The 1920 Victorian state election was held in the
Australian state
The states and territories are federated administrative divisions in Australia, ruled by regional governments that constitute the second level of governance between the federal government and local governments. States are self-governing ...
of
Victoria on Thursday 21 October 1920 to elect the 65 members of the state's
Legislative Assembly.
[Colin A Hughes, ''A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964'', Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968 ().]
Background
The
Nationalist party had reunited after the
1917 election in which the Nationalist members supporting
John Bowser defeated those supporting the former
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier.
A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
Alexander Peacock over his decision to increase country rail fares, and formed a majority government with 40 members. Bowser resigned as premier in March 1918, having little taste for the office, and was replaced by Peacock supporter
Harry Lawson.
Meanwhile, in rural Victoria, the
Victorian Farmers' Union had been gathering support and was looking to gain more seats from the Nationalists in these regions. This election would be their debut as a major force in Victorian politics where neither the Nationalists and their successors or Labor could form government without their support (or that of their successors, the
Country Party) until
1952
Events January–February
* January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
* February 6
** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes m ...
.
Results
Legislative Assembly
Notes:
*Eleven seats were uncontested at this election, and were retained by the incumbent parties:
**Nationalist (3):
Allandale,
Gippsland West,
Ovens
**Labor (7):
Abbotsford,
Carlton,
Flemington,
Port Fairy,
Richmond,
Warrenheip,
Williamstown
**VFU (1):
Wangaratta
See also
*
Candidates of the 1920 Victorian state election
The 1920 Victorian state election was held on 21 October 1920.
Retiring Members
Nationalist
*Norman Bayles MLA ( Toorak)
*Malcolm McKenzie MLA (Upper Goulburn)
*Agar Wynne MLA ( St Kilda)
Legislative Assembly
Sitting members are shown in bold te ...
*
Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, 1920–1921
*
1919 Victorian Legislative Council election
References
{{Victorian elections
1920 elections in Australia
Elections in Victoria (state)
1920s in Victoria (state)
October 1920 events