AK's Australian Election Series

In the House of Representatives, the 1973 election was very similar to the 1970 election, with no change in the territories or Western Australia, and Labor losing only one seat each in South Australia and Victoria. The now-reunited Communist Party's vote share remained stagnant, which meant it was a drop of over 6%, given the loss of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party. Now down to only one seat in the House of Representatives, the Communists still managed to elect a Senator from New South Wales, narrowly beating the Australia Party candidate. The National Country Party, a result of the Country Party absorbing the DLP, did better in Queensland and Western Australia compared to the old parties' 1970 totals, particularly in the Senate, although made little headway into metropolitan areas in Australia, particularly the old DLP stronghold of Victoria.

In terms of seats, here's a summary of each state's results from the 1973 election in the House of Representatives:
New South Wales (46 seats) – 31 Labor, 7 Liberal, 7 National Country, 1 Communist
Victoria (33 seats) – 16 Labor, 12 Liberal, 5 National Country
Queensland (18 seats) – 10 Labor, 4 Liberal, 4 National Country
South Australia (12 seats) – 7 Labor, 5 Liberal
Western Australia (9 seats) – 6 Labor, 1 Liberal, 2 National Country
Tasmania (4 seats) – 4 Labor
Northern Territory (1 seat) – 1 Labor
Australian Capital Territory (1 seat) – 1 Labor
Total – 77 Labor, 28 Liberal, 17 National Country, 1 Communist

Here's the Senate summary from 1970:
New South Wales: 2 Labor, 1 Liberal, 1 Communist, 1 Australia Party
Victoria: 2 Labor, 2 Liberal, 1 Marxist-Leninist Communist
Queensland: 2 Labor, 2 Liberal, 1 National Country
South Australia: 3 Labor, 2 Liberal
Western Australia: 2 Labor, 2 Liberal, 1 National Country
Tasmania: 2 Labor, 2 Liberal, 1 Democratic Labor
Total: 13 Labor, 11 Liberal, 2 Country, 1 Democratic Labor, 1 Communist, 1 Marxist-Leninist Communist, 1 Australia Party

Here's the Senate summary from 1973:
New South Wales: 2 Labor, 2 Liberal, 1 Communist
Victoria: 2 Labor, 2 Liberal, 1 Australia Party
Queensland: 2 Labor, 1 Liberal, 2 National Country
South Australia: 3 Labor, 2 Liberal
Western Australia: 2 Labor, 1 Liberal, 2 National Country
Tasmania: 3 Labor, 2 Liberal
Total: 14 Labor, 10 Liberal, 4 National Country, 1 Australia Party, 1 Communist

Summary of 1973 election:

House of Representatives
Labor – 76 (-1)
Liberal – 29 (+1)
National Country – 18 (+1)*
Communist – 1 (-1)
* - Change is from 1970 Country figure.

Senate
1970: 13 Labor, 11 Liberal, 3 National Country 2 Communist, 1 Australia Party
1973: 14 Labor, 10 Liberal, 4 National Country, 1 Australia Party, 1 Communist
Total: 27 Labor, 21 Liberal, 7 National Country, 3 Communist, 2 Australia Party

Two-party preferred vote: 55.69-44.31

Having lost its Senate majority, with the Communists and Australia Party jointly holding the balance of power, the Whitlam Government entered its third term by introducing a bill that would give the territories Senate representation, each territory would have two Senators, elected at each House of Representatives election. This easily passed both houses, and was effective for the next election, due in 1976. In the wake of the 1973 election, in which the Liberals were led by moderate John Gorton, a leadership spill occurred, on the back of Gorton's moderate campaign not achieving a lot. The leadership ballot was between Gorton, and fellow Victorian Malcolm Fraser, the latter from the conservative wing of the party. Fraser proved successful in the leadership ballot, and Gorton resigned to the backbench shortly afterwards. Doug Anthony remained leader of the National Country Party.

The Snowy River Scheme, having been under construction for almost a quarter of a century, was finally completed in 1973. While this infrastructural milestone benefited southeastern Australia to a great degree, the Australian economy, which went through significant growth in the 1950s and 1960s, aside from a recession in the early 1960s, was beginning to show signs of slowing down and indeed, regression. Inflation, which had reached around 6.5% at the start of 1972, before dipping to below 5% a year later, was about to skyrocket to 12% by the start of 1974. This was partially caused by the world economy, by the oil crisis that broke out in October of 1973, by the UK's entry in what was then the EEC, and lowered foreign investment in, and economic productivity out of Australia.

In late 1973, around the commencement of the oil crisis, a commission was created to devise the best method for recognising Aboriginal land rights in the Northern Territory. One year later, landmark legislation was introduced into Parliament, allowing a claim of land title, on the criterion that claimants provide enough evidence of traditional association. After passing the House of Representatives easily, the legislation went to the Senate, where although the Communists opposed the bill, on the basis that no-one should own land, the bill passed easily, and became law early in 1975. Along with Labor, the Australia Party, and most Liberal and Country Senators, voted in favour of the bill.

A referendum, proposed in early 1974, would, if validated, enable those in the ACT and NT alike to vote in future referenda. At this point in time, only those in the states could vote in referenda. The votes from the territories would be incorporated into the national total, and only three states would need to vote Yes to have a referendum passed, along with a majority of the national vote. Another two referendum questions, which would ensure Senate elections, both regular half-Senate elections and double dissolutions, were held at the same time as House of Representatives elections, and allow the federal government to give grants to local governments, were also put onto the table.

The referenda have been set for the 9th of March, 1974.

Question A (Altering the Constitution)
“Do you approve of the proposed changes that would allow residents of the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory to vote in referenda, and to change the requirement for passing from four states plus a national majority, to three states plus a national majority?”

Question B (Elections)
“Do you approve of amending electoral law to ensure Senate elections are held in conjunction with House of Representatives elections?”

Question C (Local Government Grants)
“Do you approve of a proposed law that would enable the Commonwealth Government to provide monetary grants to local governments?”

Voting is open for 72 hours as per usual.

Me: YES, NO and NO.

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