1976 Victorian state election

The 1976 Victorian state election, held on Saturday, 20 March 1976, was for the 47th Parliament of Victoria. It was held in the Australian state of Victoria to elect 81 members of the state's Legislative Assembly and 22 members of the 44-member Legislative Council. Since the previous election, there was an increase in the number of members of the Legislative Assembly by 8 and in the number of Council members by 8, though only 4 were elected at the 1976 election.

Since the last election, the number of Legislative Assembly members was increased from 73 to 81 and the number of seats in the Legislative Council was increased from 36 to 44.

The incumbent Liberal government led by Rupert Hamer was returned with an increased majority. This was the eighth consecutive election win for the Liberals. As of 2026, no other party of government has won an eighth consecutive election.

Future Premier Jeff Kennett entered parliament at this election.

The Democratic Labor Party saw a further decrease in its support. Results

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Seats changing hands

Seat Pre-1976 Swing Post-1976 Party Member Margin Margin Member PartyBenambra NationalTom Mitchell 19.9 -21.7 1.8Lou LiebermanLiberal Knox Liberalnotional - new seat 0.8 -2.1 1.3Steve CrabbLabor Ripon Labornotional - new seat 0.4 -10.3 9.9Tom AustinLiberal Werribee Labornotional - new seat 0.2 -0.2 0.05Neville HudsonLiberal 

Post-election pendulum

Liberal seats (52)MarginalEssendonKenneth WheelerLIB0.05%WerribeeNeville HudsonLIB0.05%OakleighAlan ScanlanLIB1.3%Geelong EastBruce EvansLIB1.5%BenambraLou LiebermanLIB1.8% v NATGreensboroughMonte ValeLIB2.7%BendigoDaryl McClureLIB3.6%Ballarat SouthBill StephenLIB4.1%SpringvaleNorman BillingLIB4.4%Geelong WestHayden BirrellLIB5.2%HeathertonLlew ReeseLIB5.4%MitchamGeorge CoxLIB5.5%PrahranSam LoxtonLIB5.7%Fairly safeNoble ParkPeter CollinsLIB6.1%St KildaBrian DixonLIB6.1%SyndalGeoff ColemanLIB6.1%MonbulkBill BorthwickLIB6.6%SandringhamMax CrellinLIB7.4%GlenhuntlyJoe RaffertyLIB8.1%RingwoodPeter McArthurLIB9.0%BentleighBob SuggettLIB9.3%Box HillDonald MackinnonLIB9.6%EvelynJim PlowmanLIB9.6%RiponTom AustinLIB9.9%SafeBennettswoodIan McLarenLIB10.1%NarracanJim BalfourLIB10.2%Swin HillAlan WoodLIB10.2% v NATWarrandyteNorman LacyLIB10.6%HawthornWalter JonaLIB10.7%MidlandsBill EberyLIB10.7%MentoneBill TempletonLIB10.9%IvanhoeBruce SkeggsLIB11.1%LowanJim McCabeLIB11.7% v NATBallarat NorthTom EvansLIB11.9%FrankstonGraeme WeidemanLIB12.7%DromanaRoberts DunstanLIB12.9%South BarwonAurel SmithLIB13.0%Forest HillJohn RichardsonLIB13.1%GisborneAthol GuyLIB14.2%BurwoodJeff KennettLIB14.6%PortlandDon McKellarLIB14.7%BerwickRob MaclellanLIB15.1%WarrnamboolIan SmithLIB15.2%CaulfieldCharles FrancisLIB15.3%WantirnaGeoff HayesLIB15.8%DoncasterMorris WilliamsLIB15.9%WesternportDoug JenningsLIB16.3%BrightonJeannette PatrickLIB18.1%BalwynJim RamsayLIB19.3%KewRupert HamerLIB20.0%MalvernLindsay ThompsonLIB20.8%PolwarthCec BurginLIB26.6% Labor seats (21)Marginal KnoxSteve CrabbALP1.3% NiddrieJack SimpsonALP2.0% BundooraJohn CainALP3.3% CarrumIan CathieALP5.0% DandenongAlan LindALP5.2%Fairly safe GlenroyJack CulpinALP8.9%Safe KeilorJack GiniferALP10.2% Geelong NorthNeil TreziseALP12.6% WilliamstownGordon StirlingALP13.0% Albert ParkVal DoubeALP13.1% BroadmeadowsJohn WiltonALP13.2% Ascot ValeTom EdmundsALP13.3% MorwellDerek AmosALP13.6% ReservoirJim SimmondsALP14.1% NorthcoteFrank WilkesALP14.2% BrunswickTom RoperALP14.7% MelbourneBarry JonesALP14.8% PrestonCarl KirkwoodALP15.8% FootscrayRobert FordhamALP21.6%SunshineBill FogartyALP21.6%RichmondTheo SidiropoulosALP23.3%National seats (7)Gippsland SouthNeil McInnesNAT1.3% v LIBBenallaTom TrewinNAT20.1%Gippsland EastBruce EvansNAT20.7% v INDMurray ValleyKen JasperNAT22.1%MilduraMilton WhitingNAT24.2%SheppartonPeter Ross-EdwardsNAT27.7%RodneyEddie HannNAT33.1%Crossbench seats (1)CoburgJack MuttonIND5.3% v ALP

See also Candidates of the 1976 Victorian state election

References