1946 Australian federal election

Australian federal election, 1946

28 September 1946
All 76 seats of the Australian House of Representatives 39 seats were needed for a majority in the House 19 (of the 36) seats of the Australian Senate
First party Second party   Leader Ben Chifley Robert Menzies Party Labor Liberal/Country coalition Leader since 13 July 1945 23 September 1943 Leader's seat Macquarie Kooyong Last election 49 seats 19 seats Seats won 43 seats 26 seats Seat change 6 7 Percentage 54.10% 45.90% Swing 4.10 4.10   Third party Fourth party   Leader Thomas Playford IV Jack Lang Party Liberal and Country League Lang Labor Leader since 5 November 1938 Leader's seat state politician won Reid Last election did not contest 0 seats Seats won 2 seats 1 seat Seat change 2 1   Fifth party   Party Liberal Country Party Last election 1 seats Seats won 1 seat Seat change
Prime Minister before election Ben Chifley Labor Subsequent Prime Minister Ben Chifley Labor

Federal elections were held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Ben Chifley defeated the newly formed opposition Liberal Party of Australia (descended from the United Australia Party) led by its founder Robert Menzies with coalition partner the Country Party led by Arthur Fadden, with Labor also retaining control of the Senate.

The election was held in conjunction with three referendum questions, one of which was carried.

The radical reforming nature of Chifley's government was such that between 1946 and 1949, the Australian Parliament passed 299 Acts, a record until then, well beyond Labor's Andrew Fisher's 113 Acts from 1910 to 1913.

Results

House of Reps (IRV) — 1946–49—Turnout 93.97% (CV) — Informal 2.45%

Party		Votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Australian Labor Party	2,159,953	49.71	−0.22	43	−6
	Liberal Party of Australia	1,241,650	28.58	+12.53	15	+3
	Country Party	464,737	10.70	+3.73	11	+4
	Liberal & Country League (SA)	161,170	3.71	*	2	+2
	Lang Labor	69,138	1.59	+0.87	1	+1
	Liberal Country Party (VIC)	28,999	0.67	−2.87	1	0
	Independents	79,452	1.83	−10.33	1	0
	Other	139,645	3.21		0	−4
	Total				74
	Australian Labor Party	WIN	54.10	−4.10	43	−6
	Liberal/Country coalition		45.90	+4.10	26	+7

Independent: Doris Blackburn

Popular Vote Labor   49.71% Liberal   28.58% Country   10.70% LCL   3.71% Lang Labor   1.59% LCP   0.67% Independent   1.83% Other   3.21%

Two Party Preferred Vote Labor   54.10% Coalition   45.90%

Parliament Seats Labor   58.11% Coalition   35.14%

Senate (P BV) — 1946–49—Turnout 93.97% (CV) — Informal 8.01%

Party		Votes	%	Swing	Seats Won	Seats Held	Change
	Australian Labor Party	2,133,272	52.06	−3.02	16	33	+11
	Liberal/Country (Joint Ticket)	1,561,718	38.12	+12.47	3
	Liberal Party of Australia	213,304	5.21	*	0	2	−10
	Country Party	*	*	−0.96	0	1	−1
	Other	189,032	4.61		0	0	0
	Total	4,097,326			19	36

Seats changing hands

Seat	Pre-1946				Swing	Post-1946
	Party		Member	Margin		Margin	Member	Party
Bourke, Vic		Labor	Bill Bryson	3.6	4.7	1.1	Doris Blackburn	Independent
Calare, NSW		Labor	John Breen	9.9	11.7	1.8	John Howse	Liberal
Capricornia, Qld		Labor	Frank Forde	5.9	8.8	2.9	Charles Davidson	Liberal
Franklin, Tas		Labor	Charles Frost	9.9	10.0	0.1	Bill Falkinder	Liberal
Henty, Vic		Independent	Arthur Coles	5.5	9.8	4.3	Jo Gullett	Liberal
Reid, NSW		Labor	Charles Morgan	N/A	7.4	4.2	Jack Lang	Lang Labor
Swan, WA		Labor	Don Mountjoy	3.0	3.2	0.2	Len Hamilton	Country
Wakefield, SA		Labor	Albert Smith	1.2	3.9	2.7	Philip McBride	Liberal
Wilmot, Tas		Liberal	Allan Guy	1.7	3.4	1.7	Gil Duthie	Labor

• Members in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

See also

• Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1946
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1946–1949
• Members of the Australian Senate, 1947–1950

References

• University of WA election results in Australia since 1890
• Two-party-preferred vote since 1937