1996 Western Australian state election

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 14 December 1996 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council. The Liberal–National coalition government, led by Premier Richard Court, won a second term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Dr Geoff Gallop since 15 October 1996.

1996 Western Australian state election
14 December 1996 (1996-12-14)
All 57 seats in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
and all 34 seats in the Western Australian Legislative Council
29 Assembly seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Richard Court Geoff Gallop
Party Liberal/National coalition Labor
Leader since 12 May 1992 15 October 1996
Leader's seat Nedlands Victoria Park
Last election 32 seats 24 seats
Seats won 35 seats 19 seats
Seat change 3 5
Popular vote 530,603 431,245
Percentage 55.16% 44.84%
Swing 0.28 0.28
Premier before election

Richard Court
Liberal/National coalition

 Elected Premier

Richard Court
Liberal/National coalition

The election resulted in the Liberals winning an outright majority for the first time in Western Australia's history. Although Court did not need the support of the Nationals, the coalition was retained. Meanwhile, Labor attracted its lowest share of the primary vote since 1901.

Results

Legislative Assembly

Western Australian state election, 14 December 1996[1]
Legislative Assembly
<< 1993–2001 >>

Enrolled voters 1,119,992
Votes cast 1,007,835 Turnout 89.99% –3.51%
Informal votes 44,229 Informal 4.39% +0.26%
Summary of votes by party
Party Primary votes % Swing Seats Change
  Liberal 384,518 39.90% –4.25% 29 + 3
  Labor 345,159 35.82% –1.26% 19 – 5
  National 55,817 5.79% +0.46% 6 ± 0
  Democrats 48,985 5.08% +2.76% 0 ± 0
  Greens 45,550 4.73% +0.42% 0 ± 0
  Marijuana 3,245 0.34% +0.34% 0 ± 0
  Other parties 6,929 0.72% –4.35% 0 ± 0
  Independent[1] 74,179 7.70% +1.21% 3 + 2
Total 963,606     57  
Two-party-preferred
  Liberal/National 530,603 55.16% –0.28%
  Labor 431,245 44.84% +0.28%

Notes:

1 At the 1993 election, Liberal Party member Phillip Pendal won the South Perth seat, whilst Labor Party member Ernie Bridge won Kimberley. Both members resigned from their parties during the term of parliament, and won their seats as independents in 1996.

Legislative Council

Western Australian state election, 14 December 1996
Legislative Council

Enrolled voters 1,119,992
Votes cast 1,009,592 Turnout 90.14% –3.53%
Informal votes 30,430 Informal 3.01% –0.73%
Summary of votes by party
Party Primary votes % Swing Seats Change
  Liberal (metropolitan) 313,953 32.06% –2.59% 7 – 1
  Liberal/National[1] 140,933 14.39% –0.24%    
    Liberal (country) 7 ± 0
    National 3 ± 0
  Labor 323,886 33.08% –3.74% 12 – 2
  Democrats 64,461 6.58% +3.57% 2 + 2
  Greens 54,336 5.55% +0.39% 3 + 2
  Marijuana 24,373 2.49% +2.49% 0 ± 0
  Call to Australia 6,675 0.68% +0.41% 0 ± 0
  Australia First Party 5,856 0.60% +0.60% 0 ± 0
  Natural Law Party 5,514 0.56% +0.56% 0 ± 0
  Racism No! 1,939 0.20% +0.20% 0 ± 0
  Independent 37,236 3.80% –0.38% 0 – 1
Total 979,162     34  

1 In the Agricultural and South West regions, the Liberals and Nationals ran a joint ticket, and in Mining and Pastoral, they ran separately, with the Liberals attracting 18,635 of the 52,240 formal votes and the Nationals 5,087.

Seats changing hands
Seat Pre-1996 Swing Post-1996
Party Member Margin Margin Member Party
Kimberley   Labor Ernie Bridge 15.4 N/A 11.5 Ernie Bridge Independent  
Mitchell   Labor David Smith 0.5 +3.7 3.2 Dan Sullivan Liberal  
Ningaloo   Labor Kevin Leahy 1.2 +1.9 0.7 Rod Sweetman Liberal  
South Perth   Liberal Phillip Pendal 13.2 N/A 14.2 Phillip Pendal Independent  
Southern River   Labor Judyth Watson 2.6 +4.1 1.5 Monica Holmes Liberal  

Post-election pendulum
LIBERAL/NATIONAL SEATS (35)
Marginal
Ballajura Rhonda Parker LIB 0.1%
Ningaloo Rod Sweetman LIB 0.7%
Southern River Monica Holmes LIB 1.5%
Wanneroo Iain MacLean LIB 1.6%
Carine Katie Hodson-Thomas LIB 2.2% v IND
Alfred Cove Doug Shave LIB 2.4% v IND
Mandurah Roger Nicholls LIB 3.0%
Yokine Kim Hames LIB 3.2%
Mitchell Dan Sullivan LIB 3.2%
Innaloo George Strickland LIB 4.0%
Bunbury Ian Osborne LIB 5.3%
Joondalup Chris Baker LIB 5.5%
Fairly safe
Riverton Graham Kierath LIB 6.7%
Geraldton Bob Bloffwitch LIB 7.0%
Roleystone Fred Tubby LIB 7.2%
Vasse Bernie Masters LIB 9.2% v NAT
Collie Hilda Turnbull NAT 9.3%
Swan Hills June van de Klashorst LIB 9.7%
Hillarys Rob Johnson LIB 9.9%
Dawesville Arthur Marshall LIB 9.9%
Safe
Kingsley Cheryl Edwardes LIB 10.2%
Albany Kevin Prince LIB 11.9%
Roe Ross Ainsworth NAT 12.0% v IND
Murray-Wellington John Bradshaw LIB 12.0%
Darling Range John Day LIB 12.9%
Nedlands Richard Court LIB 14.9%
Murdoch Mike Board LIB 15.1%
Avon Max Trenorden NAT 16.8%
Warren-Blackwood Paul Omodei LIB 17.1%
Cottesloe Colin Barnett LIB 19.8%
Greenough Kevin Minson LIB 22.1%
Stirling Monty House NAT 24.1%
Moore Bill McNee LIB 27.9%
Wagin Bob Wiese NAT 28.7%
Merredin Hendy Cowan NAT 31.2%
LABOR SEATS (19)
Marginal
Thornlie Sheila McHale ALP 1.5%
Burrup Fred Riebeling ALP 1.7%
Armadale Alannah MacTiernan ALP 4.0%
Midland Michelle Roberts ALP 4.3%
Kalgoorlie Megan Anwyl ALP 4.4%
Fairly safe
Maylands Judy Edwards ALP 7.1%
Belmont Eric Ripper ALP 7.5%
Rockingham Mark McGowan ALP 7.5%
Victoria Park Geoff Gallop ALP 7.8%
Perth Diana Warnock ALP 7.9%
Willagee Alan Carpenter ALP 8.8%
Nollamara John Kobelke ALP 8.9%
Safe
Cockburn Bill Thomas ALP 10.6%
Eyre Julian Grill ALP 11.0%
Peel Norm Marlborough ALP 11.2% v IND
Fremantle Jim McGinty ALP 11.3%
Bassendean Clive Brown ALP 12.0%
Girrawheen Ted Cunningham ALP 12.6%
Pilbara Larry Graham ALP 15.7%
CROSSBENCH SEATS (3)
Kimberley Ernie Bridge IND 11.5% v LIB
South Perth Phillip Pendal IND 14.2% v LIB
Churchlands Elizabeth Constable IND 33.2% v ALP

See also

References
  1. Antony Green (June 2001). "Western Australian State Election 1996" (PDF). Western Australian Parliamentary Library. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
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