List of Western Australian Legislative Council by-elections

The list of Western Australia Legislative Council by-elections includes every by-election held in the Australian state of Western Australia for the Legislative Council. Prior to the Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987 which came into force at the 1989 election, it was necessary for a by-election to be held to fill any vacancy; they have since been filled by recounts from the previous poll based on a proportional voting system. An imminent Council election often allowed the vacancy to remain until the inauguration of the new Council, usually on the following 22 May.

Ministerial by-elections

Until a constitutional amendment in 1947,Constitution (Re-election of Ministers) Act 1947 (No. 4 of 1947), assented 2 October 1947. it was necessary for members who were appointed as a Minister to resign their seat and contest their seat at a ministerial by-election. This was because the Ministers became members of the Executive Council, which reported to the Governor of Western Australia and was therefore deemed an "office of profit" under the Crown. Most ministerial by-elections were a formality with the Minister being re-elected unopposed, but on one occasion, in 1901, a Minister from the Council was defeated at the by-elections.

List of Legislative Council by-elections 1950–1989

By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party Vacated Cause RetainedSouth-West24 October 1987Vic Ferry LiberalBarry House Liberal24 July 1987ResignationYesCentral17 November 1984Gordon Atkinson LiberalEric Charlton National4 August 1984DeathNoNorth31 July 1982Bill Withers LiberalTom Stephens Labor21 May 1982ResignationNoSouth Metropolitan13 March 1982Howard Olney LaborGarry Kelly Labor16 December 1981ResignationYesNorth20 February 1971Harry Strickland LaborJohn Hunt Labor31 December 1970ResignationYesWest21 October 1967Ray Jones CountryFred White Country3 September 1967DeathYesMidland17 August 1963Charles Simpson CountryJack Heitman Liberal12 June 1963DeathNoNorth-East29 June 1963William Hall LaborDavid Dellar Labor1 May 1963DeathYesWest29 June 1963Evan Davies LaborJerry Dolan Labor10 April 1963DeathYesWest7 February 1959Gilbert Fraser LaborRon Thompson Labor1 November 1958DeathYesNorth22 September 1956Charles Barker LaborFrank Wise Labor18 July 1956DeathYesMetropolitan9 June 1956Harry Hearn LiberalReg Mattiske Liberal20 March 1956DeathYesSouth-East10 September 1955Robert Boylen LaborJohn Cunningham Liberal25 June 1955DeathNoSouth-West10 September 1955Charles Henning LiberalF. D. Willmott Liberal22 June 1955DeathYesSuburban20 June 1953James Dimmitt LiberalArthur Griffith Liberal13 April 1953Resignation (appointedas Agent-General)YesCentral3 May 1952G. B. Wood CountryLeslie Diver Country3 January 1952DeathYesSouth-West2 June 1951William Mann LiberalJames Murray Liberal22 April 1951DeathYesSouth-West2 June 1951Hobart Tuckey LiberalCharles Henning Liberal10 March 1951DeathYesCentral6 May 1950Charles Baxter CountryNorm Baxter Country2 March 1950DeathYes

1940–1949

The changes of names of electoral provinces at the 1950 election, effected by the Electoral Districts Act 1947, were as follows:

Central Province → Midland Province East Province → Central Province Metropolitan-Suburban Province → Suburban Province South Province → South-East Province South-East Province → South Province

By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party Vacated Cause RetainedMetropolitan8 May 1948Leonard Bolton LiberalKeith Watson Liberal31 March 1948ResignationYesCentral30 August 1947John Drew LaborHarold Daffen Liberal17 July 1947DeathNoWest21 June 1947William Kitson LaborEvan Davies Labor15 May 1947Resignation (appointedas Agent-General)Yes

See also List of Western Australian state by-elections

References

External links