	Corser, EBC	LIB	Fisher, A	ALP	Resigned	46
30/06/1917	Darwin, Tas.	Spence, WG	NAT	Howroyd, CR	NAT	Died	51
27/10/1917	Grampians, Vic.	Jowett, E	NAT	Salmon, CC	LIB	Died	42
11/05/1918	Flinders, Vic.	Bruce, SM	NAT	Irvine, WH	NAT	Resigned	36
26/10/1918	Swan, WA	Corboy, EW	ALP	Forrest, J	NAT	Died	54
14/12/1918	Corangamite, Vic.	Gibson, WG	FU	Manifold, JC	NAT	Died	52
20/09/1919	Echuca, Vic.	Hill, WC	VFU	Palmer, AC	NAT	Died	37
10/07/1920	Ballaarat, Vic.	McGrath, DC	ALP	Kerby, ETJ	NAT	Election void	38
18/12/1920	Kalgoorlie, WA	Foley, GJ	NAT	Mahon, H	ALP	Expelled	36
30/07/1921	Maranoa, Qld	Hunter, JAJ	CP	Page, J	ALP	Died	57
3/09/1921	West Sydney, NSW	Lambert, WH	ALP	Ryan, TJ	ALP	Died	33
10/12/1921	Parramatta, NSW	Pratten, HE	NAT	Cook, J	NAT	Resigned	29
18/02/1922	Yarra, Vic.	Scullin, JH	ALP	Tudor, FG	ALP	Died	39
6/03/1926	Eden-Monaro, NSW	Perkins, JA	NAT	Chapman, A	NAT	Died	53
26/02/1927	Dalley, NSW	Theodore, EG	ALP	Mahony, WG	ALP	Resigned	39
21/05/1927	Warringah, NSW	Parkhill, RA	NAT	Ryrie, G de L	NAT	Resigned	38
16/06/1928	Martin, NSW	Pratten, FG	NAT	Pratten, HE	NAT	Died	40
3/09/1928	Wide Bay, Qld	Corser, BH	CP	Corser, EBC	NAT	Died	34
3/08/1929	Balaclava, Vic.	White, TW	NAT	Watt, WA	NAT	Resigned	29
14/12/1929	Franklin, Tas.	Frost, CW	ALP	McWilliam, WJ	IND	Died	53
31/01/1931	Parkes, NSW	Marr, CWC	NAT	McTiernan, EA	ALP	Resigned	43
7/03/1931	East Sydney, NSW	Ward, EJ	ALP	West, JE	ALP	Died	30
6/02/1932	East Sydney, NSW	Ward, EJ	LANG LAB	Clasby, JJ	UAP	Died	22
11/11/1933	Flinders, Vic.	Fairbairn, JV	UAP	Bruce, SM	UAP	Resigned	36
1/06/1935	Newcastle, NSW	Watkins, DO	FLP	Watkins, D	FLP	Died	54
17/08/1935	Fawkner, Vic.	Holt, HE	UAP	Maxwell, GA	UAP	Died	53
12/12/1936	Kennedy, Qld	Riordan, WJF	FLP	Riordan, D	FLP	Died	58
19/12/1936	Darling Downs, Qld	Fadden, AW	CP	Groom, LE	UAP	Died	43
8/05/1937	Gwydir, NSW	Scully, WJ	ALP	Abbott, CLA	CP	Resigned	41
10/12/1938	Wakefield, SA	McHugh, S	ALP	Hawker, CAS	UAP	Died	46
20/05/1939	Griffith, Qld	Conelan, WP	ALP	Baker, FMJ	FLP	Died	53
27/05/1939	Wilmot, Tas.	Spurr, LT	ALP	Lyons, JA	UAP	Died	50
2/03/1940	Corio, Vic.	Dedman, JJ	ALP	Casey, RG	UAP	Resigned	32
16/11/1940	Kalgoorlie, WA	Johnson, HV	ALP	Green, AE	ALP	Died	45
21/12/1940	Swan, WA	Marwick, TW	CP	Gregory, H	CP	Died	36
24/05/1941	Boothby, SA	Price, AG	UAP	Price, JL	UAP	Died	31
18/08/1945	Fremantle, WA	Beazley, KE	ALP	Curtin, J	ALP	Died	44
9/02/1946	Wimmera, Vic.	Turnbull, WG	CP	Wilson, A	CP	Resigned	40
30/03/1946	Henty, Vic.	Gullett, HB	LIB	Coles, AW	IND	Resigned	47
28/07/1951	Balaclava, Vic.	Joske, PE	LIB	White, TW	LIB	Resigned	38
28/07/1951	Macquarie, NSW	Luchetti, AS	ALP	Chifley, JB	ALP	Died	45
22/03/1952	Lyne, NSW	Lucock, PE	CP	Eggins, EJ	CP	Died	54
18/10/1952	Flinders, Vic.	Ewert, KWW	ALP	Ryan, RS	LIB	Died	53
29/11/1952	Werriwa, NSW	Whitlam, EG	ALP	Lazzarini, HP	ALP	Died	59
20/12/1952	Bradfield, NSW	Turner, HB	LIB	Hughes, WM	LIB	Died	53
9/05/1953	Dalley, NSW	Greenup, AE	ALP	Rosevear, JS	ALP	Died	49
29/08/1953	Corangamite, Vic.	MacKinnon, ED	LIB	McDonald, AM	LIB	Died	80
29/08/1953	Lang, NSW	Stewart, FE	ALP	Mulcahy, D	ALP	Died	47
19/12/1953	Gwydir, NSW	Allan, AI	CP	Treloar, TJ	CP	Died	34
21/05/1955	Cook, NSW	Cope, JF	ALP	Sheehan, T	ALP	Died	56
11/04/1956	Cunningham, NSW	Kearney, VD	ALP	Davies, W	ALP	Died	54
13/10/1956	Barker, SA	Forbes, AJ	LIB	Cameron, AG	LIB	Died	65
8/12/1956	Wentworth, NSW	Bury, LHE	LIB	Harrison, EJ	LIB	Resigned	52
14/09/1957	Richmond, NSW	Anthony, JD	CP	Anthony, HL	CP	Died	64
8/03/1958	Parramatta, NSW	Barwick, GEJ	LIB	Beale, OH	LIB	Resigned	26
9/04/1960	Hunter, NSW	James, AW	ALP	Evatt, HV	ALP	Resigned	59
9/04/1960	La Trobe, Vic.	Jess, JD	LIB	Casey, RG	LIB	Resigned	59
16/07/1960	Balaclava, Vic.	Whittorn, RH	LIB	Joske, PE	LIB	Resigned	44
16/07/1960	Bendigo, Vic.	Beaton, NL	ALP	Clarey, PJ	ALP	Died	60
5/11/1960	Calare, NSW	England, JA	CP	Howse, JB	LIB	Resigned	38
10/12/1960	Higinbotham, Vic.	Chipp, DL	LIB	Timson, TF	LIB	Died	55
1/09/1962	Batman, Vic.	Benson, SJ	ALP	Bird, AC	ALP	Died	42
1/06/1963	Grey, SA	Mortimer, J	ALP	Russell, EHD	ALP	Died	62
28/09/1963	East Sydney, NSW	Devine, LT	ALP	Ward, EJ	ALP	Died	59
15/02/1964	Denison, Tas.	Gibson, A	LIB	Townley, AG	LIB	Died	53
20/06/1964	Angas, SA	Giles, GO	LIB	Downer, ARJ	LIB	Resigned	58
20/06/1964	Parramatta, NSW	Bowen, NH	LIB	Barwick, GE	LIB	Resigned	57
5/12/1964	Robertson, NSW	Bridges-Maxwell, CW	LIB	Dean, RL	LIB	Resigned	66
27/02/1965	Riverina, NSW	Armstrong, AA	CP	Roberton, HS	CP	Resigned	37
26/02/1966	Dawson, Qld	Patterson, RA	ALP	Shaw, GW	CP	Died	48
2/04/1966	Kooyong, Vic.	Peacock, AS	LIB	Menzies, RG	LIB	Resigned	44
22/07/1967	Corio, Vic.	Scholes, GGD	ALP	Opperman, HF	LIB	Resigned	42
30/09/1967	Capricornia, Qld	Everingham, DN	ALP	Gray, GH	ALP	Died	59
24/02/1968	Higgins, Vic.	Gorton, JG	LIB	Holt, HE	LIB	Died	67
19/04/1969	Curtin, WA	Garland, RV	LIB	Hasluck, PMC	LIB	Resigned	68
7/06/1969	Bendigo, Vic.	Kennedy, AD	ALP	Beaton, NL	ALP	Resigned	59
7/06/1969	Gwydir, NSW	Hunt, RJD	CP	Allan, AI	CP	Resigned	38
30/05/1970	ACT	Enderby, KE	ALP	Fraser, JR	ALP	Died	59
19/09/1970	Chisholm, Vic.	Staley, AA	LIB	Kent Hughes, WS	LIB	Died	50
20/03/1971	Murray, Vic.	Lloyd, B	CP	McEwen, J	CP	Resigned	47
22/09/1973	Parramatta, NSW	Ruddock, PM	LIB	Bowen, NH	LIB	Resigned	73
28/06/1975	Bass, Tas.	Newman, KE	LIB	Barnard, LH	ALP	Resigned	26
15/10/1977	Cunningham, NSW	West, SJ	ALP	Connor, RFX	ALP	Died	54
23/09/1978	Werriwa, NSW	Kerin, JC	ALP	Whitlam, EG	ALP	Resigned	54
23/06/1979	Grayndler, NSW	McLeay, LB	ALP	Stewart, FE	ALP	Died	68
21/02/1981	Boothby, SA	Hall, RS	LIB	McLeay, JE	LIB	Resigned	30
21/02/1981	Curtin, WA	Rocher, AC	LIB	Garland, RV	LIB	Resigned	30
21/02/1981	McPherson, Qld	White, PND	LIB	Robinson, EL	LIB	Died	45
11/04/1981	Wentworth, NSW	Coleman, WP	LIB	Ellicott, RJ	LIB	Resigned	53
13/03/1982	Lowe, NSW	Maher, MJ	ALP	McMahon, W	LIB	Resigned	68
4/12/1982	Flinders, Vic.	Reith, PK	LIB	Lynch, PR	LIB	Resigned	43
7/05/1983	Wannon, Vic.	Hawker, DPM	LIB	Fraser, JM	LIB	Resigned	37
28/05/1983	Bruce, Vic.	Aldred, KJ	LIB	Snedden, BM	LIB	Resigned	37
5/11/1983	Moreton, Qld	Cameron, DM	LIB	Killen, DJ	LIB	Resigned	82
18/02/1984	Corangamite, Vic.	McArthur, FS	LIB	Street, AA	LIB	Resigned	31
18/02/1984	Hughes, NSW	Tickner, RE	ALP	Johnson, LR	ALP	Resigned	61
18/02/1984	Richmond, NSW	Blunt, CW	NPA	Anthony, JD	NPA	Resigned	31
8/02/1986	Scullin, Vic.	Jenkins, HA	ALP	Jenkins, Dr HA	ALP	Resigned	50
6/02/1988	Adelaide, SA	Pratt, MP	LIB	Hurford, CJ	ALP	Resigned	37
26/03/1988	Port Adelaide, SA	Sawford, RW	ALP	Young, MJ	ALP	Resigned	47
9/04/1988	Groom, Qld	Taylor, WL	LIB	McVeigh, DT	NPA	Resigned	40
8/10/1988	Oxley, Qld	Scott, LJ	ALP	Hayden, WG	ALP	Resigned	52
15/04/1989	Gwydir, NSW	Anderson, JD	NPA	Hunt, RJD	NPA	Resigned	50
11/05/1991	Menzies, Vic.	Andrews, KJ	LIB	Brown, NA	LIB	Resigned	75
11/04/1992	Wills, Vic.	Cleary, PR	IND	Hawke, RJL	ALP	Resigned	51
29/01/1994	Werriwa, NSW	Latham, MW	ALP	Kerin, JC	ALP	Resigned	38
12/03/1994	Fremantle, WA	Lawrence, CM	ALP	Dawkins, JS	ALP	Resigned	36
19/03/1994	Bonython, SA	Evans, MJ	ALP	Blewett, N	ALP	Resigned	36
26/03/1994	Mackellar, NSW	Bishop, BK	LIB	Carlton, JJ	LIB	Resigned	71
26/03/1994	Warringah, NSW	Abbott, AJ	LIB	MacKellar, MJR	LIB	Resigned	36
19/11/1994	Kooyong, Vic.	Georgiou, P	LIB	Peacock, AS	LIB	Resigned	63
25/03/1995	Canberra, ACT	Smyth, BM	LIB	Kelly, RJ	ALP	Resigned	54
8/04/1995	Wentworth, NSW	Thomson, AP	LIB	Hewson, JR	LIB	Resigned	39
15/06/1996	Blaxland, NSW	Hatton, MJ	ALP	Keating, PJ	ALP	Resigned	53
19/10/1996	Lindsay, NSW	Kelly, JM	LIB	Kelly, JM	LIB	Election void	38
1/02/1997	Fraser, ACT	Dargavel, SJ	ALP	Langmore, JV	ALP	Resigned	57
6/11/1999	Holt, Vic.	Byrne, AM	ALP	Evans, GJ	ALP	Resigned	37
12/08/2000	Isaacs, Vic.	Corcoran, AK	ALP	Wilton, GS	ALP	Died	59
17/03/2001	Ryan, Qld	Short, LM	ALP	Moore, JC	LIB	Resigned	40
14/07/2001	Aston, Vic.	Pearce, CJ	LIB	Nugent, PE	LIB	Died	81
19/10/2002	Cunningham, NSW	Organ, MK	GRN	Martin, SP	ALP	Resigned	64
19/03/2005	Werriwa, NSW	Hayes, CP	ALP	Latham, MW	ALP	Resigned	57
28/06/2008	Gippsland, Vic.	Chester, DJ	NP	McGauran, PJ	NP	Resigned	80
6/09/2008	Lyne, NSW	Oakeshott, RJM	IND	Vaile, MAJ	NP	Resigned	38
6/09/2008	Mayo, SA	Briggs, JE	LIB	Downer, AJG	LIB	Resigned	54
5/12/2009	Bradfield, NSW	Fletcher, PW	LIB	Nelson, BJ	LIB	Resigned	47
5/12/2009	Higgins, Vic.	O'Dwyer, KM	LIB	Costello, PH	LIB	Resigned	47
8/02/2014	Griffith, Qld	TBA		Rudd, KM	ALP	Resigned	78

Tags: Australian Electoral Commission, by-election, federal election 2013

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Are the good burghers of Griffith poised to make history? – House of Representatives by-elections 1901–2014

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