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The 1955 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 10 December 1955. All 122 seats in the
* Ten members were elected unopposed – five Liberal and five Country. This would be the last federal election where any seat attracted only one candidate.
University of WA
election results in Australia since 1890
*Prior to 1984 the AEC did not undertake a full distribution of preferences for statistical purposes. The stored ballot papers for the 1983 election were put through this process prior to their destruction. Therefore, the figures from 1983 onwards show the actual result based on full distribution of preferences. {{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Federal Election, 1955 Federal elections in Australia 1955 elections in Australia December 1955 events in Australia
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
and 30 of the 60 seats in the Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
were up for election. An early election was called to bring the House and Senate elections back in line; the previous election in 1954 had been House-only. The incumbent Liberal–Country coalition led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
increased its majority over the opposition Labor Party, led by H. V. Evatt.
Future Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser (; 21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, holding office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.
Fraser was raised on hi ...
and future opposition leader Billy Snedden
Sir Billy Mackie Snedden, (31 December 1926 – 27 June 1987) was an Australian politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party from 1972 to 1975. He was also a cabinet minister from 1964 to 1972, and Speaker of the House of Repres ...
both entered parliament at this election.
Results
House of Representatives
* Ten members were elected unopposed – five Liberal and five Country. This would be the last federal election where any seat attracted only one candidate.
Senate
Seats changing hands
*Bob Joshua
Robert Joshua, MC (6 June 1906 – 2 June 1970) was an Australian politician, and a key figure in the 1955 split in the Australian Labor Party which led to the formation of the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist) and, subsequently, the D ...
contested his seat as a candidate for the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
The Democratic Labour Party (DLP), formerly the Democratic Labor Party, is an Australian political party. It broke off from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) as a result of the 1955 ALP split, originally under the name Australian Labor Party ...
.
See also
*Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1955
This article provides information on candidates who stood for the 1955 Australian federal election. The election was held on 10 December 1955.
By-elections, appointments and defections
By-elections and appointments
*On 21 May 1955, Jim Cope (Aust ...
* Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1955–1958
This is a list of the members of the Australian House of Representatives in the 22nd Australian Parliament, which was elected at the 1955 election on 10 December 1955. Three new seats were created ( Bonython, Bruce and Stirling) and two were ...
* Members of the Australian Senate, 1956–1959
Notes
References
University of WA
election results in Australia since 1890
*Prior to 1984 the AEC did not undertake a full distribution of preferences for statistical purposes. The stored ballot papers for the 1983 election were put through this process prior to their destruction. Therefore, the figures from 1983 onwards show the actual result based on full distribution of preferences. {{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Federal Election, 1955 Federal elections in Australia 1955 elections in Australia December 1955 events in Australia