1918 Queensland state election

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 16 March 1918 to elect the 72 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.

1918 Queensland state election

16 March 1918
All 72 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland 37 Assembly seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	80.27 ( 7.87 pp)
Leader T. J. Ryan Edward Macartney Party Labor National Leader since 6 September 1912 15 February 1918 Leader's seat Barcoo Toowong Last election 45 seats 21 seats Seats won 48 seats 22 seats Seat change 3 1 Percentage 53.68% 44.62% Swing 1.62 2.65
Premier before election T. J. Ryan Labor Elected Premier T. J. Ryan Labor

Background

The election was the second for the Labor government of T. J. Ryan, who had been premier since 1 June 1915. The National opposition (previously known as the Ministerialists) were led by Edward Macartney who replaced Digby Denham after the 1915 election when they were reduced to 21 seats. In turn, he was replaced by James Tolmie within three months but returned to the post shortly before the election when the latter fell ill.[1]

Results

The election saw the Labor government returned to office with an increased vote and seat count for both Labor and the National Party from the 1915 election.

Queensland state election, 16 March 1918[2] Legislative Assembly << 1915–1920 >>
Enrolled voters		424,416
Votes cast		336,647		Turnout	80.27	-7.87
Informal votes		N/A		Informal	1.18	-0.39
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Labor	180,709	53.68	+1.62	48	+3
	National	150,225	44.62	+2.65	22	+1
	Independent	3,311	0.98	+0.06	2	+1
Total		336,647			72

Seats changing party representation

This table lists changes in party representation at the 1918 election.

Party changes before election

The following seats changed party representation before the election due to the merger of Farmers Union and Liberal Party members.

Seat	Incumbent member	Former Party		New Party
Albert	John Appel		Farmers' Union		National Party
Aubigny	Arthur Moore		Farmers' Union		National Party
Cunningham	Francis Grayson		Liberal Party		Independent National
Drayton	William Bebbington		Farmers' Union		National Party
Murilla	Godfrey Morgan		Farmers' Union		National Party
Nanango	Robert Hodge		Farmers' Union		National Party
Pittsworth	Percy Bayley		Farmers' Union		Independent National

Seats changing hands at election

Seat	Incumbent member	Party		New member	Party
Bulimba	Hugh McMinn		Labor	Walter Barnes		National
Burke	William Murphy		Independent	Darby Riordan		Labor
Burrum	Colin Rankin		National	Albert Whitford		Labor
Kurilpa	William Hartley		Labor	James Fry		National
Lockyer	William Armstrong		National	Cuthbert Butler		Labor
Logan	James Stodart		National	Alfred James		Labor
Oxley	Thomas Jones		Labor	Cecil Elphinstone		National
Rosewood	Henry Stevens		National	William Cooper		Labor
Toowoomba	James Tolmie		National	Frank Brennan		Labor
Wide Bay	Charles Booker		National	Andrew Thompson		Labor
Windsor	Herbert McPhail		Labor	Charles Taylor		National

• Members in italics did not recontest their seats.

Aftermath

T.J. Ryan resigned as premier a year after the state election to run successfully for the federal seat of West Sydney in 1919. Ryan was replaced as premier by Ted Theodore. Theodore called the 1920 election one year into his premiership and two years after the 1918 election. Macartney was later replaced for a second time, this time by William Vowles. Within a few months though, Vowles created the Queensland Country Party. However, because Vowles had created the Country Party using most of the rural-based National MLAs, Vowles was able to remain as Opposition Leader.

See also

• Candidates of the Queensland state election, 1918
• Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1915–1918
• Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1918–1920
• Ryan Ministry

References

1. French, M. Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.
2. "UWA 1918 election study".