1971 Kew state by-election

A by-election for the seat of Kew was held on 17 April 1971 following the resignation of then Deputy Premier, Arthur Rylah. The by-election was won by Liberal candidate, Rupert Hamer, he won with a 64.8% primary vote and a swing of 23.1% in his primary vote.

1971 Kew state by-election
April 17, 1971 (1971-04-17)
The Electoral district of Kew in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
Turnout82.8% Decrease 10.2
  First party Second party
 
Dick Hamer.jpg
Candidate Rupert Hamer Rosslyn Ives
Party Liberal Labor
Percentage 64.8% 30.5%
Swing Increase 23.1 Increase 4.7
Location of the electoral district of Kew, in Melbourne's inner eastern suburbs
MP before election

Arthur Rylah
Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)

 Elected MP

Rupert Hamer
Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)

This article is part of
a series about
Rupert Hamer

Member of the Legislative Assembly for Kew (1971-1981)

Premier of Victoria

Elections

Related

Rupert Hamer's signature

Victoria State Government

Background

Since it was first created in 1927, the electoral district of Kew has typically been a safe seat for the Liberal Party.

The by-election was called after the sitting member and Deputy Premier at the time, Arthur Rylah, resigned from parliament. Rylah's resignation followed a failed attempt from members of the local East Kew branch to challenge his preselection. A month after Rylah's resignation announcement, he has collapsed at his desk and spent the following four months in hospital.[1]

Candidates

A total of 3 candidates ran in the by-election.

Party Candidate Background
  Liberal Rupert Hamer At the time of running, Hamer was a WWII veteran, a partner in his family's law firm, the Member of the Legislative Council for East Yarra Province, and was also the Minister for Local Government.[2]
  Labor Rosslyn Ives
  Independent L R Hull

Results
1971 Kew state by-election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rupert Hamer 13,422 64.8 +23.1
Labor Rosslyn Ives 6,325 30.5 +4.7
Independent L R Hull 968 4.7 +4.7
Total formal votes 20,715 97.7 +0.5
Informal votes 497 2.3 -0.5
Turnout 21,212 82.8 -10.2
Liberal hold SwingN/A
  • Preferences were not distributed as Hamer won with an absolute majority of votes (50% of votes).

See also

Further reading
  • Hughes, Colin A. (1987). Voting for the Australian state lower houses, 1975–1984. Canberra: Dept. of Political Science, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University. ISBN 0-909779-24-4.

References
  1. Costar, B. J. (2002). "Rylah, Sir Arthur Gordon (1909–1974)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  2. "Meet Our Alumni – The Hon Sir Rupert James Hamer AC, KCMG, ED". Melbourne Grammar School. 2018. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  3. Carr, Adam. "The Forty-ffifth Parliament Elected 30 May 1970". Adam Carr's Election Archive. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
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