1981 New South Wales state election


Elections were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 19 September 1981. The result was a second "Wranslide": a landslide victory for the Labor Party under Neville Wran. Labor increased its already sizeable majority, winning what is still its biggest-ever share of seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly–69 out of 99 seats, 69.7 percent of the chamber.
The Liberals suffered the double indignity of losing the seat contested by their leader Bruce McDonald to an independent, and of being reduced to the same number of seats in parliament as their ostensible junior coalition partner, the National Country Party. In fact it was the second election in a row in which the sitting Liberal leader had failed to win a seat; Peter Coleman had been rolled in his own seat in 1978. Both the Liberals and National Country Party finished with 14 seats.
The election marked another milestone for electoral reform in New South Wales. The allocation of preferences became optional, and partisan gerrymandering was eliminated. Additionally, the practice of creating smaller rural seats to boost country representation was ended. Two further reforms were proposed—and passed—in referendums put to voters on the same day.
Ted Mack, mayor of North Sydney Council, won the seat of North Shore from Opposition Leader McDonald. John Hatton was re-elected unopposed in the seat of South Coast.

Key dates

Results

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Seats changing hands

LABOR SEATS ---
Marginal---
BathurstMick CloughALP0.1%
WollongongEric RamsayALP0.1% v IND
ManlyAlan StewartALP1.2%
CamdenRalph BradingALP2.0%
BlighFred MillerALP2.7%
Northern TablelandsBill McCarthyALP2.9%
MirandaBill RobbALP4.3%
AlburyHarold MairALP5.3%
CronullaMichael EganALP5.3%
Fairly safe---
CampbelltownMichael KnightALP6.0% v IND
ClarenceDon DayALP6.6%
GosfordBrian McGowanALP6.8%
BurwoodPhil O'NeillALP6.9%
WakehurstTom WebsterALP7.0%
BurrinjuckTerry SheahanALP7.2%
MaitlandAllan WalshALP7.5%
HurstvilleKevin RyanALP9.2%
Blue MountainsBob DebusALP9.6%
KiamaBill KnottALP9.9%
Safe---
GladesvilleRodney CavalierALP10.1%
RydeGarry McIlwaineALP10.3%
MonaroJohn AkisterALP11.4%
WoronoraMaurie KeaneALP12.1%
EarlwoodKen GabbALP12.2%
WentworthvilleErnie QuinnALP12.6%
MurrumbidgeeLin GordonALP13.9%
IngleburnStan KnowlesALP14.3%
ParramattaBarry WildeALP15.7%
CoogeeMichael ClearyALP15.9%
KogarahBill CrabtreeALP16.2%
TuggerahHarry MooreALP16.8%
AshfieldPaul WhelanALP18.2%
CharlestownRichard FaceALP18.3%
BankstownRic MochalskiALP18.7%
MaroubraBill HaighALP18.8%
Broken HillBill BeckrogeALP19.0%
Georges RiverFrank WalkerALP19.0%
RockdaleBrian BannonALP19.2%
Seven HillsBob ChristieALP20.0%
AuburnPeter CoxALP20.3%
PeatsKeith O'ConnellALP20.8%
PenrithPeter AndersonALP20.8%
NewcastleArthur WadeALP20.9%
Lake MacquarieMerv HunterALP21.7%
GranvillePat FlahertyALP22.0%
BlacktownJohn AquilinaALP23.1%
HeathcoteRex JacksonALP23.1%
WaratahSam JonesALP23.6%
DrummoyneMichael MaherALP23.8%
RiverstoneTony JohnsonALP23.9%
CabramattaEric BedfordALP24.0%
WallsendKen BoothALP24.3%
East HillsPat RoganALP24.9%
MerrylandsJack FergusonALP25.3%
Bass HillNeville WranALP25.7%
CorrimalLaurie KellyALP25.7%
HeffronLaurie BreretonALP27.5%
St MarysRon MulockALP27.5%
MarrickvilleTom CahillALP28.0%
CanterburyKevin StewartALP28.6%
LakembaVince DurickALP28.6%
SwanseaDon BowmanALP28.8%
IllawarraGeorge PetersenALP29.6%
FairfieldJanice CrosioALP30.2%
LiverpoolGeorge PaciulloALP30.4%
CessnockStan NeillyALP30.5%
BalmainRoger DegenALP31.0%
ElizabethPat HillsALP34.7%