List of Western Australian Legislative Council by-elections

The list of Western Australia Legislative Council by-elections includes every by-election held in the Australian state of Western Australia for the Legislative Council. Prior to the Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987 which came into force at the 1989 election, it was necessary for a by-election to be held to fill any vacancy; they have since been filled by recounts from the previous poll based on a proportional voting system. An imminent Council election often allowed the vacancy to remain until the inauguration of the new Council, usually on the following 22 May.

Ministerial by-elections

Until a constitutional amendment in 1947,[1] it was necessary for members who were appointed as a Minister to resign their seat and contest their seat at a ministerial by-election. This was because the Ministers became members of the Executive Council, which reported to the Governor of Western Australia and was therefore deemed an "office of profit" under the Crown. Most ministerial by-elections were a formality with the Minister being re-elected unopposed, but on one occasion, in 1901, a Minister from the Council was defeated at the by-elections.

List of Legislative Council by-elections

1950–1989
By-electionDateIncumbentPartyWinnerPartyVacatedCauseRetained
South-West 24 October 1987 Vic Ferry   Liberal Barry House   Liberal 24 July 1987 Resignation Yes
Central 17 November 1984 Gordon Atkinson   Liberal Eric Charlton   National 4 August 1984 Death No
North 31 July 1982 Bill Withers   Liberal Tom Stephens   Labor 21 May 1982 Resignation No
South Metropolitan 13 March 1982 Howard Olney   Labor Garry Kelly   Labor 16 December 1981 Resignation Yes
North 20 February 1971 Harry Strickland   Labor John Hunt   Labor 31 December 1970 Resignation Yes
West 21 October 1967 Ray Jones   Country Fred White   Country 3 September 1967 Death Yes
Midland 17 August 1963 Charles Simpson   Country Jack Heitman   Liberal 12 June 1963 Death No
North-East 29 June 1963 William Hall   Labor David Dellar   Labor 1 May 1963 Death Yes
West 29 June 1963 Evan Davies   Labor Jerry Dolan   Labor 10 April 1963 Death Yes
West 7 February 1959 Gilbert Fraser   Labor Ron Thompson   Labor 1 November 1958 Death Yes
North 22 September 1956 Charles Barker   Labor Frank Wise   Labor 18 July 1956 Death Yes
Metropolitan 9 June 1956 Harry Hearn   Liberal Reg Mattiske   Liberal 20 March 1956 Death Yes
South-East 10 September 1955 Robert Boylen   Labor John Cunningham   Liberal 25 June 1955 Death No
South-West 10 September 1955 Charles Henning   Liberal F. D. Willmott   Liberal 22 June 1955 Death Yes
Suburban 20 June 1953 James Dimmitt   Liberal Arthur Griffith   Liberal 13 April 1953 Resignation (appointed
as Agent-General)		 Yes
Central 3 May 1952 G. B. Wood   Country Leslie Diver   Country 3 January 1952 Death Yes
South-West 2 June 1951 William Mann   Liberal James Murray   Liberal 22 April 1951 Death Yes
South-West 2 June 1951 Hobart Tuckey   Liberal Charles Henning   Liberal 10 March 1951 Death Yes
Central 6 May 1950 Charles Baxter   Country Norm Baxter   Country 2 March 1950 Death Yes

1940–1949

The changes of names of electoral provinces at the 1950 election, effected by the Electoral Districts Act 1947, were as follows:

  • Central Province → Midland Province
  • East Province → Central Province
  • Metropolitan-Suburban Province → Suburban Province
  • South Province → South-East Province
  • South-East Province → South Province
By-electionDateIncumbentPartyWinnerPartyVacatedCauseRetained
Metropolitan 8 May 1948 Leonard Bolton   Liberal Keith Watson   Liberal 31 March 1948 Resignation Yes
Central 30 August 1947 John Drew   Labor Harold Daffen   Liberal 17 July 1947 Death No
West 21 June 1947 William Kitson   Labor Evan Davies   Labor 15 May 1947 Resignation (appointed
as Agent-General)		 Yes

See also

References
  1. Constitution (Re-election of Ministers) Act 1947 (No. 4 of 1947), assented 2 October 1947.
  • Black, David (1991). Legislative Council of Western Australia : membership register, electoral law and statistics, 1890-1989. Perth: Parliamentary History Project. ISBN 0-7309-3641-4.
  • Hughes, Colin A.; Aitkin, Don (1986). Voting for the Australian State Upper Houses, 1890-1984. Canberra: Australian National University. ISBN 0-909779-18-X.
  • Black, David; Bolton, Geoffrey (2001). Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia, Volume Two, 1930-1990 (Revised ed.). Parliament House: Parliament of Western Australia. ISBN 0731697839.
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