1979 Australian Capital Territory general election

1979 Australian Capital Territory
general election

* * *

| <- 1974 | 2 June 1979 | 1982 ->

|
|

Turnout| 90.0% ( 2.0)
|  | First party  | Second party

|
|

|  |
Leader  | Peter Vallee | Jim Leedman
Party  | Labor | Liberal
Leader since  | January 1977  |
Leader's seat  | Fraser | Canberra
Seats won  | 8 | 4
Seat change  |  4 |  3
Percentage  | 37.4% | 18.5%
Swing  |  15.2 |  12.3

* * *

| Third party  | Fourth party

DEM

FAM

Leader  | Gordon Walsh | Bev Cains
Party  | Democrats | Family Team
Leader's seat  | Canberra | Canberra
(won seat)
Last election  | Did not contest | Did not contest
Seats before  | 1  | 0
Seats won  | 2  | 1
Seat change  |  2  |  3
Percentage  | 6.5%  |
Swing  |  6.5  |

The 1979 Australian Capital Territory general election was held on 2 June 1979 to elect all 18 members of the House of Assembly, the main elected representative body of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). This was the first election for the House after it had been renamed from Legislative Assembly.[1]

The election saw a swing of 15% towards the Labor Party, while the conservative Family Team won its first seat. The Australian Democrats also contested for the first time, winning two seats.[2][3]

## Background[edit]

As preparations were still being made for the granting of self-government to the ACT, the House served a largely advisory role, with most powers over the ACT still lying in the hands of the relevant federal minister through the life of the Assembly.[4]

Nine members were elected by single transferable vote proportional representation from each of the ACT's two federal House of Representatives divisions, making 18 in total. Independent members who vacated mid-term were replaced by recounting their original votes to their next preferences to choose a runner-up. Members endorsed by a political party were replaced by a nominee of that party.

## Results[edit]

### Vote totals[edit]

House of Assembly (STV/PR)  Party  | Votes  | %  | Swing  | Seats  | Change

|
|
|
|
|

| Labor |  | 37.4  | +15.2  | 8  |  4
| Liberal |  | 18.5  | –12.3  | 4  |  3
| Democrats |  | 6.5  | +6.5  | 2  |  2
| Family Team |  |  |  | 1  |  1
| Unemployed Workers Union  |  |  |  | 0  |
| Independents |  |  |  | 3  |  1
Formal votes  |  | 90.0  | –2.0  |  |
Informal votes  |  | 10.0  | +7.0  |  |
Total  |  | 100.0  |  |  |
Registered voters / turnout  |  | 90.0  | –2.0  |  |

### Distribution of seats[edit]

| Electorate  | Seats held

|

Canberra |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fraser |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | Labor

|

| Liberal
| Democrats
| Family Team
| Independent

## References[edit]

1. ^ "HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY VOTE 15pc ALP swinh first count". Trove. The Canberra Times.
2. ^ "Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly Elections – Division of Fraser". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Special. No. S113. Australia. 20 June 1979. p. 1 - via National Library of Australia.
3. ^ "Australian Democrats: Our History".
4. ^ "The road to self-government". Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory.

* v
* t
* e

Elections and referendums in the Australian Capital Territory

General elections|

* 1930
* 1931
* 1935
* 1937
* 1939
* 1941
* 1943
* 1945
* 1947
* 1949
* 1951
* 1953
* 1955
* 1957
* 1959
* 1961
* 1964
* 1967
* 1970
* 1974
* 1979
* 1982
* 1989
* 1992
* 1995
* 1998
* 2001
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

Referendums|

* 1978
* 1992
* 1995

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template