This article provides information on candidates who stood for the 1946 Australian federal election. The election was held on 28 September 1946.
In 1944–45, the United Australia Party (UAP) had reconstituted itself as the Liberal Party of Australia. Former UAP seats are now designated as Liberal seats.
By-elections, appointments and defections
By-elections and appointments On 10 October 1944, Ted Mattner (UAP) was appointed a South Australian Senator to replace Oliver Uppill (UAP). On 18 August 1945, Kim Beazley (Labor) was elected to replace John Curtin (Labor) as the member for Fremantle. On 9 February 1946, Winton Turnbull (Country) was elected to replace Alexander Wilson (Independent) as the member for Wimmera. On 30 March 1946, Jo Gullett (Liberal) was elected to replace Arthur Coles (Independent) as the member for Henty. On 15 May 1946, Alexander Fraser (Country) was appointed a Victorian Senator to replace Richard Keane (Labor). On 14 August 1946, Jack Beasley (Labor), the member for West Sydney, resigned. The following day, Norman Makin (Labor), the member for Hindmarsh, also resigned. No by-elections were held due to the proximity of the election.
Defections In 1944, the United Australia Party was reconstituted as the Liberal Party of Australia. All former UAP members joined the new party.
Retiring Members and Senators
Labor George Martens MP (Herbert, Qld)
Liberal Sir Frederick Stewart MP (Parramatta, NSW) Senator Thomas Crawford (Qld) Senator Harry Foll (Qld) Senator John Hayes (Tas) Senator James McLachlan (SA)
Country Senator William Gibson (Vic)
House of Representatives Sitting members at the time of the election are shown in bold text. Successful candidates are highlighted in the relevant colour. Where there is possible confusion, an asterisk (*) is also used.
New South Wales
ElectorateHeld byLabor candidateCoalition candidateOther candidates Barton Labor H. V. Evatt George Hohnen (Lib) Calare Labor John Breen John Howse* (Lib)Harold Thorby (CP) Madge Roberts (Ind)Cook Labor Tom Sheehan Frank Preacher (Lib) Arthur Brittain (LL)Frederick Fairbrother (Ind)Lance Sharkey (CPA)Cowper Country George Mitchell Sir Earle Page (CP) Richard Williams (Ind)Dalley Labor Sol Rosevear Leslie Webster (Lib) Kenneth Falvey (LL)Darling Labor Joe Clark Greg McGirr (CP) Cyril Glassop (PPP)East Sydney Labor Eddie Ward Ivan Dougherty (Lib) Wal Campbell (PPP)Eden-Monaro Labor Allan Fraser Allan Backhouse (CP)Denzil Macarthur-Onslow (Lib)Pat Osborne (CP) Victor Brown (SP)Gwydir Labor William Scully Thomas Mort (Lib)Thomas Treloar (CP) William Campbell (PPP)Tom Carmody (SP)George McDonald (Ind)Kevin Nott (Ind)Ben Wade (Ind CP)Hume Labor Arthur Fuller Geoffrey Davey (Lib)Warren McDonald (CP) Hunter Labor Rowley James Ted Fletcher (Lib) John Cain (LL)Lang Labor Dan Mulcahy John Paget (Lib) Sidney Bell (LL)Adam Ogston (CPA)Macquarie Labor Ben Chifley Eric Spooner (Lib)Cecil Williams (CP) John Sutton (Ind)Martin Labor Fred Daly Frederick Jacobs (Lib) New England Country Leigh Cuthbertson Joe Abbott (CP) Newcastle Labor David Watkins Allen Fairhall (Lib) Grahame Bland (SP)Arthur Clarke (SC)Edwin Dark (Ind)Stan Deacon (CPA)Charles Dicker (LL)Harry Ellis (SPA)Isabel Longworth (Ind)Frederick Wilson (Ind)North Sydney Liberal Leo Haylen Billy Hughes (Lib) Parkes Labor Les Haylen Athol Richardson (Lib) Parramatta Liberal Dudley Jeffree Howard Beale (Lib) Reid Labor Charles Morgan Jeffrey Blaxland (Lib) William Beckett (SP)Jack Lang* (LL)Richmond Country Keith Compton Larry Anthony (CP) Riverina Labor Joe Langtry Christopher Lethbridge (Lib)Hugh Roberton (CP) John Gosling (LL)William Pow (Ind)Robertson Labor Thomas Williams George Watkins (CP)Roy Wheeler (Lib) Ian Grant (LL)Warringah Liberal George Godfrey Percy Spender (Lib) Watson Labor Max Falstein Charles de Monchaux (Lib) Wallace Knox (SP)Charles Wilson (PPP)Wentworth Liberal Jessie Street Eric Harrison (Lib) Charles Walsh (LL)Werriwa Labor Bert Lazzarini Ray Watson (Lib) Les Mullin (CPA)West Sydney Labor William O'Connor John Mant (Lib) Malinda Ivey (Ind)Stan Moran (CPA)Thomas Ryan (LL)Ronald Sarina (PPP)
Northern Territory
ElectorateHeld byLabor candidateOther candidates Northern Territory Independent Bob Murray Adair Blain* (Ind)Ralph Edwards (Ind)Leigh Wallman (Ind Lab)
Queensland
ElectorateHeld byLabor candidateCoalition candidateServices candidateOther candidates Brisbane Labor George Lawson Geoffrey Ward (Lib) Gordon Olive Capricornia Labor Frank Forde Charles Davidson (Lib/CP) Andrew Taylor Darling Downs Country William English Arthur Fadden (CP) Maxwell Owen Griffith Labor William Conelan William Scott (Lib) Arthur Chresby Herbert Labor Bill Edmonds Lloyd Roberts (CP) Alexander McNamee Jack Henry (CPA)Joseph Pollard (Ind)Kennedy Labor Bill Riordan Clement Cummings (CP) Lilley Labor Jim Hadley Charles Wilson (Lib) George Mocatta Maranoa Country John Dufficy Charles Adermann (CP) John Walker Moreton Liberal Jack Perrett Josiah Francis (Lib) Charles McCormack Wide Bay Country George Watson Bernard Corser (CP) Eric Paterson Max Julius (CPA)
South Australia
ElectorateHeld byLabor candidateLiberal candidateOther candidates Adelaide Labor Cyril Chambers Ian Hayward Alf Watt (CPA)Barker Liberal Harry Krantz Archie Cameron David Eddy (Ind)Boothby Labor Thomas Sheehy Keith Wilson Grey Labor Edgar Russell Oliver Badman Hindmarsh Labor Albert Thompson William Palmer Alan Finger (CPA)Wakefield Labor Albert Smith Philip McBride Frank Rieck (Ind)
Tasmania
ElectorateHeld byLabor candidateLiberal candidateIndependent candidates Bass Labor Claude Barnard Harry Spotswood John OrchardDarwin Liberal Harold Kirkpatrick Dame Enid Lyons Denison Labor Frank Gaha Bruce Hamilton Franklin Labor Charles Frost Bill Falkinder Wilmot Liberal Gil Duthie Allan Guy
Victoria
ElectorateHeld byLabor candidateCoalition candidateOther candidates Balaclava Liberal Maurice Ashkanasy Thomas White (Lib) Ballaarat Labor Reg Pollard Arnold Caddy (Lib) Batman Labor Frank Brennan John McColl (Lib) Allan Brennan (Ind)George Oke (CPA)Bendigo Country Ernest Duus Joseph Hall (Lib)George Rankin* (CP) Bourke Labor Bill Bryson Russell Stokes (Lib) Doris Blackburn* (Ind Lab)Henry Brand (SP)Corangamite Liberal Henry Stacpoole Allan McDonald (Lib) Corio Labor John Dedman Frederick Wallace (Lib) Winifred West (Ind)Deakin Liberal Arthur Smith William Hutchinson (Lib) Fawkner Liberal Bill Bourke Harold Holt (Lib) Mascotte Brown (Ind)Harold Rettig (SP)Flinders Liberal Frank Lee Rupert Ryan (Lib) Gippsland Country Adam Keltie George Bowden (CP) Wally Williames (CPA)Henty Liberal Val Doube Jo Gullett (Lib) Indi Country John McEwen (CP) John Chanter (Ind CP)Kooyong Liberal Albert Nicholls Robert Menzies (Lib) Ted Laurie (CPA)Maribyrnong Labor Arthur Drakeford Adrian Cole (Lib) Melbourne Labor Arthur Calwell Reg Cooper (Lib) Melbourne Ports Labor Jack Holloway Douglas Dennis (Lib) Wannon Labor Don McLeod Dan Mackinnon (Lib)Leonard Rodda (CP) Wimmera Country Alfred Loveridge Winton Turnbull (CP) Yarra Labor James Scullin Kenneth Bisney (Lib) Ken Miller (CPA)
Western Australia
ElectorateHeld byLabor candidateCoalition candidateOther candidates Forrest Labor Nelson Lemmon James Cumming (Lib)Jasper Norton (CP) Fremantle Labor Kim Beazley Claude Henderson (Lib) Kalgoorlie Labor Herbert Johnson Seddon Vincent (Lib) Perth Labor Tom Burke Jim Paton (Lib) John Graham (SP)Kevin Healy (CPA)Robert Salter (Ind)Swan Labor Don Mountjoy Len Hamilton (CP) Bill Grayden (Ind)
Senate Sitting Senators are shown in bold text. Tickets that elected at least one Senator are highlighted in the relevant colour. Successful candidates are identified by an asterisk (*).
New South Wales Three seats were up for election. The Labor Party was defending three seats. Labor Senators Stan Amour, John Armstrong and Donald Grant were not up for re-election.
Labor candidatesCoalition candidatesPPP candidatesUngrouped candidates Bill Ashley* James Arnold* William Large*Alexander Mair (Lib) Albert Reid (CP) Maurice Fergusson (Lib)George Durrance Thomas Fleming Dorothy RogersonAlexander Alexander Michael Satwell Louis Phillips Edith Cook
Queensland Three seats were up for election. The Liberal-Country Coalition was defending three seats. Labor Senators Gordon Brown, Joe Collings and Ben Courtice were not up for re-election.
Labor candidatesCoalition candidatesServices candidates Harry Boland George Burns Tom RaseyWalter Cooper* (CP) Neil O'Sullivan* (Lib) Annabelle Rankin* (Lib)George Cameron Cranston McEachern Winifred Payne
South Australia Three seats were up for election. The Liberal Party was defending three seats. Labor Senators Alex Finlay, Theo Nicholls and Sid O'Flaherty were not up for re-election.
Labor candidatesLiberal candidates Fred Beerworth* Jack Critchley* Frederick Ward*George McLeay Ted Mattner James Murdoch
Tasmania Three seats were up for election. The Liberal Party was defending three seats. Labor Senators Bill Aylett, Charles Lamp and Nick McKenna were not up for re-election.
Labor candidatesLiberal candidatesUngrouped candidates Reg Murray* Bill Morrow* Justin O'Byrne* William RitchieArthur Beck Herbert Hays Burford SampsonNeil Burbury
Victoria Four seats were up for election. One of these was a short-term vacancy caused by Labor Senator Richard Keane's death; this had been filled in the interim by the Country Party's Alexander Fraser. The Liberal-Country Coalition was defending three seats. The Labor Party was defending one seat. Labor Senators Don Cameron and Jim Sheehan were not up for re-election.
Labor candidatesCoalition candidates Bert Hendrickson* Charles Sandford* Fred Katz* Jack Devlin*Charles Brand (Lib) Alexander Fraser (CP) John Leckie (Lib) William Moss (CP)
Western Australia Three seats were up for election. The Liberal Party was defending two seats. The Labor Party was defending one seat. Labor Senators Robert Clothier, James Fraser and Richard Nash were not up for re-election.
Labor candidatesCoalition candidatesUngrouped candidates Dorothy Tangney* John Harris* Joe Cooke*Herbert Collett (Lib) Ignatius Boyle (CP) Allan MacDonald (Lib)Claude Swaine Oliver Strang
Summary by party Beside each party is the candidates put forward by that party in the House of Representatives for each state, as well as an indication of whether the party contested Senate elections in each state.
Party NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas Total HR S HR S HR S HR S HR S HR S HR SAustralian Labor Party 28 * 19 * 10 * 5 * 6 * 5 * 73 6Liberal Party of Australia 24 * 17 * 5 * 4 * 6 * 5 * 61 6Australian Country Party 11 * 5 * 5 * 2 * 23 4Services Party of Australia 6 2 10 * 1 19 1Communist Party of Australia 5 4 2 1 2 14 Lang Labor 10 10 Protestant People's Party 5 * 5 1Douglas Credit Party 1 1 Independent and other 12 * 5 1 2 * 2 1 * 23 3
See also 1946 Australian federal election Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1943–1946 Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1946–1949 Members of the Australian Senate, 1944–1947 Members of the Australian Senate, 1947–1950 List of political parties in Australia
References Adam Carr's Election Archive - House of Representatives 1946 Adam Carr's Election Archive - Senate 1946