| Election Name: | 1971 Kew state by-election |
| Country: | Victoria |
| Type: | Parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1970 Victorian state election |
| Previous Year: | 1970 |
| Next Election: | 1973 Victorian state election |
| Next Year: | 1973 |
| Turnout: | 82.8% 10.2 |
| Seats For Election: | The Electoral district of Kew in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria |
| Candidate1: | Rupert Hamer |
| Party1: | Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division) |
| Percentage1: | 64.8% |
| Swing1: | 23.1 |
| Candidate2: | Rosslyn Ives |
| Party2: | Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch) |
| Percentage2: | 30.5% |
| Swing2: | 4.7 |
| MP | |
| Before Election: | Arthur Rylah |
| Before Party: | Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division) |
| After Election: | Rupert Hamer |
| After Party: | Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division) |
A by-election for the seat of Kew was held on 17 April 1971 following the resignation of then Deputy Premier, Arthur Rylah. The by-election was won by Liberal candidate, Rupert Hamer, he won with a 64.8% primary vote and a swing of 23.1% in his primary vote.
Since it was first created in 1927, the electoral district of Kew has typically been a safe seat for the Liberal Party.
The by-election was called after the sitting member and Deputy Premier at the time, Arthur Rylah, resigned from parliament. Rylah's resignation followed a failed attempt from members of the local East Kew branch to challenge his preselection. A month after Rylah's resignation announcement, he has collapsed at his desk and spent the following four months in hospital.[1]
A total of 3 candidates ran in the by-election.
| Party | Candidate | width=70% | Background | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Rupert Hamer | At the time of running, Hamer was a WWII veteran, a partner in his family's law firm, the Member of the Legislative Council for East Yarra Province, and was also the Minister for Local Government.[2] | |||
| Labor | Rosslyn Ives | ||||
| Independent | L R Hull | ||||