South Australian state election, 1970
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| State election major party leaders | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| < 1968 1970 1973 > | |||||
 Liberal and Country League |
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 Australian Labor Party |
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State elections were held in Australia on May 30, 1970. All 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly were up for election. The incumbent Liberal and Country League led by Premier of South Australia Steele Hall was defeated by the Australian Labor Party led by Don Dunstan.
| Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | |
| Australian Labor Party | 305,478 | 51.64 | -0.33 | 27 | +8 | |
| Liberal and Country League | 258,856 | 43.76 | -0.06 | 20 | +1 | |
| Nationals SA | 11,227 | 1.90 | * | 0 | 0 | |
| Independent | 8,615 | 1.46 | +0.43 | 0 | -1 | |
| Other | 7,355 | 1.24 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 591,531 | 47 | +8 | |||
| Australian Labor Party | WIN | 53.30 | +0.10 | 27 | +8 | |
| Liberal and Country League | 46.70 | -0.10 | 20 | +0 |
Contents |
Parliamentary elections for both houses of the Parliament of South Australia were held in South Australia in 1970, which saw Don Dunstan and the Australian Labor Party opposition defeat the incumbent Liberal and Country League led by Steele Hall, in part due to electoral reforms that were implemented after the end of the electoral malapportionment of the Playmander which had caused a Liberal Party win on 46.8% of the two party preferred vote in the 1968 election, as well as Thomas Playford IV several times during his 26 years as Premier.
Deliberately inequitable electoral boundaries had advantaged the LCL over the past forty years and embarrassed by the LCL win in the election after receiving 43.8% of the first preference vote compared to the ALP's 52%, and concerned by the level of publicity and public protest about the issue, Hall was committed to the principle of a fairer electoral system.
Whatever the public outcry over the electoral inequalities, Hall's political bravery in introducing legislation to reform the House of Assembly to a more equitable system of representation and therefore virtually guaranteeing the LCL's defeat at the next election, should not be underestimated and ranks as one of the few instances in Australian political history when a politician initiated a reform knowing that it would expressly disadvantage him or her. In addition to electoral reform, Hall expressed his progressive credentials by introducing improvements in social welfare, Aboriginal affairs and abortion reform.
The LCL had gained office in 1968 only with the support of the long serving independent Tom Stott. Stott, a good friend of former Premier Playford and no friend of the ALP, could be relied upon to cast his vote in favour of the LCL. However, Hall and Stott fell out over the location of a dam. Stott wanted the dam built in his electorate while Hall thought it more use to locate it elsewhere. Constituent anger forced Stott to vote against the Hall government, leading to an early election.
Following the expected loss to the Dunstan led ALP in the 2 June 1970 election, Hall remained Leader of the Opposition for two years before resigning from the LCL, claiming that the Party had 'lost its idealism [and] forgotten...its purpose for existence'. He founded the Liberal Movement, a progressive Liberal party that included about 200 former LCL members. Hall won a Federal Senate seat for the Liberal Movement in 1974 (and was re-elected in 1975), serving in the Senate for three years before resigning his position. His replacement as the Liberal Movement Senator for South Australia was Janine Haines, who would subsequently become the initial Australian Democrats Senator.
A reformist, Dunstan brought profound change to South Australian society: his progressive reign saw Aboriginal land rights recognised, homosexuality decriminalised, the first female judge appointed and anti-discrimination legislation introduced. He is recognised for his role in reinvigorating the social, artistic and cultural life of South Australia during his nine years in office, remembered as the Dunstan Decade.
[edit] Legislative Council Results
No upper house vote took place at this election.
| 1968-1973 Legislative Council | ||
| Party | Seats | |
| Liberal and Country League | 16 | |
| Australian Labor Party | 4 | |
[edit] See also
- South Australian legislative elections
- South Australian Legislative Council
- South Australian House of Assembly
[edit] References
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