March 2, 1996
The 1996 election brought to an end 13 years of Labor Government under Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. The ALP lost 31 seats to the coalition and lost 6.1% of its primary vote from 1993. Its 38.8% primary vote was the lowest recorded by the ALP since 1934.
The Liberal Party leader, John Howard, had resumed the leadership of his party in January 1995, following a disastrous 8 months under the leadership of Alexander Downer. Downer and Peter Costello had succeeded Dr. John Hewson early in 1994 and were touted as the leaders of the new-generation Liberals. In the end, the party opted for the seasoned Howard, perhaps an acknowledgement that he was the only one left standing after a decade of party infighting.
Howard approached the campaign with a determination to present as small a target as possible. Throughout 1995, he refused to detail specific policy proposals. By 1996, however, it was clear that the electorate had tired of the Labor government and Paul Keating in particular. “The recession we had to have” line resonated with deadly force throughout the electorate, although Keating also attracted much support and adoration from supporters attracted by his republicanism and internationalist approach to Australia’s future.
The election saw the entry of Pauline Hanson into the Parliament as the member for the Queensland seat of Oxley. Hanson was the endorsed Liberal candidate until she made controversial statements about aborigines. She was disendorsed by the Liberal Party during the campaign, but remained on the ballot paper as a Liberal. During the next 12 months she was to establish Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party.
Election News Commentary
VCEpolitics.com maintained an irregular daily news commentary during this election. These reports are archived here. They have been redesigned to fit the current look of the site, but the text is the original.
- Jan 27-Feb 3
- Feb 4-8
- Feb 9-11
- Feb 12-23
- Young Australia Speech – Paul Keating – 29 January 1996
- Keating’s Speech Launching the ALP Campaign – 14 February 1996
- Paul Keating’s Concession Speech – 2 March 1996
Election Advertisements & Leaflets
- ALP Leaflet
- Enough is Enough – Liberal Leaflet
- Jackie Weaver Ad – pro-ALP – Real Audio
- Photographs of Howard, Beazley, Brown and Hanson (R)
Election Results
- Primary Votes in House of Representatives 1993-98
- Two-Party-Preferred Results
- Primary Vote Leads Overturned After Preferences
- 1996 Election Pendulum
- Primary Votes in House and Senate
- 1996 Enrolment Figures
- Federal Election Timetable
- Election Costs
- Election Funding and Financial Disclosure
- Opinion Polls
Analysis
- 21 March 1996: ALP National Secretary Gary Gray’s Analysis of the 1996 Election Result
- 10 June 1996: Gary Gray’s Speech to the Queensland ALP Conference
- 18 June 1996: Gary Gray Speech on Political Funding
Archived Posts
- Dec 02, 1998: Enrolment Statistics State-By-State 1984-98
- Mar 01, 1998: Background Information On Pauline Hanson
- Jun 18, 1996: Gary Gray: The Funding Of Political Parties
- May 01, 1996: 1996 Federal Election: Two-Party-Preferred Statistics
- Apr 16, 1996: 1996 Primary Vote Winners, Preference Vote Losers
- Apr 15, 1996: 1996 Federal Election House And Senate Primary Vote Statistics
- Apr 15, 1996: 1996 Federal Election Enrolment Figures
- Mar 21, 1996: Gary Gray: The 1996 Federal Election
- Mar 19, 1996: Kim Beazley’s ALP Shadow Ministry 1996
- Mar 13, 1996: Andrew Robb: The 1996 Federal Election
- Mar 11, 1996: The First Howard Ministry 1996
- Mar 02, 1996: John Howard Claims Victory In 1996 Federal Election
- Mar 02, 1996: Paul Keating’s 1996 Election Concession Speech
- Feb 19, 1996: John Howard: Comfortable And Relaxed, And Enjoying Bob Dylan’s Music
- Feb 15, 1996: ALP Election Ad: Jackie Weaver On John Howard And Acting
- Feb 14, 1996: Paul Keating’s 1996 ALP Campaign Launch Speech
- Feb 01, 1996: 1996 Federal Election Timetable
- Feb 01, 1996: 1996 Federal Election Pendulum
