1917 Victorian state election

The 1917 Victorian state election was held in the Australian state of Victoria on Thursday 15 November 1917 for the state's Legislative Assembly. 51 of the 65 Legislative Assembly seats were contested.[1]

1917 Victorian state election

15 November 1917
all 65 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Leader John Bowser George Elmslie Alexander Peacock Party Nationalist Labor Ministerial Leader since November 1917 September 1913 June 1914 Leader's seat Wangaratta Albert Park Allandale Last election 0 seats 22 seats 43 seats Seats won 27 seats 18 seats 13 seats Seat change 27 4 30 Percentage * 32.29% * Swing * 7.29 *
Premier before election Alexander Peacock Nationalist Elected Premier John Bowser Nationalist

Background

By 1917, World War I was placing an enormous strain on the Victorian economy. While the Liberal party had won the 1914 election with a large majority, many in the party were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the government's actions on difficulties in the rural areas. The Victorian Farmers' Union emerged as a party, was gathering support and ran candidates for the first time.

The Labor Party had undergone a split in 1916 over the Conscription debate and some of its pro-conscription members led by Prime Minister Billy Hughes left the party and joined with the Liberals to form the Nationalist Party. At the state level, however, some of these members ran as National Labor candidates.

The breaking point for the Nationalist government was Premier Alexander Peacock's decision to increase rail fares to rural areas. The party split into a pro-Peacock Ministerial faction (mostly composed of city-based members), and an opposition faction led by John Bowser, composed mostly of country members. The two factions ran candidates against each other in most Nationalist seats. This did not effectively split the vote, as Victoria had introduced compulsory preferential voting for this election, and most of the preferences resulting from multiple Nationalist candidates were kept within the party. After the election, on 29 November, the rural faction of the Nationalist government led by Bowser won control of the party, ousting Peacock.

Results

Legislative Assembly

1917 Victorian state election[2] Legislative Assembly << 1914–1920 >>
Enrolled voters		658,488
Votes cast		356,999		Turnout	54.21	+0.29
Informal votes		11,245		Informal	3.15	+0.88
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Nationalist	197,036	56.99	+0.10	40	– 3
	Labor	111,637	32.29	–7.29	18	– 4
	Victorian Farmers	21,183	6.13	*	4	+ 4
	National Labor	7,747	2.24	*	3	+ 3
	Independent	8,161	2.36	*	0	± 0
Total		345,754			65

Notes:

• While the Nationalist party was split into the Ministerialist Peacock and Opposition Bowser factions, statistical records show the Nationalist vote combined.
• Fourteen seats were uncontested at this election, and were retained by the incumbent parties:
  • Nationalist (7): Ballarat West, Castlemaine and Maldon, Gippsland West, Gunbower, Hawthorn, Lowan, Wangaratta
  • Labor (6): Abbotsford, Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Richmond
  • National Labor(1): Gippsland North

Aftermath

As the Bowser faction had won the most seats within the Nationalist party factions, Alexander Peacock resigned as Premier and John Bowser took his place. The previous government's increase on rail fares was reversed, but the issue of how the railways were to be financed remained unresolved. The opposition parties defeated a railway estimates bill in March 1918, and Bowser resigned as Premier in response, having little taste for the office. Bowser then eventually left the Nationalist party for the Victorian Farmers' Union. Peacock supporter Harry Lawson became Premier, after which the factions reunited and formed majority government with 40 of the 65 seats.

See also

• Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, 1917–1920
• Candidates of the Victorian state election, 1917

References

1. Colin A Hughes, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964, Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968 (ISBN 0708102700).
2. Election held on 21 October 1917, Australian Politics and Elections Database (University of Western Australia).