State elections were held in South Australia on 10 March 1973. All 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Premier of South Australia Don Dunstan won a second term in government, defeating the Liberal and Country League led by Leader of the Opposition Bruce Eastick.
Background Parliamentary elections for both houses of the Parliament of South Australia were held in South Australia in 1973, which saw Don Dunstan and the Australian Labor Party win a second successive term, against the Liberal and Country League (LCL) led by Bruce Eastick.
It was only the second time that a Labor government in South Australia had been re-elected for a second term, the first being the early Thomas Price Labor government. It would be the first five-year-incumbent Labor government however.
Moderate Liberal Movement forces within the LCL broke away to form its own party led by Steele Hall after the election in 1973. The LCL became the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia a year after the election.
The Country Party also won a seat for the first time in Flinders, and finished second after preferences with no Labor candidate in five LCL seats − Rocky River, Mallee, Alexandra, Goyder and Victoria.
A 1973 Semaphore by-election and a 1974 Goyder by-election were triggered. Labor and the Liberal Movement easily retained their respective seats.
The Democratic Labor Party, which won 0.71% of the vote and no seats in 1970, chose not to contest the election.
Key dates Issue of writ: 20 February 1973 Close of nominations: 27 February 1973 Polling day: 10 March 1973 Return of writ: On or before 10 April 1973
Results House of Assembly
Legislative Council
Post-election pendulum
Labor seats (26)Marginal GillesJack SlaterALP5.8%Fairly safe MillicentDes CorcoranALP6.5% ColesLen KingALP9.2% PeakeDon SimmonsALP9.6% NorwoodDon DunstanALP9.6%Safe Henley BeachGlen BroomhillALP10.2% MitchellRon PayneALP11.0% UnleyGil LangleyALP11.6% BrightonHugh HudsonALP12.0% Mount GambierAllan BurdonALP14.0% MawsonDon HopgoodALP14.1% Tea Tree GullyMolly ByrneALP14.1% Ascot ParkGeoff VirgoALP14.7% PlayfordTerry McRaeALP14.8% AdelaideJack WrightALP16.7% ElizabethPeter DuncanALP19.6% FloreyCharles WellsALP20.4%Albert ParkCharles HarrisonALP21.7%PriceJohn RyanALP22.5%PirieDave McKeeALP23.9% v INDWhyallaMax BrownALP24.7%SemaphoreReg HurstALP26.0%Ross SmithJack JenningsALP30.3% v INDStuartGavin KeneallyALP31.2% v INDSpenceErnie CrimesALP31.9% v INDSalisburyReg GrothALP34.0% v IND LCL seats (20)MarginalRocky RiverHoward VenningLCL0.2% v NATHansonHeini BeckerLCL2.4%GlenelgJohn MathwinLCL2.7%MalleeBill NankivellLCL3.2% v NATChaffeyPeter ArnoldLCL3.5%TorrensJohn CoumbeLCL5.2%Fairly safeMurrayIvon WardleLCL7.3%AlexandraTed ChapmanLCL8.2% v NATFisherStan EvansLCL9.4%SafeGoyderDavid BoundyLCL10.3% v NATFromeErnest AllenLCL10.9%LightBruce EastickLCL13.6%GougerKeith RussackLCL13.6%VictoriaAllan RoddaLCL14.1% v NATMitchamRobin MillhouseLCL15.7%BraggDavid TonkinLCL16.4%DavenportDean BrownLCL18.2%KavelRoger GoldsworthyLCL20.0%EyreGraham GunnLCL22.6%HeysenWilliam McAnaneyLCL23.0%Crossbench seats (1)FlindersPeter BlackerCP4.9% v LCL
See also Results of the South Australian state election, 1973 (House of Assembly) Results of the 1973 South Australian state election (Legislative Council) Members of the South Australian House of Assembly, 1973–1975 Members of the South Australian Legislative Council, 1973–1975
References History of South Australian elections 1857–2006, volume 1: House of Assembly, by Dean Jaensch, published by History Trust of SA and State Electoral Office of SA. History of South Australian elections 1857–2006, volume 2: Legislative Council , by Dean Jaensch, published by History Trust of SA and State Electoral Office of SA. Historical lower house results, ABC Historical upper house results, ABC State and federal election results in Australia since 1890, University of WA
Specific