| Election Name: | 1979 Australian Capital Territory general election |
| Country: | Australian Capital Territory |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1974 Australian Capital Territory general election |
| Previous Year: | 1974 |
| Next Election: | 1982 Australian Capital Territory general election |
| Next Year: | 1982 |
| Election Date: | 2 June 1979 |
| Turnout: | 90.0% (2.0) |
| Leader1: | Peter Vallee |
| Leader Since1: | January 1977 |
| Party1: | Australian Labor Party (Australian Capital Territory Branch) |
| Leaders Seat1: | Fraser |
| Percentage1: | 37.4% |
| Swing1: | 15.2 |
| Seats1: | 8 |
| Seat Change1: | 4 |
| Leader2: | Jim Leedman |
| Party2: | Liberal Party of Australia (Australian Capital Territory Division) |
| Leaders Seat2: | Canberra |
| Percentage2: | 18.5% |
| Swing2: | 12.3 |
| Seats2: | 4 |
| Seat Change2: | 3 |
| Leader4: | Gordon Walsh |
| Party4: | Australian Democrats |
| Leaders Seat4: | Canberra |
| Percentage4: | 6.5% |
| Swing4: | 6.5 |
| Last Election4: | Did not contest |
| Seats Before4: | 1 |
| Seats4: | 2 |
| Seat Change4: | 2 |
| Leader5: | Bev Cains |
| Party5: | Family Team |
| Color5: | 7D0F7D |
| Leaders Seat5: | Canberra (won seat) |
| Last Election5: | Did not contest |
| Seats Before5: | 0 |
| Seats5: | 1 |
| Seat Change5: | 3 |
The 1979 Australian Capital Territory general election was held on 2 June 1979 to elect all 18 members of the House of Assembly, the main elected representative body of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). This was the first election for the House after it had been renamed from Legislative Assembly.[1]
The election saw a swing of 15% towards the Labor Party, while the conservative Family Team won its first seat. The Australian Democrats also contested for the first time, winning two seats.[2] [3]
As preparations were still being made for the granting of self-government to the ACT, the House served a largely advisory role, with most powers over the ACT still lying in the hands of the relevant federal minister through the life of the Assembly.[4]
Nine members were elected by single transferable vote proportional representation from each of the ACT's two federal House of Representatives divisions, making 18 in total. Independent members who vacated mid-term were replaced by recounting their original votes to their next preferences to choose a runner-up. Members endorsed by a political party were replaced by a nominee of that party.
| Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labor | 37.4 | +15.2 | 8 | 4 | ||||
| Liberal | 18.5 | –12.3 | 4 | 3 | ||||
| Democrats | 6.5 | +6.5 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Family Team | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Unemployed Workers Union | 0 | |||||||
| Independents | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| Formal votes | 90.0 | –2.0 | ||||||
| Informal votes | 10.0 | +7.0 | ||||||
| Total | 100.0 | |||||||
| Registered voters / turnout | 90.0 | –2.0 | ||||||
| Electorate | Seats held | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | |||||||||
| Fraser | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | |||||||||
| Labor | ||
| width=20 | Liberal | |
| Democrats | ||
| Family Team | ||
| Independent | ||