In this encounter with journalists, Bob Hawke denied that he was challenging Bill Hayden for the ALP leadership.
The exchange includes an altercation with reporter Barrie Cassidy, of whom Hawke says “you are just being a bloody pest”. [Read more…]
The 1980 Federal Election: Analysis By Dr. Jean Holmes
Mar 15, 1981
This is a booklet on the 1980 Federal Election by Dr. Jean Holmes.
Dr. Holmes was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Melbourne.
The booklet was originally published by the Victorian Association of Social Studies Teachers and subsequently republished by the Correspondence School. [Read more…]
Bill Hayden’s 1980 Federal Election ALP Policy Speech
Oct 01, 1980
Bill Hayden delivered the ALP’s 1980 federal election policy speech at the Greek Community Centre in South Brisbane on October 1, 1980.
It was the Leader of the Opposition’s only election campaign as leader. With the ALP positioning NSW Premier Neville Wran and ACTU President Bob Hawke alongside Hayden for the campaign, it was hardly a vote of confidence in his leadership. Despite winning 13 seats and reducing Malcolm Fraser’s majority to 23, Hayden did not survive to fight the next election. He was replaced by Hawke, who entered the Parliament at this election.
Transcript of Opposition Leader Bill Hayden’s 1980 federal election policy speech.
Fellow Australians,
The policies I am privileged to put to you tonight are proposals for all Australians. They are policies we believe will begin the task of restoring equality of opportunity and national pride to our country, and dignity and fair play to all our people.
They are policies to bring Australians together, not drive them apart, policies that unite our country, policies that allow all Australians to share our national good fortune and to play their part in the development of our future. And that, I suggest, is really the great issue before us in the elections on October 18. [Read more…]
1980 ALP Campaign Advertisement: Raise The Standard
Oct 01, 1980
The ALP’s campaign slogan for the 1980 federal election was “Raise the Standard”.
This is video and audio of a record produced by the ALP and released during the campaign. It was published on YouTube by the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.
The recording includes the ALP’s campaign jingle and remarks by Opposition Leader Bill Hayden and NSW Premier Neville Wran.
The Liberal-National Country Party government of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser was re-elected to its third and final term at the election, suffering a net loss of 12 seats to finish with 74 in a 125-seat House of Representatives.
The ALP, led by Bill Hayden, secured a net gain of 13 seats to finish with 51. The ALP achieved a two-party swing of 4.2% against the coalition. It increased its primary vote by 5.5% to 45.15%, a significant improvement on its 1975 and 1977 performance.
Bob Hawke entered the parliament at this election. He went on to replace Hayden as ALP leader in February 1983 and won the March 1983 election. Hayden was the Minister for Social Security and Treasurer in the Whitlam governments (1972-75). He served as Foreign Minister under Hawke (1983-88) and as Governor-General (1989-1996).
- Watch “Raise the Standard” (4m)
- Listen to “Raise the Standard” (4m)
Bill Hayden Profiled By 60 Minutes
Sep 28, 1980
This is a 60 Minutes profile of Opposition Leader Bill Hayden, telecast during the 1980 federal election.
Hayden was contesting his first and only election as leader of the ALP. He had succeeded Gough Whitlam as ALP leader in 1977. A former policeman, Hayden had survived the Whitlam years with his reputation intact. He had been Minister for Social Security and had introduced Medibank, the forerunner of today’s Medicare. He was Treasurer in the final months of the government in 1975.
The ALP lost the 1980 election, although it picked up 13 seats and reduced Fraser’s majority. Hayden was replaced by Bob Hawke in February 1983, on the very day that Fraser called an early election. Hayden went on to serve as Minister for Foreign Affairs until 1988. He was Governor-General from 1989 until 1996.
The profile was reported by George Negus. It was telecast on September 28, 1980, three weeks before the October 18 poll.
- Watch the 60 Minutes report (14m)
1980 Election News: Channel 7 And 9
Sep 22, 1980
This video contains federal election news from Channels 7 and 9 in Melbourne on September 22, 1980.
The election was held on October 18. Malcolm Fraser’s Liberal and National Country Party coalition was re-elected to a third term, although its majority was reduced.
Watch Channel 7 & 9 News (4m)
Donald Horne And David Kemp On The State Of The Nation In 1980
Sep 20, 1980
A month before the 1980 Federal Election, the ABC’s Four Corners broadcast a program featuring Donald Horne and David Kemp.
Donald Horne, 51 at the time, was an author, journalist and social critic. He was best known for his 1960s book, The Lucky Country. Five years earlier, at the time of the Whitlam Dismissal, he wrote Death of the Lucky Country. Horne died in 2005.
David Kemp, 39 at the time, was a Politics academic at Monash University and an adviser to the Liberal Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser. Following the election, Kemp became Director of the Prime Minister’s Office. In 1990, Kemp defeated the Liberal moderate Ian Macphee for preselection for the Melbourne electorate of Goldstein. He was a Cabinet minister in the Howard government and retired in 2004. [Read more…]
Malcolm Fraser Announces Date Of 1980 Federal Election
Sep 11, 1980
Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser announced the 1980 federal election in a ministerial statement to the House of Representatives on September 11.
Fraser announced that the House of Representatives election would be held on October 18, concurrent with a half-Senate election.
It was Fraser’s third election as prime minister, following his appointment on November 11, 1975 as a consequence of the Dismissal of the Whitlam Government. He was re-elected in 1977.
Fraser’s Labor opposition was led by Bill Hayden, who had succeeded Gough Whitlam in 1977 and was now facing his first election as leader. [Read more…]
Whitlam Government Increases Pensions, Unemployment And Sickness Benefits
Feb 28, 1973
One of the first legislative acts of the Whitlam government in 1973 was to increase social security benefits.
On February 28, 1973, the Minister for Social Security, Bill Hayden, introduced the Social Services Bill 1973 into the House of Representatives.
The bill sought to increase all pensions and unemployment and sickness benefits by amounts ranging from $1.50 to $14.00 a week. Hayden said the cost of the measures would be $126 million in a full year.
This is Social Security Minister Bill Hayden’s Second Reading Speech on the Social Services Bill 1973.
Mr HAYDEN (Oxley) (Minister for Social Security) – I move:
That the Bill be now read a second time.
The Bill provides for generous increases in all pensions and in unemployment and sickness benefits by amounts ranging from $1.50 a week to $14 a week. Furthermore it provides for payment of the pension increases to be made retrospectively from and including the first pay day for each category of pension occurring after the election of this Government. The cost of these proposals, and others benefiting dependants which I shall outline a little later, will be $126m in a full year and $66.2m for this financial year.
This Bill provides a common benefit rate for all pensions and for unemployment and sickness benefits of $21.50 a week standard rate and $37.50 a week married rate. In doing this it removes several seriously unjust, penalising anomalies. This Bill has promptly honoured the undertaking of the Prime Minister made when he delivered the policy speech of the Australian Labor Party. He said then: [Read more…]