leadership spill In Australian politics, a leadership spill (or simply spill) is a colloquialism referring to a declaration that the leadership of a parliamentary party is vacant and open for contest. A spill may involve all or some of the leadership positions (le ...

of the Western Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party occurred on 18 September 1981. A motion that all caucus positions be declared vacant was carried 18 votes to 13. Brian Burke defeated party leader Ron Davies 20 votes to 11, making Burke the leader of the party and the

leader of the opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

in Western Australia.

Mal Bryce Malcolm John Bryce (10 April 19433 March 2018) was an Australian politician, who served as a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1971 to 1988, representing the seat of Ascot. He was deputy leader of the L ...

defeated deputy party leader David Evans 19 votes to 12, making Bryce the deputy leader of the party and the deputy leader of the opposition in Western Australia. The Labor Party went on to win the 1983 state election, and Burke and Bryce continued in their positions for five years after the election before resigning.

Background

Over the 1970s, the Labor Party failed to come close to defeating the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

/ National Country

Coalition A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...

lead by

Charles Court Sir Charles Walter Michael Court, (29 September 1911 – 22 December 2007) was a Western Australian politician, and the 21st Premier of Western Australia from 1974 to 1982. He was a member of the Liberal Party. Early life Court's family e ...

. Following the 1980 state election, Labor MPs Brian Burke, Arthur Tonkin,

, Jeff Carr and

Bob Pearce Robert John Pearce (born 24 February 1946) is a former Australian politician, who was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1977 until 1993 representing the seats of Gosnells and Armadale. Biography Pearce was born i ...

formed a group to plan for the removal of Ron Davies as party leader and David Evans as deputy party leader. They had to decide between themselves who was going to nominate as leader. Bryce eventually gave way for Burke to nominate instead of himself, reasoning that Burke had better media and fundraising skills, necessary as the party was short on funds. Bryce told his followers to support Burke, who mostly went through with that. There was some trepidation however, with a few people seeing him as a risk. With both of them being supported by one third of Labor MPs each, the combined number was enough to win the leadership.

Leadership election

On 18 September 1981, at a party room meeting, a motion that all caucus positions be declared vacant was carried 18 votes to 13. Burke defeated Davies for the leadership election 20 votes to 11, and so he became the

. Bryce was elected deputy leader of the Labor Party 19 votes to 12, so became the deputy leader of the opposition. At 34 years old, Burke was the fourth youngest ever opposition leader of Western Australia.

Aftermath

The Labor Party went on to win the 1983 state election, and Burke served for five years as

Premier of Western Australia The premier of Western Australia is the head of government of the state of Western Australia. The role of premier at a state level is similar to the role of the prime minister of Australia at a federal level. The premier leads the executive bra ...

before resigning.

References

{{Labor Party (WA) 1981 elections in Australia Australian Labor Party leadership spills Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch) leadership election 1980s in Western Australia

Background

Leadership election

Aftermath

See also

References