March 5, 1983
Bob Hawke at his election night press conference – March 5, 1983
The 1983 election brought to an end seven years of coalition government and ushered in the first of five successive election wins for the ALP.
The coalition government led by Malcolm Fraser had to contend with a parlous economic situation with high inflation and high unemployment. The nation had seen an increase in industrial disputation and many rural areas were gripped by drought.
In the previous year, Fraser had fought off a leadership challenge from Andrew Peacock, who had resigned from the Cabinet citing Fraser’s “manic determination to get his own way”, a phrase Fraser had himself used when he resigned from the Gorton ministry in 1971.
A by-election in Flinders in December 1982, occasioned by the retirement of Phillip Lynch, had seen an unexpected victory by the Liberal candidate, Peter Reith. Emboldened by this success Fraser opted for an early double dissolution election. On the day he called the election, the ALP replaced its leader, Bill Hayden, with Bob Hawke. Moves against Hayden had begun in earnest over the Christmas holiday period. Stoically accepting his removal, Hayden claimed that a “drover’s dog” could lead the ALP to victory.
State of the Parties
This is the state of the parties in the House of Representatives following the 1983 Federal Election.
| House of Representatives Elections 1983 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALP | LIB | NPA | IND | Total | |
Election Statistics
- Federal Election Results 1901-2014 – a Parliamentary Library research paper with detailed statistics on elections since 1901.
Election Moments
- Feb 03, 1983: Fraser Calls Early Election – The most dramatic day in Australian politics since the Dismissal ended with Bob Hawke replacing Bill Hayden as ALP leader and Malcolm Fraser facing a popular new opponent in a double dissolution election.
- Feb 03, 1983: The ‘blood on your hands’ interview – Bob Hawke’s encounter with Richard Carleton on the ABC’s Nationwide program.
- Feb 22, 1983: Under Labor, Your Money Would Be Safer Under the Bed – Fraser’s scare campaign and Hawke’s dismissive response.
- Mar 02, 1983: Final Television Broadcasts
- Mar 05, 1983: Malcolm Fraser Concedes Defeat – audio and video of the quivering lip concession.
- Mar 05, 1983: Bob Hawke Claims Victory – video and audio of Hawke’s arrival at the National Tally Room on election night.
Policy Speeches
- Feb 15, 1983: Liberal Party Policy Speech – Malcolm Fraser
- Feb 16, 1983: ALP Policy Speech – Bob Hawke
- Feb 21, 1983: National Party Policy Speech – Doug Anthony
Election Analysis
Election Advertisements
- ALP Free-Time Election Advertisement: Bob Hawke February 23, 1983
- Liberal Party Advertisement: Malcolm Fraser, Andrew Peacock And Ian MacPhee February 28, 1983
- How To Cast A Formal Ballot: 1983 AEC Advertisement February 28, 1983
- National Party Advertisement: Doug Anthony March 1, 1983
- 1983 Federal Election: Liberal Party TV Advertisement March 1, 1983
- ALP Free-Time Election Advertisement: Bob Hawke March 1, 1983
- Final Television Broadcasts: 1983 Federal Election March 2, 1983
Archived Posts
- Fraser Calls Early Election As Hawke Replaces Hayden February 3, 1983
- Malcolm Fraser: Double Dissolution Election Statement February 3, 1983
- The ‘Blood On Your Hands’ Interview: Bob Hawke And Richard Carleton February 3, 1983
- Norm Gallagher Jailed; Fraser Prepares For Policy Speech; Don Chipp’s Senate Campaign February 15, 1983
- Malcolm Fraser’s 1983 Federal Election Policy Speech February 15, 1983
- Bob Hawke’s 1983 Federal Election Policy Speech February 16, 1983
- Doug Anthony: National Party 1983 Federal Election Policy Speech February 21, 1983
- Fraser Says Your Money Would Be Safer Under The Bed; That’s Where The Commies Are, Says Hawke February 22, 1983
- ALP Free-Time Election Advertisement: Bob Hawke February 23, 1983
- Liberal Party Advertisement: Malcolm Fraser, Andrew Peacock And Ian MacPhee February 28, 1983
- How To Cast A Formal Ballot: 1983 AEC Advertisement February 28, 1983
- Sir Les Patterson Comments On The Federal Election February 28, 1983
- Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser’s Final Appearance At The National Press Club March 1, 1983
- National Party Advertisement: Doug Anthony March 1, 1983
- 1983 Federal Election: Liberal Party TV Advertisement March 1, 1983
- ALP Free-Time Election Advertisement: Bob Hawke March 1, 1983
- Bob Hawke At The National Press Club: 1983 Federal Election March 2, 1983
- Don Chipp On His Faith In Bob Hawke March 2, 1983
- Final Television Broadcasts: 1983 Federal Election March 2, 1983
- Video Scenes From 1983 Federal Election Night March 5, 1983
- Prime Minister-elect Bob Hawke’s Election Night Press Conference March 5, 1983
- Malcolm Fraser Concedes Defeat In 1983 Federal Election March 5, 1983
- 1983 Federal Election: Triumphant Hawke Arrives At National Tally Room And Claims Victory March 5, 1983
- John Howard Comments On The 1983 Election Defeat And His Leadership Ambitions March 6, 1983
- The Day After: 3AW Midday News Reports the Hawke Victory March 6, 1983
- Sir Billy Snedden Retires From Parliament; Asserts Tradition Of Former Speakers Departing April 21, 1983
- Governor-General’s Speech Opening Parliament: 1983 April 21, 1983
- David Butler: 1983 Election Retrospect May 15, 1983
- Alan Hughes: The Federal Election Of March 1983 April 15, 1984
- The Opposition Leader As A Factor Influencing Voting Behaviour December 5, 2001
- The Malcolm Mackerras Six And The Question Of How To Define A Landslide January 6, 2014
- Federal Election Results 1901-2014 July 17, 2014
- The 1983 Australian Federal Election: Funfillums June 5, 2016
- Who’s Left – The Surviving Members Of Every House Of Representatives Since 1949 April 1, 2017
