1997 Gippsland West state by-election

1997 Gippsland West state by-election
1 February 1997
Electoral district of Gippsland West in the
Victorian Legislative Assembly
Registered31,375
Turnout88.7% ( 6.6)
  First party Second party
 
IND
Candidate Matthew Coleman Susan Davies
Party Liberal Independent
Primary vote 11,214 8,844
Percentage 41.4% 32.6%
Swing 16.4 0.6[a]
TCP 49.7% 50.3%
TCP swing 12.9 12.9[a]
MP before election

Alan Brown
Liberal

Elected MP

Susan Davies
Independent

The 1997 Gippsland West state by-election was held on 1 February 1997 to elect the member for Gippsland West in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, following the resignation of Liberal Party MP Alan Brown.[1][2]

Brown, who served as Liberal leader from 1989 until 1991, resigned on 31 December 1966 after being appointed by the Kennett government as the Agent General for Victoria.[3] At the time, his seat was the second-safest for the Liberals in Victoria.[4]

Susan Davies, who contested Gippsland West for the Labor Party at the 1996 state election, nominated as an independent candidate after Labor chose not to contest.[5] She won the seat after a 12.9% two-candidate-preferred vote swing against the Liberals, helped by the preferences of other independent and minor party voters.[6][7]

The result was a significant defeat for premier Jeff Kennett and his government, and was the first of two by-election losses it experienced in 1997 (the other being Mitcham in December).[8][9] Davies was re-elected at the 1999 state election and subsequently played a decisive role in defeating the Kennett government by supporting a minority Labor government led by Steve Bracks.[10][11]

Candidates

Candidates are listed in the order they appeared on the ballot.[4] This was the first election contested by the Australian Reform Party after its formation in May 1996.[12][13]

Party Candidate Background
  Independent Susan Davies Labor candidate for Gippsland West in 1996[14][15]
  Shooters Neville Sayers Olympian sports shooter[16]
  Independent David Turnbull
  Reform Ray Mathieson Farmer and former policeman[17]
  Independent Mike Lowry Publican and independent candidate for Gippsland West in 1996[18]
  Liberal Matthew Coleman

Results

1997 Gippsland West state by-election[4][19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Matthew Coleman 11,214 41.4 −16.4
Independent Susan Davies 8,844 32.6 −0.6[a]
Reform Ray Mathieson 2,555 9.4 +9.4
Independent Mike Lowry 1,867 6.9 −2.1
Independent David Turnbull 1,361 5.0 +5.0
Shooters Neville Sayers 1,275 4.7 +4.7
Total formal votes 27,116 97.5 −0.8
Informal votes 708 2.5 +0.8
Turnout 27,824 88.7 −6.6
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent Susan Davies 13,606 50.3 +12.9[a]
Liberal Matthew Coleman 13,447 49.7 −12.9
Independent gain from Liberal Swing +12.9

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Compared to results as a Labor Party candidate at the 1996 election.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Victorian Election 1999". Parliament of Australia. 11 April 2000. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  2. ^ Raue, Ben. "Bass – Victoria 2022". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Jeff Kennett Dumped From Liberal Leadership In Victoria". AustralianPolitics.com. 23 May 1989. Archived from the original on 22 June 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d "THE FIFTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT ELECTED". Psephos: Adam Carr's Electoral Archive. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Susan Davies". La Trobe University. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  6. ^ Sibelle, Maurice (12 February 1997). "Kennett loses by-election". Green Left. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  7. ^ Chapman, Simon (1998). "Over Our Dead Bodies: Port Arthur and Australia's fight for gun control" (PDF). Sydney Open Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  8. ^ Costar, Brian; Hayward, David (3 September 2010). "Victoria's unexpected minority". Inside Story. Archived from the original on 8 August 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  9. ^ Colebatch, Tim (21 November 2017). "Earthquake in Northcote. Where next?". Inside Story. Archived from the original on 23 June 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Susan Davies: Statement In Support Of A Minority Labor Government". AustralianPolitics.com. 18 October 1999. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  11. ^ "Victorian State Election 2010: Bass". Crikey. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  12. ^ Fitzpatrick, Aidyn (28 May 1996). "Far right takes aim at gun laws". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  13. ^ Dodd, Andrew (21 July 1996). "Stalking Ted". ABC Listen. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  14. ^ "Davies, Susan Margaret". The Australian Women's Register. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  15. ^ "Davies to contest LaTrobe for ALP". ABC News. 1 August 2003. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  16. ^ "VALE: Neville Sayers". Combined Firearms Council of Victoria. 6 October 2018. Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  17. ^ Boreham, Gareth (31 January 1997). "Grassroots candidate fights for people". go.gale.com. The Age. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  18. ^ Rule, Andrew; Buttler, Mark (11 May 2023). "Deadline: Locals suspect sex worker shot Korumburra Hotel owner Mike Lowry". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  19. ^ "Gippsland West District 1997 By-Election Results". Victorian Electoral Commission. 1 February 1997. Archived from the original on 2 March 2001. Retrieved 2 March 2001.
  20. ^ "Gippsland West District 1997 By-Election Results Two Candidate Preferred Results by Polling Place". Victorian Electoral Commission. 1 February 1997. Archived from the original on 11 March 2001. Retrieved 11 March 2001.
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