1918 Queensland state election explained

Election Name:1918 Queensland state election
Country:Queensland
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1915 Queensland state election
Previous Year:1915
Next Election:1920 Queensland state election
Next Year:1920
Seats For Election:All 72 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
37 Assembly seats were needed for a majority
Turnout:80.27 (7.87 pp)
Leader1:T. J. Ryan
Party1:Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)
Leaders Seat1:Barcoo
Popular Vote1:180,709
Percentage1:53.68%
Swing1: 1.62
Last Election1:45 seats, 52.06%
Seats1:48
Seat Change1: 3
Leader2:Edward Macartney
Party2:National Party (Queensland, 1917)
Leaders Seat2:Toowong
Popular Vote2:150,225
Percentage2:44.62%
Swing2: 2.65
Last Election2:New party
Seats2:22
Seat Change2: 22
Premier
Before Election:T. J. Ryan
Before Party:Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)
After Election:T. J. Ryan
After Party:Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 16 March 1918 to elect the 72 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.

Background

The election was the second for the Labor government of T. J. Ryan, who had been premier since 1 June 1915. The National opposition (previously known as the Ministerialists) were led by Edward Macartney who replaced Digby Denham after the 1915 election when they were reduced to 21 seats. In turn, he was replaced by James Tolmie within three months but returned to the post shortly before the election when the latter fell ill.[1]

Results

See also: Results of the Queensland state election, 1918.

The election saw the Labor government returned to office with an increased vote and seat count for both Labor and the National Party from the 1915 election.

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Seats changing party representation

This table lists changes in party representation at the 1918 election.

Party changes before election

The following seats changed party representation before the election due to the merger of Farmers Union and Liberal Party members.

Seat Incumbent member Former party New party
AlbertJohn Appel Farmers' Union National Party
AubignyArthur Moore Farmers' Union National Party
CunninghamFrancis Grayson Liberal Party Independent National
DraytonWilliam Bebbington Farmers' Union National Party
MurillaGodfrey Morgan Farmers' Union National Party
NanangoRobert Hodge Farmers' Union National Party
PittsworthPercy Bayley Farmers' Union Independent National

Seats changing hands at election

Seat Incumbent member Party New member Party
BulimbaHugh McMinn LaborWalter Barnes National
BurkeWilliam Murphy IndependentDarby Riordan Labor
BurrumColin Rankin NationalAlbert Whitford Labor
KurilpaWilliam Hartley LaborJames Fry National
LockyerWilliam Armstrong NationalCuthbert Butler Labor
LoganJames Stodart NationalAlfred James Labor
OxleyThomas Jones LaborCecil Elphinstone National
RosewoodHenry Stevens NationalWilliam Cooper Labor
ToowoombaJames Tolmie NationalFrank Brennan Labor
Wide BayCharles Booker NationalAndrew Thompson Labor
WindsorHerbert McPhail LaborCharles Taylor National

Aftermath

T.J. Ryan resigned as premier a year after the state election to run successfully for the federal seat of West Sydney in 1919. Ryan was replaced as premier by Ted Theodore. Theodore called the 1920 election one year into his premiership and two years after the 1918 election. Macartney was later replaced for a second time, this time by William Vowles. Within a few months though, Vowles created the Queensland Country Party. However, because Vowles had created the Country Party using most of the rural-based National MLAs, Vowles was able to remain as Opposition Leader.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: French, M.. Australian Dictionary of Biography. Tolmie, James (1862–1939) . National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 28 June 2018. Australian Dictionary of Biography.