1974 Federal Election

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.

Whitlam’s government was returned to office with the loss of two seats, but still lacking a clear majority in the Senate.

State of the Parties

This is the state of the parties in the House of Representatives, following the 1974 Federal Election.

Election Statistics

• Federal Election Results 1901-2014 – a Parliamentary Library research paper with detailed statistics on elections since 1901.

Election Moments

• Apr 09, 1974: Amidst Gair Affair, Killen And Daly Debate The Appropriation Bill
• Apr 10, 1974: Whitlam Announces 1974 Double Dissolution Election
• Apr 11, 1974: Full Poll In May: Sun
• Apr 11, 1974: Dissolution Proclamation – the proclamation from the Governor-General, Sir Paul Hasluck, dissolving the Parliament and detailing the double dissolution bills.
• Apr 16, 1974: Address To The Nation: Gough Whitlam On Why The 1974 Election Was Called
• Apr 23, 1974: Bill Snedden’s Address To The Nation
• Apr 29, 1974: Gough Whitlam’s Election Policy Speech
• Apr 30, 1974: Opposition Leader Billy Snedden’s Election Policy Speech

Election Advertisements

• 1974 ALP Election Advertisements May 10, 1974
• 1974 Liberal Party Election Advertisements May 10, 1974
• Michael Pate Advertisement For The ALP: 1974 Federal Election May 13, 1974
• DLP Advertisement: They Call Him Big Mac May 15, 1974

Archived Posts

• Whitlam Talks Superphosphate In Lardner February 19, 1974
• Sir Paul Hasluck’s 1974 Proclamation Dissolving Parliament April 11, 1974
• Gough Whitlam’s 1974 Election Policy Speech April 29, 1974
• 1974 Federal Election: Liberal Leader Billy Snedden’s Policy Speech April 30, 1974
• Snedden Questioned On Financial Issues; Whitlam Questions His Grasp Of Economics May 1, 1974
• Richard Carleton Interviews Whitlam And Snedden On This Day Tonight May 1, 1974
• DLP 1974 Policy Speech – Senator Frank McManus May 1, 1974
• 1974 ALP Election Advertisements May 10, 1974
• 1974 Liberal Party Election Advertisements May 10, 1974
• Michael Pate Advertisement For The ALP: 1974 Federal Election May 13, 1974
• DLP Advertisement: They Call Him Big Mac May 15, 1974
• ABC Election Count: 1974 Federal Election May 18, 1974
• The Day After The 1974 Election: Media Reports May 19, 1974
• Snedden Acknowledges Whitlam Victory But Won’t Concede He Lost May 29, 1974
• The Opposition Leader As A Factor Influencing Voting Behaviour December 5, 2001
• The 1974 Joint Sitting Of Parliament July 27, 2004
• Remember When A Labor Government Could Win Re-Election? May 18, 2012
• Federal Election Results 1901-2014 July 17, 2014
• 40th Anniversary Of The 1974 Joint Sitting Of Parliament August 6, 2014
• Who’s Left – The Surviving Members Of Every House Of Representatives Since 1949 April 1, 2017