The Coalition won 36 seats, two short of a majority, but formed a government on 28 October 1940 with the support of both independentcrossbenchers, Alexander Wilson and Arthur Coles. The four MPs elected to Lang Labor's successor, the Australian Labor Party (Non-Communist), officially re-joined the ALP just months after the election in February 1941, bringing the ALP to 36 seats. The UAP–Country minority government lasted only until October 1941, when the two independents crossed the floor and allowed the ALP to form a minority government with Curtin as prime minister. It remains the only time since the 1910 introduction of the two-party system where the government has changed as the result of a parliamentary confidence vote.
Future opposition leaders H.V. Evatt and Arthur Calwell both entered parliament at this election.
The 15th parliament elected in the 1937 election first sat on 30 November 1937.[1] Under the constitution, the parliament would expire in November 1940 and a general election would have to held by January 1941.[2][3] Throughout 1940, there were debates on whether the general election should be held or postponed in the midst of a world war.[4] Throughout July and August 1940, Prime Minister Robert Menzies contemplated the prospect of an early election.[5] The loss of three Cabinet ministers in the 1940 Canberra air disaster on 13 August also meant that three by-elections would have been required, followed within a few short months by a general election.
Both the Coalition and Labor supported Australia's ongoing participation in World War II. The Coalition's advertisements asked Australians to "Cast Your Vote for Unity and an All-in War Effort / Back the Government that's Backing Churchill", with a large picture of the British Prime Minister. Labor promised "A New Deal / for the Soldier / for the Soldier's wife / Widows, the Aged and Infirm / the Taxpayer / the Working Man / the Primary Producer".[6]
The Country Party in Victoria was split over membership of the Coalition, with the state party opposing its members taking office. The official United Country Party elected two members, one of whom, George Rankin, sat in the federal Country Party room and the other, Alexander Wilson, sat as an Independent. A breakaway faction, the Liberal Country Party, was formed to support sitting ministers and elected two members, John McEwen and Thomas Paterson, who both sat in the federal Country Party room.
^The Northern Territory had one seat, but members for the territories did not have full voting rights until 1966 and did not count toward government formation.
^"Parliament". The Canberra Times. 16 November 1937. Retrieved 15 October 2020 – via Trove.
^"War Time Elections". The Daily News. 19 August 1940. Retrieved 15 October 2020 – via Trove.
^"Election during the war". The Daily News. 9 July 1940. Retrieved 15 October 2020 – via Trove.
^"Federal Election Question". The Advocate. 10 July 1940. Retrieved 15 October 2020 – via Trove.
^"A forced election". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 12 August 1940. Retrieved 15 October 2020 – via Trove.
^Hasluck, Paul (1965). Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 4 – Civil – Volume 1, The Government and the People, 1939–1941. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. pp. 256–263.
External linksedit
University of WA 18 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine election results in Australia since 1890
Two-party-preferred vote since 1937
November 12, 2023
1940, australian, federal, election, held, australia, september, 1940, seats, house, representatives, seats, senate, were, election, incumbent, coalition, consisting, united, australia, party, prime, minister, robert, menzies, country, party, archie, cameron, . The 1940 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 21 September 1940 All 74 seats in the House of Representatives and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election The incumbent Coalition consisting of the United Australia Party led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies and the Country Party led by Archie Cameron defeated the opposition Labor Party under John Curtin despite losing the overall popular vote 1940 Australian federal election 1937 21 September 1940 1943 outgoing memberselected members All 75 a seats of the House of Representatives38 seats were needed for a majority in the House19 of the 36 seats of the SenateRegistered4 239 346 3 90 Turnout3 979 009 94 82 b 1 31 pp First party Second party Leader Robert Menzies John CurtinParty UAP Country coalition LaborLeader since 26 April 1939 1 October 1935Leader s seat Kooyong Vic Fremantle WA Last election 44 seats 29 seatsSeats won 36 32Seat change 8 3Percentage 49 70 50 30 Swing 0 90 0 90 Results by division for the House of Representatives shaded by winning party s margin of victory Prime Minister before electionRobert MenziesUAP Country coalition Subsequent Prime Minister Robert MenziesUAP Country coalitionThe Coalition won 36 seats two short of a majority but formed a government on 28 October 1940 with the support of both independent crossbenchers Alexander Wilson and Arthur Coles The four MPs elected to Lang Labor s successor the Australian Labor Party Non Communist officially re joined the ALP just months after the election in February 1941 bringing the ALP to 36 seats The UAP Country minority government lasted only until October 1941 when the two independents crossed the floor and allowed the ALP to form a minority government with Curtin as prime minister It remains the only time since the 1910 introduction of the two party system where the government has changed as the result of a parliamentary confidence vote Future opposition leaders H V Evatt and Arthur Calwell both entered parliament at this election Contents 1 Background 2 Results 2 1 House of Representatives 2 2 Senate 3 Seats changing hands 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksBackground editThe 15th parliament elected in the 1937 election first sat on 30 November 1937 1 Under the constitution the parliament would expire in November 1940 and a general election would have to held by January 1941 2 3 Throughout 1940 there were debates on whether the general election should be held or postponed in the midst of a world war 4 Throughout July and August 1940 Prime Minister Robert Menzies contemplated the prospect of an early election 5 The loss of three Cabinet ministers in the 1940 Canberra air disaster on 13 August also meant that three by elections would have been required followed within a few short months by a general election Both the Coalition and Labor supported Australia s ongoing participation in World War II The Coalition s advertisements asked Australians to Cast Your Vote for Unity and an All in War Effort Back the Government that s Backing Churchill with a large picture of the British Prime Minister Labor promised A New Deal for the Soldier for the Soldier s wife Widows the Aged and Infirm the Taxpayer the Working Man the Primary Producer 6 Results editHouse of Representatives edit Main article Results of the 1940 Australian federal election House of Representatives nbsp Australian Federal Election 1940House of Reps IRV 1940 43 Turnout 94 82 CV Informal 2 56 nbsp Party Votes Swing Seats Change UAP Country coalition 1 703 185 43 93 4 65 36 8 United Australia 1 171 788 30 22 3 49 23 5 Country 531 397 13 71 1 84 13 3 Labor 1 556 941 40 16 3 01 32 3 Lang Labor 202 721 5 23 5 23 4 4 State Labor 101 191 2 61 2 61 0 0 Defence Movement 15 313 0 40 0 40 0 0 Protestant Labor 8 300 0 21 0 21 0 0 Independents 289 335 7 46 1 90 3 c 0 Total 3 876 986 75Two party preferred estimated UAP Country coalition 49 70 0 90 36 8 Labor 50 30 0 90 32 3NotesIndependents Arthur Coles Henty Vic see below Alexander Wilson Wimmera Vic The Country Party in Victoria was split over membership of the Coalition with the state party opposing its members taking office The official United Country Party elected two members one of whom George Rankin sat in the federal Country Party room and the other Alexander Wilson sat as an Independent A breakaway faction the Liberal Country Party was formed to support sitting ministers and elected two members John McEwen and Thomas Paterson who both sat in the federal Country Party room Popular voteLabor 40 16 United Australia 30 22 Country 13 71 Lang Labor 5 23 State Labor 2 61 Independent Other 8 07 Two party preferred voteLabor 50 30 Coalition 49 70 Parliament seatsCoalition 48 64 Labor 43 24 Lang Labor 5 41 Independent 2 70 Senate edit Senate P BV 1940 43 Turnout 94 75 CV Informal 9 56 nbsp Party Votes Swing Seats won Seats held Change UAP Country coalition 1 831 138 50 41 3 70 16 19 1 UAP Country joint ticket 1 649 241 45 40 16 72 10 N A N A United Australia 181 897 5 01 11 12 6 15 1 Country N A N A N A 0 4 0 Labor 1 363 072 37 52 10 96 3 17 1 Non Communist Labor 274 861 7 57 7 57 0 0 0 State Labor 70 091 1 93 1 93 0 0 0 Defence Movement 9 536 0 26 0 26 0 0 0 Independents 84 119 2 32 1 07 0 0 0 Total 3 632 817 19 36NotesOf the ten senators elected on UAP Country joint tickets seven were UAP members and three were Country Party members Seats changing hands editSeat Pre 1940 Swing Post 1940Party Member Margin Margin Member PartyBarton NSW United Australia Albert Lane 1 8 13 9 12 1 H V Evatt Labor Calare NSW Country Harold Thorby 2 2 5 6 3 4 John Breen Labor Cook NSW Labor Tom Sheehan N A 33 9 13 6 Tom Sheehan Labor N C Dalley NSW Labor Sol Rosevear N A 14 9 7 2 Sol Rosevear Labor N C Denison Tas Labor Gerald Mahoney 3 9 5 0 1 1 Arthur Beck United Australia Henty Vic United Australia Henry Gullett N A 3 2 13 5 Arthur Coles Independent Lang NSW Labor Dan Mulcahy N A 13 4 16 0 Dan Mulcahy Labor N C Macquarie NSW United Australia John Lawson 2 1 10 2 8 1 Ben Chifley Labor Maranoa Qld Country James Hunter 4 3 5 9 1 6 Frank Baker Labor Riverina NSW Country Horace Nock 7 2 8 8 1 6 Joe Langtry Labor Wakefield SA Labor Sydney McHugh 6 7 10 0 3 4 Jack Duncan Hughes United Australia Wannon Vic United Australia Thomas Scholfield 1 3 5 0 3 7 Don McLeod Labor Warringah NSW Independent Percy Spender 1 9 23 6 25 5 Percy Spender United Australia Watson NSW United Australia John Jennings 3 8 5 8 2 0 Max Falstein Labor West Sydney NSW Labor Jack Beasley 100 0 64 3 14 3 Jack Beasley Labor N C Wilmot Tas Labor Lancelot Spurr 0 2 5 2 5 0 Allan Guy United Australia Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election See also editCandidates of the Australian federal election 1940 Members of the Australian House of Representatives 1940 1943 Members of the Australian Senate 1941 1944Notes edit The Northern Territory had one seat but members for the territories did not have full voting rights until 1966 and did not count toward government formation Turnout in contested seats Including Northern TerritoryReferences edit Parliament The Canberra Times 16 November 1937 Retrieved 15 October 2020 via Trove War Time Elections The Daily News 19 August 1940 Retrieved 15 October 2020 via Trove Election during the war The Daily News 9 July 1940 Retrieved 15 October 2020 via Trove Federal Election Question The Advocate 10 July 1940 Retrieved 15 October 2020 via Trove A forced election The Advertiser Adelaide 12 August 1940 Retrieved 15 October 2020 via Trove Hasluck Paul 1965 Australia in the War of 1939 1945 Series 4 Civil Volume 1 The Government and the People 1939 1941 Canberra Australian War Memorial pp 256 263 External links editUniversity of WA Archived 18 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine election results in Australia since 1890 Two party preferred vote since 1937 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1940 Australian federal election amp oldid 1158587344, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
