1977 Western Australian state election

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 19 February 1977 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly and 17 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council. The Liberal-National Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir Charles Court, won a second term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Colin Jamieson.

The election produced a decisive victory for the Coalition, attributed by some observers to its strong and organised campaign, the Premier's ability in dealing with the media and good economic times built on resource exports, as contrasted against the Labor Opposition's often unfocussed campaign dwelling on the government's perceived autocratic methods and those sections of the general population which were not benefitting from the good times.

Results

Legislative Assembly

Notes: The National Country Party contested seven seats in the election. The previous high vote stemmed from its attempted merger with the Democratic Labor Party prior to the 1974 election, known as the "National Alliance", which contested 44 seats including many in the metropolitan area. The Alliance ceased to exist shortly after the 1974 election, and adopted a more traditional strategy in 1977.

Legislative Council

Seats changing hands Seat Pre-1977 Swing Post-1977 Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Clontarf  Labor Don May 2.2 -9.8 7.6 Tony Williams Liberal  Mundaring  Labor James Moiler 1.6 -3.8 2.2 Tom Herzfeld Liberal  Murdoch  Labor Notional - new seat 8.6 -11.0 2.4 Barry MacKinnon Liberal 

Members listed in italics did not recontest their seats.

Redistribution affected seats

Seat 1974 election 1976 redistribution Swing 1977 election Party Member Margin Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Murray  Liberal Richard Shalders 1.8  Labor Notional 1.0 +11.3 10.3 Richard Shalders Liberal  Scarborough  Liberal Ray Young 0.5  Labor Notional 0.8 +7.4 6.6 Ray Young Liberal 

Post-election pendulum

Liberal/NCP seats (33)MarginalKimberleyAlan RidgeLIB1.3%MundaringTom HerzfeldLIB2.2%MurdochBarry MacKinnonLIB2.4%PilbaraBrian SodemanLIB2.8%BunburyJohn SibsonLIB4.5%Fairly safeScarboroughRay YoungLIB6.6%DaleCyril RushtonLIB7.2%ClontarfTony WilliamsLIB7.6%Mount LawleyRay O'ConnorLIB9.5%CottesloeBill HassellLIB9.7%SafeMurrayRichard ShaldersLIB10.3%KarrinyupJim ClarkoLIB11.0%WellingtonJune CraigLIB11.3%WhitfordMick NanovichLIB12.4%South PerthBill GraydenLIB12.8%AlbanyLeon WattLIB12.9%MooreBert CraneNCP13.3% v LIBMurchison-EyrePeter CoyneLIB13.8%Darling RangeGeorge SpriggsLIB14.0%SubiacoTom DadourLIB14.1%East MelvilleDes O'NeilLIB15.5%KalamundaIan ThompsonLIB18.6%Mount MarshallRay McPharlinNCP19.8% v LIBStirlingMatt StephensNCP21.3% v LIBGascoyneIan LauranceLIB21.6%VasseBarry BlaikieLIB21.6%FloreatAndrew MensarosLIB23.6%NedlandsCharles CourtLIB24.0%StirlingHendy CowanNCP24.5%GreenoughReg TubbyLIB27.2%NarroginPeter JonesNCP28.8% v LIBRoeGeoff GrewarLIB30.8%KatanningDick OldNCP34.8% Labor seats (22)Marginal GosnellsBob PearceALP0.9% CanningTom BatemanALP3.1% AvonKen McIverALP3.8% RockinghamMike BarnettALP4.0% DianellaKeith WilsonALP4.3% MaylandsJohn HarmanALP4.6% GeraldtonJeff CarrALP5.6% WarrenHywel EvansALP5.8% SwanJack SkidmoreALP6.0%Fairly safe WelshpoolColin JamiesonALP6.2% Mount HawthornRonald BertramALP7.5% MorleyArthur TonkinALP8.3% AscotMal BryceALP9.0% Victoria ParkRon DaviesALP9.6% PerthTerry BurkeALP9.7% MelvilleBarry HodgeALP9.8%Safe CollieTom JonesALP11.1% BalcattaBrian BurkeALP11.3% Yilgarn-DundasJulian GrillALP12.7% KalgoorlieTom EvansALP13.6% FremantleJohn TroyALP14.3% CockburnDon TaylorALP17.5%

See also Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1974–1977 Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1977–1980 Candidates of the 1977 Western Australian state election

References