Western Australian state election, 1971

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 20 February 1971 to elect all 51 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council. The four-term Liberal-Country Party coalition government, led by Premier David Brand, was defeated by the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader John Tonkin.

This was the first election in which no seats were uncontested since the introduction of responsible government in 1890. This was partly due to the Democratic Labor Party deciding to contest every seat up for election in both Houses.

Results

Legislative Assembly

Australian elections/Title row
title = Western Australian state election, 20 February 1971
house = Legislative Assembly
series = Western Australian state election
back = 1968
forward = 1974
enrolled = 537,122
total_votes = 490,467
turnout % = 91.31%
turnout chg = +0.41%
informal = 18,897
informal % = 3.85%
informal chg = +0.75%Australian elections/Party summary
government = yes
party_id = Labor
votes = 230,653
votes % = 48.91%
votes chg = +3.56%
seats = 26
seats chg = + 3Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = Liberal
votes = 139,865
votes % = 29.66%
votes chg = –14.34%
seats = 17
seats chg = – 2Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = Nationals
party = Country
votes = 26,604
votes % = 5.64%
votes chg = +0.39%
seats = 8
seats chg = – 1Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = DLP
votes = 50,508
votes % = 10.71%
votes chg = +7.45%
seats = 0
seats chg = ± 0Australian elections/Party summary
party = United Farmers
votes = 3,511
votes % = 0.74%
votes chg = +0.74%
seats = 0
seats chg = ± 0Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = Communist
votes = 2,265
votes % = 0.48%
votes chg = –0.05%
seats = 0
seats chg = ± 0Australian elections/Party summary
party = Other parties
votes = 2,687
votes % = 0.57%
votes chg = –0.12%
seats = 0
seats chg = ± 0Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = Independent
votes = 15,477
votes % = 3.28%
votes chg = +2.36%
seats = 0
seats chg = ± 0Australian elections/Total row
total_votes = 471,570
total_seats = 51

Legislative Council

Australian elections/Title row
title = Western Australian state election, 20 February 1971
house = Legislative Council
staggered = yes
enrolled = 537,122
total_votes = 489,911
turnout % = 91.21%
turnout chg = –1.08%
informal = 25,084
informal % = 5.12%
informal chg = +0.63%Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = Labor
votes = 217,465
votes % = 46.78%
votes chg = +0.12%
seats = 4
seats held = 10Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = Liberal
votes = 127,191
votes % = 27.36%
votes chg = –9.64%
seats = 9
seats chg = 13Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = Nationals
party = Country
votes = 25,035
votes % = 5.39%
votes chg = –6.19%
seats = 2
seats chg = 7Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = DLP
votes = 67,891
votes % = 14.61%
votes chg = +12.17%
seats = 0
seats chg = 0Australian elections/Party summary
party = United Farmers
votes = 5,782
votes % = 1.24%
votes chg = +1.24%
seats = 0
seats chg = 0Australian elections/Party summary
party_id = Independent
votes = 21,463
votes % = 4.62%
votes chg = +2.26%
seats = 0
seats chg = 0Australian elections/Total row
total_votes = 464,827
total_seats = 15
total_held = 30

ee also

* Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1968–1971
* Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1971–1974

References