1974 Western Australian state election


Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 30 March 1974 to elect all 51 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council. The one-term Labor government, led by Premier John Tonkin, was defeated by the Liberal Party, led by Opposition Leader Charles Court.

Overview

The Liberal Party won the election after a campaign focused mostly on inflation, industrial unrest, states' rights and education. The outgoing Tonkin government had had a turbulent ride in its three years of office, having only a one-seat majority in the Assembly and being outnumbered two-to-one in the Council.
The 15-month-old Whitlam Labor federal government had proven unpopular in Western Australia which saw it as taking a centralist view towards federal-state affairs, and Whitlam himself was hit by a soft drink can and a tomato whilst addressing voters at Forrest Place during the campaign. The Country Party had tentatively merged with the Democratic Labor Party in the period preceding the election, going to the voters as the National Alliance which put forward a centrist platform—however, they lost both votes and seats as compared to the 1971 election in doing so. Arthur Bickerton, the member for Pilbara, became the first Minister to be defeated at an election since 1939.
To form a parliamentary majority, the National Country Party under its new leader, Ray McPharlin, agreed to form a coalition with the Liberals after the election, and negotiated three seats in the Ministry.

Results

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Post-election pendulum

LIBERAL/ALLIANCE SEATS ---
Marginal---
BunburyJohn SibsonLIB0.3%
ScarboroughRay YoungLIB0.5%
PilbaraBrian SodemanLIB1.3%
MurrayRichard ShaldersLIB1.8%
RoeGeoff GrewarLIB1.8% v NA
ToodyayMick NanovichLIB2.1%
AlbanyLeon WattLIB3.0%
KarrinyupJim ClarkoLIB4.0%
Fairly safe---
WellingtonJune CraigLIB6.1%
SubiacoTom DadourLIB6.4%
DaleCyril RushtonLIB6.5%
Murchison-EyrePeter CoyneLIB7.0%
Merredin-YilgarnHendy CowanNA7.9%
CottesloeRoss HutchinsonLIB8.4%
South PerthBill GraydenLIB8.6%
KimberleyAlan RidgeLIB8.7%
East MelvilleDes O'NeilLIB8.9%
Mount LawleyRay O'ConnorLIB8.9%
Safe---
KalamundaIan ThompsonLIB12.5%
FloreatAndrew MensarosLIB14.8%
GascoyneIan LauranceLIB15.9%
NedlandsCharles CourtLIB16.8%
MooreRay McPharlinNA17.7% v LIB
NarroginPeter JonesNA19.9%
StirlingMatt StephensNA20.4%
VasseBarry BlaikieLIB21.4%
KatanningDick OldNA28.7%
GreenoughDavid BrandLIB28.8%
Mount MarshallRay McPharlinNAunopp.