This article provides information on candidates who stood for the 1961 Australian federal election. The election was held on 9 December 1961.
By-elections, appointments and defections
By-elections and appointments On 9 April 1960, John Jess (Liberal) was elected to replace Richard Casey (Liberal) as the member for La Trobe. On 9 April 1960, Bert James (Labor) was elected to replace H. V. Evatt (Labor) as the member for Hunter. On 16 July 1960, Noel Beaton (Labor) was elected to replace Percy Clarey (Labor) as the member for Bendigo. On 16 July 1960, Ray Whittorn (Liberal) was elected to replace Percy Joske (Liberal) as the member for Balaclava. On 5 November 1960, John England (Country) was elected to replace John Howse (Liberal) as the member for Calare. On 10 December 1960, Don Chipp (Liberal) was elected to replace Frank Timson (Liberal) as the member for Higinbotham. On 28 September 1961, Gordon Davidson (Liberal) was appointed a South Australian Senator to replace Rex Pearson (Liberal). Subsequent to the election, but prior to the new Senate taking its place: On 8 February 1962, Gordon Davidson (Liberal) was appointed a South Australian Senator to replace Nancy Buttfield (Liberal). Davidson had been appointed to the Senate in 1961 but had not contested the 1961 election. Buttfield, a sitting Senator, had been elected to the place originally won by Rex Pearson in 1961, but resigned it in order to take up the long-term vacancy. Davidson's appointment expired on 30 June 1963.
Retiring Members and Senators
Labor George Lawson MP (Brisbane, Qld) Senator John Armstrong (NSW) Senator Don Cameron (Vic) Senator Ben Courtice (Qld) Senator Sid O'Flaherty (SA) Senator Jim Sheehan (Vic)
Liberal Francis Bland MP (Warringah, NSW) Senator John McCallum (NSW) Senator Sir Neil O'Sullivan (Qld) Senator Robert Wardlaw (Tas)
Country George Bowden MP (Gippsland, Vic) Len Hamilton MP (Canning, WA) Senator Albert Reid (NSW) Senator Agnes Robertson (WA)
House of Representatives Sitting members at the time of the election are shown in bold text. Successful candidates are highlighted in the relevant colour. Where there is possible confusion, an asterisk (*) is also used.
Australian Capital Territory
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateLiberal candidate Australian Capital Territory Labor Jim Fraser Geoffrey Small
New South Wales
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateCoalition candidateDLP candidateOther candidates Banks Labor Eric Costa Jack Manning (Lib) John Antill Frank Bollins (CPA)Russell Duncan (Ind)Barton Labor Len Reynolds Colin Sullivan (Lib) Thomas Brosnan Bennelong Liberal Harry Jensen John Cramer (Lib) Edward Beck Blaxland Labor Jim Harrison David Cowan (Lib) Bernard Atkinson Bradfield Liberal Percy Staines Harry Turner (Lib) Dominique Droulers Calare Country Leroy Serisier John England (CP) George Boland Cowper Country Frank McGuren Sir Earle Page (CP) Neville Weiley (Ind)Cunningham Labor Victor Kearney Jack Hough (Lib) Bill McDougall (CPA)Dalley Labor William O'Connor Arthur Nesbitt (Lib) Reginald Lawson Mavis Robertson (CPA)Darling Labor Joe Clark Rodan Dawson (CP) East Sydney Labor Eddie Ward John Folbigg (Lib) Joseph Bergin Bill Brown (CPA)Eden-Monaro Labor Allan Fraser Douglas Thomson (Lib) Evans Liberal James Monaghan Frederick Osborne (Lib) Francis Collins Harold O'Reilly (Ind)Farrer Liberal Herb McPherson David Fairbairn (Lib) William Brennan Grayndler Labor Fred Daly Evan MacLaurin (Lib) Charles McCafferty Hal Alexander (CPA)Gwydir Country Austin Heffernan Ian Allan (CP) Stanley Parmenter Hughes Labor Les Johnson Keith Woodward (Lib) Wesley Johns Hume Country Arthur Fuller Charles Anderson (CP) Charles Rowe Hunter Labor Bert James Edward Farrell (Lib) John Tapp (CPA)Kingsford-Smith Labor Dan Curtin Jack Cunningham (Lib) John Cunningham Lang Labor Frank Stewart Russell Carter (Lib) Edward Byrnes Frank Ball (Ind)Lawson Country John Canobi Laurie Failes (CP) Denis Searls Lowe Liberal John Holland William McMahon (Lib) Denis Klein Daniel Smith (ARP)Lyne Country John Allan Philip Lucock (CP) Jack Collins Joe Cordner (Ind)Macarthur Liberal Don Nilon Jeff Bate (Lib) Mackellar Liberal Mabel Elliott Bill Wentworth (Lib) Philip Cohen Hugh Begg (CPA)Macquarie Liberal Tony Luchetti John Heesh (Lib) Frank Mackenzie Mitchell Liberal John Armitage Roy Wheeler (Lib) Allan Dwyer John Mantova (Ind)New England Country Donald White David Drummond (CP) John Burless Newcastle Labor Charles Jones Henry Wansey (Lib) Hugh Ansell North Sydney Liberal Maurice Isaacs William Jack (Lib) Michael Fitzpatrick Parkes Labor Les Haylen William Dowd (Lib) Vincent Couch Parramatta Liberal Maxwell McLaren Sir Garfield Barwick (Lib) Reginald Andrews Matt Munro (CPA)Paterson Liberal Bob Brown Allen Fairhall (Lib) Aubrey Barr Phillip Liberal Syd Einfeld William Aston (Lib) Peter Daly Reid Labor Tom Uren Jack Cook (Lib) Mick Carroll Richmond Country Raymond Freeman Doug Anthony (CP) Riverina Country Jack Ward Hugh Roberton (CP) Albert Elrington Robertson Liberal Tom Pendlebury Roger Dean (Lib) Neil Mackerras Shortland Labor Charles Griffiths Allan Pitts (Lib) Robert Burke Geoff Curthoys (CPA)St George Labor Lionel Clay Clifford Amos (Lib) Malcolm Towner Warringah Liberal James Brown John Cockle (Lib) John Plunkett Rex Benson (Ind Lib)Russell Whybrow (Ind Lib)Watson Labor Jim Cope Sidney Pitkethly (Lib) Mary Nappa Wentworth Liberal John Hirshman Les Bury (Lib) Francis Bull Werriwa Labor Gough Whitlam Vernon Luckman (Lib) Kevin Davis West Sydney Labor Dan Minogue Milovan Kovjanic (Lib) William Doherty Ron Maxwell (CPA)
Northern Territory
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateIndependent candidate Northern Territory Labor Jock Nelson Harold Brennan
Queensland
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateCoalition candidateQLP candidateOther candidates Bowman Liberal Jack Comber Malcolm McColm (Lib) Terence Burns Brisbane Labor Manfred Cross Kevin Cairns (Lib) Walter Barnes Warren Bowden (CPA)Capricornia Liberal George Gray George Pearce (Lib) Mick Gardner Darling Downs Liberal Jack McCafferty Reginald Swartz (Lib) Margaret Walsh Dawson Country Cyril Mitchell Charles Davidson (CP) Waller O'Grady Fisher Country William Weir Charles Adermann (CP) John Newman Griffith Liberal Wilfred Coutts Arthur Chresby (Lib) Donald McKenna Herbert Liberal Ted Harding John Murray (Lib) Victor Bodero Frank Bishop (CPA)Kennedy Labor Bill Riordan Thomas Halloran (CP) Harry Wright Leichhardt Labor Bill Fulton Reginald Wiles (CP) Arthur Trembath Lilley Liberal Don Cameron Bruce Wight (Lib) Frank Andrews Maranoa Country Trevor Alexander Wilfred Brimblecombe (CP) Bryan Hurley McPherson Country William Ware Charles Barnes (CP) John O'Connell Allen Kirkegaard (Ind)Thomas Masterton (Ind)Moreton Liberal John O'Donnell James Killen (Lib) Christian Hagen Max Julius (CPA)Oxley Liberal Bill Hayden Donald Cameron (Lib) Kenneth Rawle Petrie Liberal Reginald O'Brien Alan Hulme (Lib) Trevor Sturling Cecil Guilfoyle (Ind)Francis O'Mara (Ind)Ryan Liberal Joy Guyatt Nigel Drury (Lib) Michael Long Wide Bay Country Brendan Hansen Henry Bandidt (CP) Edward McDonnell James Dunn (Ind)
South Australia
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateLiberal candidateDLP candidateOther candidates Adelaide Labor Joe Sexton John Rundle Ursula Cook Angas Liberal Arnold Busbridge Alick Downer John Balogh Barker Liberal Norman Alcock Jim Forbes Charles Coffey John Gartner (Ind)Bonython Labor Norman Makin Margaret McLachlan Edward Timlin Thomas Ellis (Ind)Alan Miller (CPA)Boothby Liberal Ronald Basten John McLeay Ted Farrell Grey Labor Edgar Russell Arthur Dodgson Richard Mills Hindmarsh Labor Clyde Cameron Karl-Juergen Liebetrau Cyril Holasek Kingston Labor Pat Galvin John McCoy Brian Crowe Port Adelaide Labor Albert Thompson Kimball Kelly George Basisovs Peter Symon (CPA)Sturt Liberal Arthur Penn Keith Wilson Walter Doran Wakefield Liberal Collin Wood Bert Kelly John McMahon
Tasmania
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateLiberal candidateDLP candidate Bass Labor Lance Barnard Fred Marriott Francis BolandBraddon Labor Ron Davies William Young Frances LaneDenison Liberal Eric Howroyd Athol Townley Harold SeniorFranklin Liberal William Wilkinson Bill Falkinder St Clair CourtneyWilmot Labor Gil Duthie Royston RingroseRichard Thomas Alastair Davidson
Victoria
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateCoalition candidateDLP candidateOther candidates Balaclava Liberal Ernst Platz Ray Whittorn (Lib) John Ryan John Murray (ARP)Ballaarat Liberal Aubrey Keane Dudley Erwin (Lib) Bob Joshua Batman Labor Alan Bird Bruce Skeggs (Lib) Maurice Keady Bendigo Labor Noel Beaton Henry Snell (Lib) Ronald Anderson Milan Lorman (Ind)Bruce Liberal Keith Ewert Billy Snedden (Lib) Henri de Sachau Chisholm Liberal Malcolm Coughlin Sir Wilfrid Kent Hughes (Lib) John Duffy Corangamite Liberal Desmond Hulme Dan Mackinnon (Lib) Patrick Bourke Corio Liberal Lindsay Romey Hubert Opperman (Lib) James Mahoney Darebin Labor Frank Courtnay John Wyss (Lib) Tom Andrews Deakin Liberal George Slater Frank Davis (Lib) Maurice Weston Fawkner Liberal Gwendolyn Noad Peter Howson (Lib) Richard Coyne Flinders Liberal Ian Cathie Robert Lindsay (Lib) Jack Austin Edmund Knowles (Ind)Gellibrand Labor Hector McIvor Reginald Cannon (Lib) Jan Roszkowski Frank Johnson (CPA)Gippsland Country William Stephenson Peter Nixon (CP) John Hansen Henty Liberal Sir George Jones Max Fox (Lib) Henry Moore Higgins Liberal Roger Kirby Harold Holt (Lib) Celia Laird Higinbotham Liberal Henry Fowler Don Chipp (Lib) William Cameron Indi Country Mervyn Huggins Malcolm Cameron (Lib)Mac Holten* (CP) George Taylor Isaacs Liberal Angus McLean William Haworth (Lib) John Hughes Kooyong Liberal Moss Cass Robert Menzies (Lib) Thomas Brennan Goldie Collins (Ind)Bill Tregear (CPA)Lalor Labor Reg Pollard Peter Kemp (Lib) John Donnellon Kenneth Agius (CCP)La Trobe Liberal Don Pritchard John Jess (Lib) John Hoare Bernard Rees (CCP)Mallee Country Murray Homes Winton Turnbull (CP) Michael Howley Maribyrnong Liberal Neil Armour Philip Stokes (Lib) Paul Gunn Norman McClure (CCP)McMillan Liberal James Longstaff Alex Buchanan* (Lib)Francis Hawtin (CP) Les Hilton Patrick Linane (ARP)Melbourne Labor Arthur Calwell James Moloney (Lib) Michael Kearney Melbourne Ports Labor Frank Crean Gordon Blackburne (Lib) Albert Jones Roger Wilson (CPA)Murray Country Neil Frankland John McEwen (CP) Brian Lacey Scullin Labor Ted Peters Rex Schurmann (Lib) Barry O'Brien Wannon Liberal Jack Stanford Malcolm Fraser (Lib) Terence Callander Wills Labor Gordon Bryant William Pyatt (Lib) Bill Bryson Wimmera Country Thomas Windsor Robert King* (CP)William Lawrence (Lib) Joseph Murphy Yarra Labor Jim Cairns Andrew Peacock (Lib) Stan Keon Geoffrey Broomhall (CCP)Ken Miller (CPA)
Western Australia
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateCoalition candidateDLP candidateOther candidates Canning Country Charles Edwards John Hallett (CP)Neil McNeill* (Lib) Stanley Meredith Curtin Liberal George Piesley Paul Hasluck (Lib) Wilfred Bodeker Forrest Liberal Ernest Stapleton Gordon Freeth (Lib) Fremantle Labor Kim Beazley John Waghorne (Lib) Joan Williams (CPA)Kalgoorlie Liberal Fred Collard Peter Browne (Lib) George Jensen Harold Illingworth (Ind)Moore Country Wilbur Bennett Hugh Halbert (Lib)Hugh Leslie* (CP) John Crisafulli Perth Liberal Laurie Wilkinson Fred Chaney (Lib) Julius Re Stirling Liberal Harry Webb Doug Cash (Lib) Adrian Briffa Jack Marks (CPA)Swan Liberal Ted Johnson Richard Cleaver (Lib) Terence Merchant
Senate Sitting Senators are shown in bold text. Tickets that elected at least one Senator are highlighted in the relevant colour. Successful candidates are identified by an asterisk (*).
New South Wales Five seats were up for election. The Labor Party was defending one seat. The Liberal-Country Coalition was defending four seats. Senators Stan Amour (Labor), Ken Anderson (Liberal), James Arnold (Labor), Sir Alister McMullin (Liberal) and James Ormonde (Labor) were not up for re-election.