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1996 Blaxland by-election

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1996 Blaxland by-election

15 June 1996
  First party Second party Third party
 
Candidate Michael Hatton John Hutchinson Peter John Krumins
Party Labor Reclaim Australia AAFI
Popular vote 37,804 5,771 8,759
Percentage 58.83% 8.98% 13.63%
Swing Increase 0.12 Increase 8.98 Increase 10.88
TPP 69.06% 30.94%
TPP swing Increase 6.08 Increase 30.94

MP before election

Paul Keating
Labor

Elected MP

Michael Hatton
Labor

The 1996 Blaxland by-election was held in the Australian electorate of Blaxland in New South Wales on 15 June 1996. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of the sitting member, the Australian Labor Party's Paul Keating on 23 April 1996. The writ for the by-election was issued on 13 May 1996.

Background

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Blaxland had been held since 1969 by Paul Keating, who had been Treasurer under Bob Hawke from 1983, until he defeated Hawke in a leadership challenge in December 1991, becoming Prime Minister of Australia. Keating went on to defeat John Hewson at the 1993 election, but three years later the ALP was defeated in a landslide victory by a resurgent Coalition led by John Howard at the 1996 election on 2 March. Following the party's election loss, Keating immediately resigned as party leader, and several weeks later, resigned from the Parliament.[1]

Results

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1996 Blaxland by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Michael Hatton 37,804 58.83 +0.12
Against Further Immigration Peter John Krumins 8,759 13.63 +10.88
Reclaim Australia John Hutchinson 5,771 8.98 +8.98
Greens Vicki Kearney 3,148 4.90 +4.90
Call to Australia Melodie Rahme 2,782 4.33 +4.16
Independent Peter Sayegh 2,334 3.63 +2.65
Independent Neil Baird 1,499 2.33 +2.33
Independent Bob Reid 750 1.17 +1.17
  Anti-Super League Adam Spencer 499 0.78 +0.78
Marnie Kennedy 388 0.60 +0.60
Independent Marc Aussie-Stone 298 0.46 +0.11
Natural Law Linda Cogger 224 0.35 +0.10
Total formal votes 64,256 92.66 −0.72
Informal votes 5,092 7.34 +0.72
Turnout 69,348 87.00 −9.06
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Michael Hatton 44,188 69.06 +6.08
Reclaim Australia John Hutchinson 19,800 30.94 +30.94
Labor hold Swing N/A

Aftermath

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The Australian Labor Party retained the seat with an increased majority, with Michael Hatton as their candidate. The Liberal Party of Australia declined to run a candidate, and this saw a rise in the vote for two minor anti-immigration parties: Australians Against Further Immigration and Reclaim Australia: Reduce Immigration, which came second and third in the popular vote. On a two-party preferred basis, RARI gained their best ever result in an election, gaining over 30% of the vote on preferences.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Green, Antony: Seat profile: Blaxland, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 29 December 2007.
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