A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of McPherson on 21 February 1981. This was triggered by the sudden death of Liberal Party MP Eric Robinson. It was held on the same day as by-elections for Boothby and Curtin.
Although National Country Party Senator Glen Sheil resigned from the Senate to contest the by-election, it was won by Liberal candidate Peter White, a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland who had retired in preparation for the by-election.
The 1981 McPherson by-election is among the frequent by-elections triggered by the death of the sitting member and would in fact be the last by-election triggered by the death of a sitting member until the 2000 Isaacs by-election triggered by the suicide of Greg Wilton.
| Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 January 1981 | Eric Robinson died suddenly of acute myocardial infarction in Southport.[1] [2] | |
| 27 January 1981 | The writ for the by-election was issued.[3] | |
| 11 February 1981 | Close of nominations. | |
| 21 February 1981 | Polling day.[4] | |
| 4 March 1981 | The writ was returned and Peter White was sworn in as the member for McPherson.[5] | |
| 27 March 1981 | The original deadline for the writ to be returned. |