New South Wales state election, 1988

New South Wales state election, 1988
New South Wales
19 March 1988 (1988-03-19)
All 109 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
and 15 (of the 45) seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council
55 Assembly seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Nick Greiner Barrie Unsworth
Party Liberal/National coalition Labor
Leader since 15 March 1983 4 July 1986
Leader's seat Ku-ring-gai Rockdale
Last election 37 seats 58 seats
Seats won 59 seats 43 seats
Seat change Increase22 Decrease15
Percentage 56.0% 44.0%
Swing Increase8.4 Decrease8.4

Legislative Assembly after the election
Premier before election

Barrie Unsworth
Labor

 Elected Premier

Nick Greiner
Liberal/National coalition

Elections to the 49th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 19 March 1988. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and a third of the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The Labor government of Premier Barrie Unsworth was defeated by the Liberal-National Coalition, led by Opposition Leader Nick Greiner.

The election took place following a redistribution of seats, which resulted in the Assembly growing from 99 to 109 seats.

Issues

The Australian Labor Party, under Neville Wran and, since 1986, Barrie Unsworth, had been in office for 12 years. A number of corruption scandals had tarnished Labor's image. Among these was the jailing of Labor's Minister for Corrective Services Rex Jackson in 1987 for accepting bribes for the early release of prisoners. Signs that voters had turned against Labor were evident in two by-elections in 1986. When Unsworth, then a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, ran for the previously safe Labor Assembly seat of Rockdale in 1986, he only won it by 54 votes after losing more than 17 percent of Labor's primary vote from 1981. Additionally, Labor suffered a 22-percent primary vote swing in Wran's old seat of Bass Hill, allowing the Liberals to take it on a 103-vote margin.[1] However, by-elections in Heathcote and Bankstown in 1987 saw only small swings against the government.

The Liberals' campaign slogan was "A change for the better". Greiner campaigned on a promise to clean up state government, foreshadowing the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, as well as promising to freeze government expenditure, create 16,000 new employment and training positions, and pay more attention to law enforcement.

In rural electorates, Labor's positions on gun laws and conservation alienated many voters. Health care was also a campaign issue.

Key dates

Date Event
22 February 1988 The Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election.[2]
26 February 1988 Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon.
19 March 1988 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm.
25 March 1988 The Unsworth Ministry resigned and the Greiner-Murray Ministry was sworn in.
22 April 1988 The writ was returned and the results formally declared.
27 April 1988 Parliament resumed for business.

Results

Legislative Assembly

The result was a landslide for the Coalition parties. Election analyst Antony Green later noted that "the 1988 result was startling, the worst Labor performance, and best Coalition result, since the Lang era of the 1930s." Labor lost heartland seats including Balmain, Newcastle and Swansea for the first time since the turn of the century.

Seven non-aligned Independents were elected to the Legislative Assembly.

New South Wales state election, 19 March 1988[3]
Legislative Assembly
<< 1984 — 1991 >>

Enrolled voters 3,541,447
Votes cast 3,314,229 Turnout 93.58% +1.07%
Informal votes 63,870 Informal 3.07% +0.84%
Summary of votes by party
Party Primary votes % Swing Seats Change
  Liberal 1,447,613 35.80 +3.62 39 +17
  Labor 1,233,612 38.48 –10.27 43 –15
  National 440,482 13.74 +2.90 20 + 5
  Democrats 58,163 1.81 –1.03 0 ± 0
  Independent EFF 39,194 1.22 +1.22 0 ± 0
  Call to Australia 14,205 0.44 +0.37 0 ± 0
  Illawarra Workers Party 6,755 0.21 +0.21 0 ± 0
  Socialist 2,717 0.08 –0.05 0 ± 0
  Nuclear Disarmament 1,064 0.03 +0.03 0 ± 0
  Independent 261,719 8.16 +3.08 7 + 3
Total 3,205,524     109  
Two-party-preferred
  Liberal/National 1,725,936 55.96 +8.4
  Labor 1,358,049 44.04 –8.4

Legislative Council

New South Wales state election, 19 March 1988
Legislative Council
<< 1984 — 1991 >>

Enrolled voters 3,541,447
Votes cast 3,307,855 Turnout 91.92 –0.60
Informal votes 267,113 Informal 8.01 +1.42
Summary of votes by party
Party Primary votes % Swing Seats
won		 Seats
held
  Liberal/National Coalition 1,403,300 46.15 +3.54 7 19
  Labor 1,140,634 37.51 –9.37 6 21
  Call to Australia 174,553 5.74 –0.35 1 3
  Democrats 90,634 2.73 –0.42 1 2
  Independent EFF 72,965 2.40 +2.40 0 0
  Community Independents 52,992 1.74 +1.74 0 0
  Environment Group 48,536 1.60 +1.60 0 0
  Nuclear Disarmament 28,161 0.93 +0.93 0 0
  Aboriginal Team 13,363 0.44 +0.44 0 0
  Humanist Party 11.895 0.39 +0.39 0 0
  Defence Ex-Service Team 6,970 0.23 +0.23 0 0
  Marijuana 2,713 0.09 +0.09 0 0
  Independent 3,396 0.11 –0.31 0 0
Total 3,040,742     15  

Post-election pendulum

LIBERAL/NATIONAL SEATS (59)
Marginal
Ryde Michael Photios LIB 0.2%
Blue Mountains Barry Morris LIB 0.3%
Parramatta John Books LIB 0.5%
Cessnock Bob Roberts LIB 0.5%
Earlwood Phil White LIB 1.3%
Heathcote Allan Andrews LIB 1.8%
The Entrance Bob Graham LIB 2.0%
Georges River Terry Griffiths LIB 2.1%
Penrith Guy Matheson LIB 2.2%
Bathurst David Berry LIB 2.2%
Sutherland Chris Downy LIB 2.5%
Minchinbury Anne Cohen LIB 2.5%
Gladesville Ivan Petch LIB 3.0%
Burrinjuck Alby Schultz LIB 3.7%
Monaro Peter Cochran NAT 3.9%
Fairly safe
Hurstville Guy Yeomans LIB 6.4%
Wakehurst John Booth LIB 7.5%
Gosford Chris Hartcher LIB 7.8%
Safe
Murwillumbah Don Beck NAT 10.1%
Pittwater Jim Longley LIB 10.1% v IND
Miranda Ron Phillips LIB 11.5%
Cronulla Malcolm Kerr LIB 11.6%
Albury Ian Glachan LIB 11.7%
Manly David Hay LIB 12.2%
Strathfield Paul Zammit LIB 12.8%
Davidson Terry Metherell LIB 14.0% v IND
Hornsby Neil Pickard LIB 14.7%
Clarence Ian Causley NAT 15.0%
Southern Highlands John Fahey LIB 16.8%
Eastwood Andrew Tink LIB 17.6%
Upper Hunter George Souris NAT 17.8%
Ballina Don Page NAT 18.0%
Carlingford Wayne Merton LIB 18.2%
Murrumbidgee Adrian Cruickshank NAT 18.4%
Bega Russell Smith LIB 18.7%
Northern Tablelands Ray Chappell NAT 19.0%
Goulburn Robert Webster NAT 19.3%
Port Macquarie Bruce Jeffery NAT 19.4%
Myall Lakes John Turner NAT 19.9%
Lismore Bill Rixon NAT 19.9%
Middle Harbour Peter Collins LIB 21.2%
Dubbo Gerry Peacocke NAT 21.3%
Coffs Harbour Matt Singleton NAT 21.4%
Castlereagh Roger Wotton NAT 21.9%
Hawkesbury Kevin Rozzoli LIB 22.1%
Orange Garry West NAT 22.5%
Wagga Wagga Joe Schipp LIB 22.6%
Lane Cove John Dowd LIB 22.6%
Lachlan Ian Armstrong NAT 23.6%
Mosman Phillip Smiles LIB 23.9%
Manning Wendy Machin NAT 23.9%
Barwon Wal Murray NAT 24.3%
Tamworth Noel Park NAT 25.4%
The Hills Fred Caterson LIB 25.9%
Northcott Bruce Baird LIB 26.0%
Murray Jim Small NAT 27.0%
Vaucluse Ray Aston LIB 27.2%
Ku-ring-gai Nick Greiner LIB 29.7%
Gordon Tim Moore LIB 32.9%
LABOR SEATS (43)
Marginal
Camden Peter Primrose ALP 0.1%
Charlestown Richard Face ALP 0.1%
Port Stephens Bob Martin ALP 0.2%
Waverley Ernie Page ALP 0.5%
Keira Col Markham ALP 0.8%
Maitland Allan Walsh ALP 0.8%
Ashfield Paul Whelan ALP 1.2%
Coogee Michael Cleary ALP 1.2%
Broken Hill Bill Beckroge ALP 2.0%
Drummoyne John Murray ALP 2.1%
Kogarah Brian Langton ALP 2.2%
Lakemba Wes Davoren ALP 2.6%
Londonderry Paul Gibson ALP 3.0%
Canterbury Kevin Moss ALP 3.4% v EFF
Fairfield Geoff Irwin ALP 3.9%
Wentworthville Pam Allan ALP 3.9%
Bass Hill Bill Lovelee ALP 4.3%
Illawarra Terry Rumble ALP 4.4%
Wyong Harry Moore ALP 4.5%
Macquarie Fields Stan Knowles ALP 4.9%
Seven Hills Bob Christie ALP 5.0%
Mulgoa Tony Aquilina ALP 5.5%
Campbelltown Michael Knight ALP 5.7%
Fairly safe
Lake Macquarie Merv Hunter ALP 6.4%
Burragorang Ian McManus ALP 6.6%
Cabramatta John Newman ALP 6.6%
McKell Sandra Nori ALP 6.6% v IND
Rockdale Barrie Unsworth ALP 7.0
Riverstone Richard Amery ALP 7.2
East Hills Pat Rogan ALP 7.4
Peats Tony Doyle ALP 7.5
Bankstown Doug Shedden ALP 9.2
Blacktown John Aquilina ALP 9.2
Heffron Laurie Brereton ALP 9.2
Wallsend Ken Booth ALP 9.4
Safe
Maroubra Bob Carr ALP 10.4%
Auburn Peter Nagle ALP 10.7%
Smithfield Janice Crosio ALP 10.8%
Granville Laurie Ferguson ALP 10.9%
Kiama Bob Harrison ALP 11.4%
Waratah John Price ALP 11.4%
Liverpool George Paciullo ALP 14.1%
Marrickville Andrew Refshauge ALP 15.5%
CROSSBENCH SEATS (7)
Bligh Clover Moore IND 0.6% v LIB
Balmain Dawn Fraser IND 1.7% v ALP
Newcastle George Keegan IND 5.3% v ALP
Wollongong Frank Arkell IND 5.5% v ALP
Swansea Ivan Welsh IND 8.4% v ALP
North Shore Ted Mack IND 9.9% v LIB
South Coast John Hatton IND 14.7% v LIB

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "By-election bloodbaths". Crikey. 27 November 2005. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  2. ↑ Parliament of New South Wales. "1988 Election". Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  3. ↑ Antony Green (October 1998). "Changing Boundaries, Changing Fortunes: an analysis of the NSW Elections of 1988 and 1991" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/3/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.