The 1955 Victorian state election was held in the Australian State of Victoria on Saturday, 28 May 1955 to elect 65 (of the 66) members of the state's Legislative Assembly.
John Cain had led the Labor Party in Victoria since 1937, and had been Premier since defeating John McDonald's Country Party government at the 1952 election, forming the first majority Labor government in Victoria's history.
In the Victorian parliament, the anti-Communists were known as the Barry–Coleman group after the leaders of the faction: Bill Barry in the Legislative Assembly and Les Coleman in the Legislative Council. In April 1955, Barry and Coleman wrote to Cain requesting a unity conference, but the request was rejected, with Cain telling the group that they could only achieve unity within the ALP, by accepting the authority of the Labor federal conference and executive, and the Victorian central executive.[1]
On the night of 19 April, Bolte moved a motion of no-confidence against Cain's government in the Legislative Assembly. In the early hours of 20 April, following a twelve-hour debate, eleven anti-Communist Labor members crossed the floor to support Bolte's motion. With his government defeated, Cain sought and received a dissolution of parliament later that day.[2][3]
Key datesedit
Date
Event
20 April 1955
The Cain government was defeated in the Victorian Legislative Assembly by a motion of no-confidence.[2]
22 April 1955
The Parliament was prorogued, and the Legislative Assembly dissolved.[4]
26 April 1955
Writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election.[4]
The seat of Gippsland South was retained uncontested by Sir Herbert Hyland for the Country Party. Figures for enrolled voters and ballots cast are for contested seats only.
The Victorian Liberal Party contested the previous election as the Electoral Reform League. The party was formed by a group of disaffected former Liberal and Country Party members who followed Thomas Hollway when he was expelled from the L&CP.
^"Labor split widens CAIN SNUBS BARRY MEN; POLL 'SURE'". The Argus (FINAL ed.). Melbourne. 16 April 1955. p. 5. Retrieved 10 April 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ab"Victorian Govt. Defeated; Election On May 28". The Central Queensland Herald. Rockhampton, Qld. 21 April 1955. p. 6. Retrieved 10 April 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
^Ainsley Symons (2012), 'Democratic Labor Party members in the Victorian Parliament of 1955–1958,' in Recorder (Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Melbourne Branch) No. 275, November, Pages 4-5.
^ abc"Discharging members of the Legislative Council from attendance and dissolving the Legislative Assembly". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 22 April 1955. p. 1955:1807.
^"Ministers of the Crown". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 7 June 1955. p. 1955:2803.
^"Ministers of the Crown". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 8 June 1955. p. 1955:2845.
^"Fixing the time for holding the first session of the forty-second Parliament of Victoria". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 27 July 1961. p. 1955:2585.
^Election held on 28 May 1955, Australian Politics and Elections Database (University of Western Australia).
^Colin A Hughes, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890–1964, Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968 (ISBN0708102700).
January 01, 1970
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The 1955 Victorian state election was held in the Australian State of Victoria on Saturday 28 May 1955 to elect 65 of the 66 members of the state s Legislative Assembly 1955 Victorian state election 1952 28 May 1955 1955 05 28 1958 65 of the 66 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly34 seats needed for a majority First party Second party Leader Henry Bolte John Cain Party Liberal and Country Labor Leader since 3 June 1953 19 October 1937 Leader s seat Hampden Northcote Last election 11 seats 37 seats Seats won 33 seats 20 seats Seat change 22 17 Popular vote 487 408 420 197 Percentage 37 78 32 57 Swing 12 93 16 50 TPP 57 92 42 08 TPP swing 14 64 14 64 Third party Fourth party A C Leader Herbert Hyland Bill Barry Party Country Labor A C Leader since 20 April 1955 April 1955 Leader s seat Gippsland South Carlton Last election 12 seats New party Seats won 11 seats 1 seat Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 122 999 162 660 Percentage 9 53 12 61 Swing 1 19 12 61Premier before election John Cain Labor Elected Premier Henry Bolte Liberal and Country The incumbent Labor Party Government was defeated by the Liberal and Country Party LCP led by Henry Bolte with a swing of 14 6 Contents 1 Background 2 Key dates 3 Results 3 1 Legislative Assembly 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground editJohn Cain had led the Labor Party in Victoria since 1937 and had been Premier since defeating John McDonald s Country Party government at the 1952 election forming the first majority Labor government in Victoria s history The leader of the opposition Liberal and Country Party Trevor Oldham had died on 2 May 1953 in a plane crash on his way to attend the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Oldham s deputy Henry Bolte succeeded him a few days later The election was triggered by events related to the Australian Labor Party split of 1955 in which followers of B A Santamaria s Movement Catholic anti Communist right aligned members of the Labor Party were accused by federal leader H V Evatt of contributing to his loss of the 1954 federal election to Robert Menzies The federal executive set about expelling disloyal members who supported the Movement In the Victorian parliament the anti Communists were known as the Barry Coleman group after the leaders of the faction Bill Barry in the Legislative Assembly and Les Coleman in the Legislative Council In April 1955 Barry and Coleman wrote to Cain requesting a unity conference but the request was rejected with Cain telling the group that they could only achieve unity within the ALP by accepting the authority of the Labor federal conference and executive and the Victorian central executive 1 On the night of 19 April Bolte moved a motion of no confidence against Cain s government in the Legislative Assembly In the early hours of 20 April following a twelve hour debate eleven anti Communist Labor members crossed the floor to support Bolte s motion With his government defeated Cain sought and received a dissolution of parliament later that day 2 3 Key dates editDate Event 20 April 1955 The Cain government was defeated in the Victorian Legislative Assembly by a motion of no confidence 2 22 April 1955 The Parliament was prorogued and the Legislative Assembly dissolved 4 26 April 1955 Writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election 4 6 May 1955 Close of nominations 4 28 May 1955 Polling day between the hours of 8am and 6pm 7 June 1955 Interim Bolte Ministry was sworn in 5 8 June 1955 The remainder of the Bolte Ministry was sworn in 6 15 June 1955 The writ was returned and the results formally declared 15 June 1955 Parliament resumed for business 7 Results editLegislative Assembly edit See also Results of the 1955 Victorian state election Legislative Assembly Victorian state election 28 May 1955 8 9 Legislative Assembly lt lt 1952 1958 gt gt Enrolled voters 1 402 588 Votes cast 1 318 934 Turnout 94 02 0 44 Informal votes 28 955 Informal 2 19 0 38 Summary of votes by party Party Primary votes Swing Seats Change Liberal and Country 487 408 37 78 12 93 33 22 Labor 420 197 32 57 16 50 20 17 Labor A C 162 660 12 61 12 61 1 1 Country 122 999 9 53 1 19 11 1 Independent 45 570 3 53 3 38 1 0 Victorian Liberal 44 692 3 46 6 13 0 4 Communist 4 589 0 35 0 88 0 0 Henry George Justice 1 864 0 14 0 14 0 0 Total 1 289 979 66 Two party preferred Liberal and Country 755 917 57 9 14 6 Labor 549 233 42 1 14 6 Notes The seat of Gippsland South was retained uncontested by Sir Herbert Hyland for the Country Party Figures for enrolled voters and ballots cast are for contested seats only The Victorian Liberal Party contested the previous election as the Electoral Reform League The party was formed by a group of disaffected former Liberal and Country Party members who followed Thomas Hollway when he was expelled from the L amp CP See also editCandidates of the 1955 Victorian state election 1955 Victorian Legislative Council election Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly 1955 1958 Members of the Victorian Legislative Council 1955 1958References edit Labor split widens CAIN SNUBS BARRY MEN POLL SURE The Argus FINAL ed Melbourne 16 April 1955 p 5 Retrieved 10 April 2012 via National Library of Australia a b Victorian Govt Defeated Election On May 28 The Central Queensland Herald Rockhampton Qld 21 April 1955 p 6 Retrieved 10 April 2012 via National Library of Australia Ainsley Symons 2012 Democratic Labor Party members in the Victorian Parliament of 1955 1958 in Recorder Australian Society for the Study of Labour History Melbourne Branch No 275 November Pages 4 5 a b c Discharging members of the Legislative Council from attendance and dissolving the Legislative Assembly Victoria Government Gazette Victorian Government Printer 22 April 1955 p 1955 1807 Ministers of the Crown Victoria Government Gazette Victorian Government Printer 7 June 1955 p 1955 2803 Ministers of the Crown Victoria Government Gazette Victorian Government Printer 8 June 1955 p 1955 2845 Fixing the time for holding the first session of the forty second Parliament of Victoria Victoria Government Gazette Victorian Government Printer 27 July 1961 p 1955 2585 Election held on 28 May 1955 Australian Politics and Elections Database University of Western Australia Colin A Hughes A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890 1964 Canberra Australian National University Press 1968 ISBN 0708102700 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1955 Victorian state election amp oldid 1219312564, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
