May 18, 1974
The 1974 Federal Election was held just 17 months after the election of the Whitlam Labor Government. An intense period of legislative action was met by sustained opposition from the coalition Liberal and National Country Parties, and the Democratic Labor Party in the Senate.
Following an attempt by Whitlam to create an extra Senate vacancy in Queensland by appointing former DLP Leader, Senator Vince Gair, as Ambasssador to Ireland, the Opposition Leader, Bill Snedden, announced that the Opposition would block the government’s Supply Bills in the Senate.
Whitlam responded by calling a double dissolution election for May 18. Click here to read the proclamation by the Governor-General, Sir Paul Hasluck.
Whitlam’s government was returned to office with the loss of two seats, but still lacking a clear majority in the Senate.
Resources
- Dissolution Proclamation – the proclamation from the Governor-General, Sir Paul Hasluck, dissolving the Parliament and detailing the double dissolution bills.
- Gough Whitlam’s Policy Speech – 29 April 1974
Audio
- Apr 29: Whitlam’s 1974 Election Policy Speech
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- Apr 30: This is how the ABC’s AM program reported Whitlam’s policy speech
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- Apr 30: Liberal Party Policy Speech – Bill Snedden
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- May 01: AM report on Snedden’s campaign launch
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- May 01: Whitlam comments on Snedden’s grasp of economics
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- May 01: Richard Carleton interviews Whitlam and Snedden on This Day Tonight
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- May: ALP Election Advertisements
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- May: Liberal Elections Advertisements
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- May 18: ABC’s election night count, including speeches from Snedden and Whitlam (90m)
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- May 29: Bill Snedden finally acknowledges Whitlam won the election but won’t concede he lost. (3m)
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Election Results
| House of Representatives Elections 1974 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALP | LIB | NPA | IND | Total | |
Archived Posts
- May 18, 2012: Remember When A Labor Government Could Win Re-Election?
- May 01, 1974: DLP 1974 Policy Speech – Senator Frank McManus
- Apr 29, 1974: Gough Whitlam’s 1974 Election Policy Speech
- Apr 11, 1974: Sir Paul Hasluck’s 1974 Proclamation Dissolving Parliament
