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<div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) 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.infobox-header{font-weight:normal}@media(max-width:640px){body.skin--responsive:not(.skin-monobook):not(.skin-timeless) .mw-parser-output .ib-election .notpageimage.noresize img{height:80px!important;width:auto!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .ib-election .mw-file-description img{background-color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .ib-election .mw-file-description img{background-color:#f8f9fa}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1152813436">.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px;white-space:nowrap}</style><table class="infobox ib-election infobox-table vevent" style="width:350px"><caption class="infobox-title summary">1972 Australian federal election</caption><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader"><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Flag_of_Australia_%28converted%29.svg/50px-Flag_of_Australia_%28converted%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="25" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Flag_of_Australia_%28converted%29.svg/75px-Flag_of_Australia_%28converted%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Flag_of_Australia_%28converted%29.svg/100px-Flag_of_Australia_%28converted%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1280" data-file-height="640" /></span></span></span><hr /></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader"><table style="width:100%; margin:1px; display:inline-table;"><tbody><tr> <td style="text-align:left; vertical-align:middle; padding:0 0.5em 0 0;width:20%;" class="noprint">← <a href="/wiki/1969_Australian_federal_election" title="1969 Australian federal election">1969</a></td> <td style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;; padding:0 1px;width:60%;" class=""><b>2 December 1972</b></td> <td style="text-align:right; vertical-align:middle;; padding:0 0 0 0.5em;width:20%;" class="noprint"><a href="/wiki/1974_Australian_federal_election" title="1974 Australian federal election">1974</a> →</td> </tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader"><div style="width:100%"><div style="float: left; text-align:left;padding-right:0.5em;width:40%; text-align:center;" class="noprint">← <a href="/wiki/Members_of_the_Australian_House_of_Representatives,_1969%E2%80%931972" title="Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1969–1972">outgoing members</a></div><div style="float: right; text-align:right;padding-left:0.5em;width:40%; text-align:center;" class="noprint"><a href="/wiki/Members_of_the_Australian_House_of_Representatives,_1972%E2%80%931974" title="Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1972–1974">elected members</a> →</div></div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header"><hr />All 125 seats of the <a href="/wiki/Australian_House_of_Representatives" title="Australian House of Representatives">House of Representatives</a><br />63 seats were needed for a majority</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Registered</th><td class="infobox-data">7,073,930 <span style="font-size:85%;"><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Increase"><img alt="Increase" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/11px-Increase2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/17px-Increase2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/22px-Increase2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span> 7.08%</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Turnout</th><td class="infobox-data">6,747,244 (95.38%)<br />(<span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Increase"><img alt="Increase" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/11px-Increase2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/17px-Increase2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/22px-Increase2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span>0.41 <a href="/wiki/Percentage_point" title="Percentage point">pp</a>)</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"> <table style="background:transparent; color: inherit; width:100%;"> <tbody><tr class="sr-only"> <th style="text-align:left;">  </th> <th style="text-align:center">First party </th> <th style="text-align:center">Second party </th></tr> <tr> <td>  </td> <td class="notheme" style="text-align:center;border-bottom: 6px solid #F00011;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Gough_Whitlam_1972_(cropped).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Gough_Whitlam_1972_%28cropped%29.jpg/143px-Gough_Whitlam_1972_%28cropped%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="143" height="200" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Gough_Whitlam_1972_%28cropped%29.jpg/214px-Gough_Whitlam_1972_%28cropped%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Gough_Whitlam_1972_%28cropped%29.jpg/286px-Gough_Whitlam_1972_%28cropped%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="366" data-file-height="512" /></a></span> </td> <td class="notheme" style="text-align:center;border-bottom: 6px solid #0047AB;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:William_McMahon_1973.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/William_McMahon_1973.jpg/143px-William_McMahon_1973.jpg" decoding="async" width="143" height="200" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/William_McMahon_1973.jpg/214px-William_McMahon_1973.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/William_McMahon_1973.jpg/286px-William_McMahon_1973.jpg 2x" data-file-width="754" data-file-height="1055" /></a></span> </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Leader </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/Gough_Whitlam" title="Gough Whitlam">Gough Whitlam</a> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/William_McMahon" title="William McMahon">William McMahon</a> </td></tr> <tr> <th style="width:75px;text-align:left">Party </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party" title="Australian Labor Party">Labor</a> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/Liberal/Country_coalition" class="mw-redirect" title="Liberal/Country coalition">Liberal/Country coalition</a> </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Leader since </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/1967_Australian_Labor_Party_leadership_election" title="1967 Australian Labor Party leadership election">8 February 1967</a> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/1971_Liberal_Party_of_Australia_leadership_spill" title="1971 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill">10 March 1971</a> </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Leader's seat </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Werriwa" title="Division of Werriwa">Werriwa</a> (NSW) </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Lowe" title="Division of Lowe">Lowe</a> (NSW) </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Last election </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center">59 seats </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center">66 seats </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Seats won </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><b>67 seats</b> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center">58 seats </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Seat change </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Increase"><img alt="Increase" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/11px-Increase2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/17px-Increase2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/22px-Increase2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span>8 </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Decrease"><img alt="Decrease" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/11px-Decrease2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/17px-Decrease2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/22px-Decrease2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span>8 </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Popular vote </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><b>3,273,549</b> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center">2,737,911 </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Percentage </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><b>49.58%</b> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center">41.48% </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Swing </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Increase"><img alt="Increase" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/11px-Increase2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/17px-Increase2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/22px-Increase2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span>2.64 </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Decrease"><img alt="Decrease" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/11px-Decrease2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/17px-Decrease2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/22px-Decrease2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span>1.84 </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left"><a href="/wiki/Two-party-preferred" class="mw-redirect" title="Two-party-preferred">TPP</a> </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><b>52.7%</b> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center">47.3% </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">TPP swing </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Increase"><img alt="Increase" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/11px-Increase2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/17px-Increase2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Increase2.svg/22px-Increase2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span>2.50 </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><span typeof="mw:File"><span title="Decrease"><img alt="Decrease" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/11px-Decrease2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="11" height="11" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/17px-Decrease2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/22px-Decrease2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></span></span>2.50 </td></tr> </tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><hr /><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:1972_Australian_federal_election.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/1972_Australian_federal_election.svg/350px-1972_Australian_federal_election.svg.png" decoding="async" width="350" height="213" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/1972_Australian_federal_election.svg/525px-1972_Australian_federal_election.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/1972_Australian_federal_election.svg/700px-1972_Australian_federal_election.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1198" data-file-height="729" /></a></span><div>Results by division for the House of Representatives, shaded by winning party's margin of victory.</div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><hr /> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background:transparent; color: inherit; width:100%;"> <tbody><tr> <td style="width:50%; text-align:left;"><b><a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Australia" title="Prime Minister of Australia">Prime Minister</a> before election</b><br /> <p><a href="/wiki/William_McMahon" title="William McMahon">William McMahon</a><br /> <a href="/wiki/Liberal/Country_coalition" class="mw-redirect" title="Liberal/Country coalition">Liberal/Country coalition</a> </p> </td> <td style="width:50%; text-align:right;"><b>Subsequent Prime Minister</b> <br /> <p><a href="/wiki/Gough_Whitlam" title="Gough Whitlam">Gough Whitlam</a><br /> <a href="/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party" title="Australian Labor Party">Labor</a> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <b>1972 Australian federal election</b> was held in Australia on 2 December 1972. All 125 seats in the <a href="/wiki/Australian_House_of_Representatives" title="Australian House of Representatives">House of Representatives</a> were up for election, as well as a single <a href="/wiki/Australian_Senate" title="Australian Senate">Senate</a> seat in <a href="/wiki/Queensland" title="Queensland">Queensland</a>. The incumbent <a href="/wiki/Coalition_(Australia)" title="Coalition (Australia)">Liberal–Country coalition</a> government, led by Prime Minister <a href="/wiki/William_McMahon" title="William McMahon">William McMahon</a>, was defeated by the opposition <a href="/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party" title="Australian Labor Party">Labor Party</a> led by <a href="/wiki/Gough_Whitlam" title="Gough Whitlam">Gough Whitlam</a>. Labor's victory ended 23 years of successive Coalition governments that began in <a href="/wiki/1949_Australian_federal_election" title="1949 Australian federal election">1949</a> and started the three-year Whitlam Labor Government. </p><p>Whitlam became the first Labor leader after <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> to lead the party to victory from opposition before <a href="/wiki/Bob_Hawke" title="Bob Hawke">Bob Hawke</a> in <a href="/wiki/1983_Australian_federal_election" title="1983 Australian federal election">1983</a>, <a href="/wiki/Kevin_Rudd" title="Kevin Rudd">Kevin Rudd</a> in <a href="/wiki/2007_Australian_federal_election" title="2007 Australian federal election">2007</a> and <a href="/wiki/Anthony_Albanese" title="Anthony Albanese">Anthony Albanese</a> in <a href="/wiki/2022_Australian_federal_election" title="2022 Australian federal election">2022</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Issues">Issues</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Issues"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The 1972 election campaign dealt with a combination of Vietnam and domestic policy issues, and the role of the federal government in resolving these issues. The Coalition of the <a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_of_Australia" title="Liberal Party of Australia">Liberal</a> and <a href="/wiki/National_Party_of_Australia" title="National Party of Australia">Country</a> parties had been in government for 23 years. Successive Coalition governments promoted <a href="/wiki/Menzies_Government_(1949%E2%80%9366)" class="mw-redirect" title="Menzies Government (1949–66)">conservative economics, trade, and defence</a>. However, Australian economic prosperity during the <a href="/wiki/Post-war" title="Post-war">post-war</a> period of the 1950s and 1960s led to the emergence of a range of "quality of life" issues regarding urban development, education, and healthcare. By 1972 these "quality of life" issues came to represent a major political problem for the coalition parties. Traditionally all of these areas had been handled by the state governments, and the Coalition had always asserted the importance of states rights, a view backed by Liberal state premiers like <a href="/wiki/Robert_Askin" title="Robert Askin">Robert Askin</a> and <a href="/wiki/Henry_Bolte" title="Henry Bolte">Henry Bolte</a>. Between 1966 and 1972, <a href="/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party" title="Australian Labor Party">Labor</a> leader <a href="/wiki/Gough_Whitlam" title="Gough Whitlam">Gough Whitlam</a> developed policies designed to deal with the problems of urban and regional development using the financial powers granted to the federal government under the Australian Constitution. As Whitlam put it, Labor focused on "cities, schools and hospitals", and these issues were electorally appealing especially to the young and growing <a href="/wiki/Baby_boomers" title="Baby boomers">baby boomer generation</a> living in the outer suburbs of the major cities. </p><p>By contrast, Coalition policies of conservative economic management, increasing trade, and Australian involvement in the <a href="/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a> disengaged a significant number of Australian voters. Australian involvement in the Vietnam War was initially popular. However, <a href="/wiki/Moratorium_to_End_the_War_in_Vietnam" title="Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam">protests</a> grew as the consequences of the war became apparent and the likelihood of a US-led victory diminished. A major part of the protests were directed at <a href="/wiki/Conscription_in_Australia" title="Conscription in Australia">conscripting</a> Australians to fight in the war. Liberal policies on Vietnam focused on the need to contain the spread of <a href="/wiki/Communism" title="Communism">communism</a>, but the gradual US and Australian troop withdrawal undermined this position. In 1971, Opposition Leader Gough Whitlam visited China. The Coalition heavily criticised the visit, but said criticism soon backfired and became an embarrassment when U.S. President <a href="/wiki/Richard_Nixon" title="Richard Nixon">Richard Nixon</a> announced he would <a href="/wiki/1972_Nixon_visit_to_China" class="mw-redirect" title="1972 Nixon visit to China">visit China</a> the following year. </p> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Gough_Whitlam_1972_policy_speech.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Gough_Whitlam_1972_policy_speech.jpg/220px-Gough_Whitlam_1972_policy_speech.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="275" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Gough_Whitlam_1972_policy_speech.jpg/330px-Gough_Whitlam_1972_policy_speech.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Gough_Whitlam_1972_policy_speech.jpg/440px-Gough_Whitlam_1972_policy_speech.jpg 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="1125" /></a><figcaption>Whitlam giving Labor's policy speech at the Blacktown Civic Centre in Sydney</figcaption></figure> <p>Finally, the incumbent Prime Minister <a href="/wiki/William_McMahon" title="William McMahon">William McMahon</a> was no match for Whitlam, a witty and powerful orator. McMahon's position was precarious to begin with, for he had only emerged as Liberal Leader after a prolonged period of turmoil following the Coalition's unexpectedly poor showing at <a href="/wiki/1970_Australian_Senate_election" title="1970 Australian Senate election">the half-Senate election held in 1970</a>, and various state elections. In March 1971, Defence Minister <a href="/wiki/Malcolm_Fraser" title="Malcolm Fraser">Malcolm Fraser</a> resigned from the <a href="/wiki/Second_Gorton_Ministry" class="mw-redirect" title="Second Gorton Ministry">ministry</a> and declared that Prime Minister <a href="/wiki/John_Gorton" title="John Gorton">John Gorton</a> was "unfit to hold the great office of Prime Minister". Gorton swiftly called for a <a href="/wiki/1971_Liberal_Party_of_Australia_leadership_spill" title="1971 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill">vote of confidence</a> in his leadership, which resulted in a 33-33 tie. Gorton could have continued with the result, but stated "Well, that is not a vote of confidence, so the party will have to elect a new leader.",<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and McMahon won the ensuing leadership contest against <a href="/wiki/Billy_Snedden" title="Billy Snedden">Billy Snedden</a>. This turmoil was only further compounded by Gorton immediately being elected as McMahon's deputy; he was ultimately sacked by McMahon for disloyalty in August 1971. These changes all made the Coalition appear weak and divided, and consumed in internal struggles. </p><p>McMahon was further weakened by concerns about inflation and negative press coverage. For example, <a href="/wiki/Rupert_Murdoch" title="Rupert Murdoch">Rupert Murdoch</a> and his newspaper <i><a href="/wiki/The_Australian" title="The Australian">The Australian</a></i> supported the ALP. The ALP ran a strong campaign under the famous slogan <i><a href="/wiki/It%27s_Time_(Australian_campaign)" title="It's Time (Australian campaign)">It's Time</a></i> – a slogan which, coupled with its progressive policy programme, gave it great momentum within the electorate after 23 years of Conservative rule.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Coalition government strongly opposed the opening of full diplomatic relationship with Beijing during Mao Zedong's regime.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Results">Results</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Results"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="House_of_Representatives">House of Representatives</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: House of Representatives"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Results_of_the_1972_Australian_federal_election_(House_of_Representatives)" title="Results of the 1972 Australian federal election (House of Representatives)">Results of the 1972 Australian federal election (House of Representatives)</a></div> <table class="wikitable"> <caption>House of Reps (<a href="/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting" title="Instant-runoff voting">IRV</a>) — 1972–74—Turnout 95.38% (<a href="/wiki/Compulsory_voting" title="Compulsory voting">CV</a>) — Informal 2.17%<figure class="mw-halign-center" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:1972_Australian_House.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/1972_Australian_House.svg/300px-1972_Australian_House.svg.png" decoding="async" width="300" height="154" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/1972_Australian_House.svg/450px-1972_Australian_House.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/1972_Australian_House.svg/600px-1972_Australian_House.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="360" data-file-height="185" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> </caption> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="3" style="width:180px">Party </th> <th style="width:70px;">Votes </th> <th style="width:40px;">% </th> <th style="width:40px;">Swing </th> <th style="width:40px;">Seats </th> <th style="width:40px;">Change </th></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party" title="Australian Labor Party">Labor</a> </td> <td align="right">3,273,549 </td> <td align="right">49.59 </td> <td align="right">+2.64 </td> <td align="right">67 </td> <td align="right">+8 </td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="3">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Coalition_(Australia)" title="Coalition (Australia)">Liberal–Country Coalition</a> </td> <td align="right">2,737,911 </td> <td align="right">41.48 </td> <td align="right">–1.84 </td> <td align="right">58 </td> <td align="right">–8 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Liberal_Party_of_Australia" title="Liberal Party of Australia">Liberal</a><span style="padding-left:100px;"> </span> </td> <td align="right"><i>2,115,085</i> </td> <td align="right"><i>32.04</i> </td> <td align="right"><i>–2.73</i> </td> <td align="right"><i>38</i> </td> <td align="right"><i>–8</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#008000;">  </td> <td><a href="/wiki/National_Party_of_Australia" title="National Party of Australia">Country</a><span style="padding-left:100px;"> </span> </td> <td align="right"><i>622,826</i> </td> <td align="right"><i>9.44</i> </td> <td align="right"><i>+0.88</i> </td> <td align="right"><i>20</i> </td> <td align="right"><i>0</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#008080;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Democratic_Labor_Party_(Australia,_1955)" title="Democratic Labor Party (Australia, 1955)">Democratic Labor</a> </td> <td align="right">346,415 </td> <td align="right">5.25 </td> <td align="right">–0.77 </td> <td align="right">0 </td> <td align="right">0 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#FFCD00;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Australia_Party" title="Australia Party">Australia</a> </td> <td align="right">159,916 </td> <td align="right">2.42 </td> <td align="right">+1.54 </td> <td align="right">0 </td> <td align="right">0 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#9966CC;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Defence_of_Government_Schools" title="Defence of Government Schools">Defence of Government Schools</a> </td> <td align="right">9,703 </td> <td align="right">0.15 </td> <td align="right">+0.15 </td> <td align="right">0 </td> <td align="right">0 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#C00000;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Australia" title="Communist Party of Australia">Communist</a> </td> <td align="right">8,105 </td> <td align="right">0.12 </td> <td align="right">+0.04 </td> <td align="right">0 </td> <td align="right">0 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#000000;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/National_Socialist_Party_of_Australia" title="National Socialist Party of Australia">National Socialist</a> </td> <td align="right">1,161 </td> <td align="right">0.02 </td> <td align="right">+0.02 </td> <td align="right">0 </td> <td align="right">0 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#DC143C;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Australia_(current)" class="mw-redirect" title="Communist Party of Australia (current)">Socialist</a> </td> <td align="right">1,062 </td> <td align="right">0.02 </td> <td align="right">+0.02 </td> <td align="right">0 </td> <td align="right">0 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background:gray;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Independent_politician" title="Independent politician">Independents</a> </td> <td align="right">63,228 </td> <td align="right">0.96 </td> <td align="right">–1.57 </td> <td align="right">0 </td> <td align="right">0 </td></tr> <tr> <td>  </td> <td colspan="2">Total </td> <td align="right">6,601,050 </td> <td align="right">  </td> <td align="right">  </td> <td align="right"><b>125</b> </td> <td align="right"> </td></tr> <tr> <th colspan="8" align="center"><a href="/wiki/Two-party-preferred" class="mw-redirect" title="Two-party-preferred">Two-party-preferred</a> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r886047488">.mw-parser-output .nobold{font-weight:normal}</style><span class="nobold">(estimated)</span> </th></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party" title="Australian Labor Party">Labor</a></b> </td> <td align="center"><b>Win</b> </td> <td align="right"><b>52.70</b> </td> <td align="right">+2.50 </td> <td align="right"><b>67</b> </td> <td align="right">+8 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Coalition_(Australia)" title="Coalition (Australia)">Liberal–Country coalition</a> </td> <td align="right">  </td> <td align="right">47.30 </td> <td align="right">−2.50 </td> <td align="right">58 </td> <td align="right">−8 </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin:0; border:none;"><tbody><tr><td style="border:none; padding:0;"><div class="notheme barbox" style="overflow-x: auto;"> <div style="border:1px solid silver; font-size:88%; padding:0.4em; width:600px; background: white; color: black;"> <table style="text-align:left; border-collapse:collapse; width:100%;"> <tbody><tr style="background:#ddd"><th style="text-align:center;" colspan="5">Popular vote</th></tr> <tr style="font-size:88%; height:4px;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0 4px; text-align:left;"></td> <td style="width:410px; text-align:left;"></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0 4px; width:1em; text-align:right;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;">Labor</td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#F00011; width:49.59%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">49.59%</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;">Liberal</td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#080CAB; width:32.04%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">32.04%</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;">Country</td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#008000; width:9.44%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">9.44%</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;">DLP</td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#008080; width:5.25%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">5.25%</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;">Australia</td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#F4940D; width:2.42%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">2.42%</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;">Other</td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#777777; width:1.27%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">1.27%</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin:0; border:none;"><tbody><tr><td style="border:none; padding:0;"><div class="notheme barbox" style="overflow-x: auto;"> <div style="border:1px solid silver; font-size:88%; padding:0.4em; width:600px; background: white; color: black;"> <table style="text-align:left; border-collapse:collapse; width:100%;"> <tbody><tr style="background:#ddd"><th style="text-align:center;" colspan="5">Two-party-preferred vote</th></tr> <tr style="font-size:88%; height:4px;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0 4px; text-align:left;"></td> <td style="width:410px; text-align:left;"></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0 4px; width:1em; text-align:right;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;"><b>Labor</b></td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#F00011; width:52.70%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">52.70%</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;">Coalition</td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#00557C; width:47.30%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">47.30%</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin:0; border:none;"><tbody><tr><td style="border:none; padding:0;"><div class="notheme barbox" style="overflow-x: auto;"> <div style="border:1px solid silver; font-size:88%; padding:0.4em; width:600px; background: white; color: black;"> <table style="text-align:left; border-collapse:collapse; width:100%;"> <tbody><tr style="background:#ddd"><th style="text-align:center;" colspan="5">Parliament seats</th></tr> <tr style="font-size:88%; height:4px;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0 4px; text-align:left;"></td> <td style="width:410px; text-align:left;"></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0 4px; width:1em; text-align:right;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;"><b>Labor</b></td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#F00011; width:53.60%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">53.60%</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.4em; padding-right: 0.4em; min-width: 8em;">Coalition</td> <td style="width: 100px; border-left: solid 1px silver; border-right: solid 1px silver;"><div style="background:#00557C; width:47.30%; overflow: hidden;"> </div></td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 1.2em; padding-right: 0.4em; text-align: right;">47.30%</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Senate">Senate</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Senate"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/1970_Australian_Senate_election" title="1970 Australian Senate election">1970 Australian Senate election</a></div> <p>A special Senate election was held in <a href="/wiki/Queensland" title="Queensland">Queensland</a> to replace Liberal senator <a href="/wiki/Annabelle_Rankin" title="Annabelle Rankin">Annabelle Rankin</a>, who resigned in 1971.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Neville_Bonner" title="Neville Bonner">Neville Bonner</a>, who had been appointed to fill the <a href="/wiki/Casual_vacancies_in_the_Australian_Parliament" title="Casual vacancies in the Australian Parliament">casual vacancy</a> by the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_Queensland" title="Parliament of Queensland">Queensland Parliament</a>, won the Senate position – the first Indigenous Australian elected to parliament. The election was held at the time of the House of Representatives election as per Section 15 of the Constitution. </p><p>Otherwise, no Senate election was held. Since then, every Australian federal election has included a half or full Senate election. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Seats_changing_hands">Seats changing hands</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Seats changing hands"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th rowspan="2">Seat </th> <th colspan="4">Pre-1972 </th> <th rowspan="2">Swing </th> <th colspan="4">Post-1972 </th></tr> <tr> <th colspan="2">Party </th> <th>Member </th> <th>Margin </th> <th>Margin </th> <th>Member </th> <th colspan="2">Party </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Bendigo" title="Division of Bendigo">Bendigo, Vic</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td> <td>Labor </td> <td><a href="/wiki/David_Kennedy_(Australian_politician)" title="David Kennedy (Australian politician)">David Kennedy</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.0 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.2 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">0.2 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/John_Bourchier_(politician)" title="John Bourchier (politician)">John Bourchier</a> </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Casey" title="Division of Casey">Casey, Vic</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Peter_Howson_(Australian_politician)" class="mw-redirect" title="Peter Howson (Australian politician)">Peter Howson</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">5.0 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">7.2 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.2 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Race_Mathews" title="Race Mathews">Race Mathews</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Cook" title="Division of Cook">Cook, NSW</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Don_Dobie" title="Don Dobie">Don Dobie</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.8 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.5 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">0.7 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Ray_Thorburn" title="Ray Thorburn">Ray Thorburn</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Darling_Downs" title="Division of Darling Downs">Darling Downs, Qld</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Reginald_Swartz" title="Reginald Swartz">Reginald Swartz</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">N/A </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.4 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">11.3 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Tom_McVeigh" title="Tom McVeigh">Tom McVeigh</a> </td> <td>Country </td> <td style="background-color:green;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Denison" title="Division of Denison">Denison, Tas</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Robert_Solomon_(politician)" title="Robert Solomon (politician)">Robert Solomon</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.6 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">7.2 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">4.6 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/John_Coates_(politician)" title="John Coates (politician)">John Coates</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Diamond_Valley" title="Division of Diamond Valley">Diamond Valley, Vic</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Neil_Brown_(Australian_politician)" title="Neil Brown (Australian politician)">Neil Brown</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">6.1 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">7.7 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">1.6 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/David_McKenzie_(politician,_born_1933)" class="mw-redirect" title="David McKenzie (politician, born 1933)">David McKenzie</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Evans" title="Division of Evans">Evans, NSW</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Malcolm_Mackay_(Australian_politician)" title="Malcolm Mackay (Australian politician)">Malcolm Mackay</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">1.2 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.9 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.7 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Allan_Mulder" title="Allan Mulder">Allan Mulder</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Forrest" title="Division of Forrest">Forrest, WA</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td> <td>Labor </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Frank_Kirwan" title="Frank Kirwan">Frank Kirwan</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">1.1 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">4.7 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.6 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Peter_Drummond_(politician)" title="Peter Drummond (politician)">Peter Drummond</a> </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Holt" title="Division of Holt">Holt, Vic</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Len_Reid" title="Len Reid">Len Reid</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.5 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">7.9 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">4.4 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Max_Oldmeadow" title="Max Oldmeadow">Max Oldmeadow</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Hume" title="Division of Hume">Hume, NSW</a> </td> <td style="background-color:green;">  </td> <td>Country </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Ian_Pettitt" title="Ian Pettitt">Ian Pettitt</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">1.0 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.9 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">1.9 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Frank_Olley" title="Frank Olley">Frank Olley</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_La_Trobe" title="Division of La Trobe">La Trobe, Vic</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/John_Jess" title="John Jess">John Jess</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">5.2 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">10.2 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">5.0 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Tony_Lamb" title="Tony Lamb">Tony Lamb</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Lilley" title="Division of Lilley">Lilley, Qld</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Kevin_Cairns_(politician)" title="Kevin Cairns (politician)">Kevin Cairns</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">1.7 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">1.7 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">0.0 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Frank_Doyle_(Australian_politician)" class="mw-redirect" title="Frank Doyle (Australian politician)">Frank Doyle</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Macarthur" title="Division of Macarthur">Macarthur, NSW</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Jeff_Bate" title="Jeff Bate">Jeff Bate</a>† </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.8 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">6.0 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.2 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/John_Kerin" title="John Kerin">John Kerin</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_McMillan" title="Division of McMillan">McMillan, Vic</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Alex_Buchanan_(politician)" title="Alex Buchanan (politician)">Alex Buchanan</a>† </td> <td style="text-align:right;">N/A </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.9 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.4 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Hewson" title="Arthur Hewson">Arthur Hewson</a> </td> <td>Country </td> <td style="background-color:green;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_McPherson" title="Division of McPherson">McPherson, Qld</a> </td> <td style="background-color:green;">  </td> <td>Country </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Charles_Barnes_(Australian_politician)" title="Charles Barnes (Australian politician)">Charles Barnes</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">N/A </td> <td style="text-align:right;">6.5 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">4.7 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Eric_Robinson_(Australian_politician)" title="Eric Robinson (Australian politician)">Eric Robinson</a> </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Mitchell" title="Division of Mitchell">Mitchell, NSW</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Les_Irwin" title="Les Irwin">Les Irwin</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.5 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.7 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">1.2 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Alfred_Ashley-Brown" title="Alfred Ashley-Brown">Alfred Ashley-Brown</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Phillip" title="Division of Phillip">Phillip, NSW</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td><a href="/wiki/William_Aston" title="William Aston">William Aston</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">0.4 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">4.1 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">3.7 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Joe_Riordan" title="Joe Riordan">Joe Riordan</a> </td> <td>Labor </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Stirling" title="Division of Stirling">Stirling, WA</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td> <td>Labor </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Harry_Webb_(politician)" title="Harry Webb (politician)">Harry Webb</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">5.5 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">8.4 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.9 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Ian_Viner" title="Ian Viner">Ian Viner</a> </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Sturt" title="Division of Sturt">Sturt, SA</a> </td> <td style="background-color:#F00011;">  </td> <td>Labor </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Norm_Foster_(politician)" title="Norm Foster (politician)">Norm Foster</a> </td> <td style="text-align:right;">0.5 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.2 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">2.7 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Ian_Wilson_(Australian_politician)" title="Ian Wilson (Australian politician)">Ian Wilson</a> </td> <td>Liberal </td> <td style="background-color:#080CAB;">  </td></tr></tbody></table> <ul><li>†Jeff Bate and Alex Buchanan contested their seats as independent candidates.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Significance">Significance</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Significance"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:McMahon_Springvale_Election_Rally_(4).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/McMahon_Springvale_Election_Rally_%284%29.jpg/220px-McMahon_Springvale_Election_Rally_%284%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="217" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/McMahon_Springvale_Election_Rally_%284%29.jpg/330px-McMahon_Springvale_Election_Rally_%284%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/McMahon_Springvale_Election_Rally_%284%29.jpg/440px-McMahon_Springvale_Election_Rally_%284%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1246" data-file-height="1229" /></a><figcaption>Supporters of McMahon hold up his placards at a rally during the election.</figcaption></figure> <p>The 1972 election ended 23 years of Liberal-Country rule, the longest unbroken run in government in Australian history. It is also unusual as Whitlam only scraped into office with a thin majority of nine seats; typically, elections that produce a change of government in Australia take the form of landslides (as in the elections of <a href="/wiki/1949_Australian_federal_election" title="1949 Australian federal election">1949</a>, <a href="/wiki/1975_Australian_federal_election" title="1975 Australian federal election">1975</a>, <a href="/wiki/1983_Australian_federal_election" title="1983 Australian federal election">1983</a>, <a href="/wiki/1996_Australian_federal_election" title="1996 Australian federal election">1996</a>, <a href="/wiki/2007_Australian_federal_election" title="2007 Australian federal election">2007</a> or <a href="/wiki/2013_Australian_federal_election" title="2013 Australian federal election">2013</a>, for example). The comparatively small size of Whitlam's win is partly explained by his strong performance at the previous election in <a href="/wiki/1969_Australian_federal_election" title="1969 Australian federal election">1969</a>, where he achieved a 7.1% swing and gained 18 seats after Labor had been reduced to 41 of 124 seats and a 43.1% two-party vote in its landslide defeat in <a href="/wiki/1966_Australian_federal_election" title="1966 Australian federal election">1966</a>. </p><p>Prime Minister Gough Whitlam quickly switched the diplomatic recognition from <a href="/wiki/Taiwan" title="Taiwan">Republic of China (Taiwan)</a> to <a href="/wiki/China" title="China">People's Republic of China</a> a few days before Christmas Day under the <a href="/wiki/One-China_policy" class="mw-redirect" title="One-China policy">one-China policy</a>. The new ruling Labor Party sought to ease the complicated tension between Australia and China<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The new Labor Government of Gough Whitlam was eager to make long-planned reforms, although it struggled against a lack of experience in its cabinet and the onset of the <a href="/wiki/1973_oil_crisis" title="1973 oil crisis">1973 oil crisis</a> and <a href="/wiki/1973%E2%80%9375_recession" class="mw-redirect" title="1973–75 recession">1973–75 recession</a>. In addition, the Senate was hostile to Whitlam, with the Coalition and Democratic Labor Parties holding more seats than the ALP, as the term of the Senate at the time was <a href="/wiki/1970_Australian_Senate_election" title="1970 Australian Senate election">1971</a> to 1974. This in particular would make governing difficult, and led to the early <a href="/wiki/Australian_electoral_system#Double_dissolutions" class="mw-redirect" title="Australian electoral system">double dissolution election</a> of <a href="/wiki/1974_Australian_federal_election" title="1974 Australian federal election">1974</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Candidates_of_the_Australian_federal_election,_1972" class="mw-redirect" title="Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1972">Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1972</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Members_of_the_Australian_House_of_Representatives,_1972-1974" class="mw-redirect" title="Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1972-1974">Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1972-1974</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFBrown1993" class="citation book cs1">Brown, Neil (1993). <i>On the Other Hand ... Sketches and Reflections from Political Life</i>. <a href="/wiki/The_Popular_Press" class="mw-redirect" title="The Popular Press">The Popular Press</a>. p. 59. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0646151207" title="Special:BookSources/0646151207"><bdi>0646151207</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=On+the+Other+Hand+...+Sketches+and+Reflections+from+Political+Life&rft.pages=59&rft.pub=The+Popular+Press&rft.date=1993&rft.isbn=0646151207&rft.aulast=Brown&rft.aufirst=Neil&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1972+Australian+federal+election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWendy_Lewis,_Simon_Balderstone_and_John_Bowan2006" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Wendy_Lewis" title="Wendy Lewis">Wendy Lewis</a>, Simon Balderstone and John Bowan (2006). <i>Events That Shaped Australia</i>. New Holland. pp. 234–238. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-74110-492-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-74110-492-9"><bdi>978-1-74110-492-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Events+That+Shaped+Australia&rft.pages=234-238&rft.pub=New+Holland&rft.date=2006&rft.isbn=978-1-74110-492-9&rft.au=Wendy+Lewis%2C+Simon+Balderstone+and+John+Bowan&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1972+Australian+federal+election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFThomas2004" class="citation book cs1">Thomas, Nicholas (2004). <i>Re-Orienting Australia-China Relations: 1972 to the Present</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Re-Orienting+Australia-China+Relations%3A+1972+to+the+Present&rft.date=2004&rft.aulast=Thomas&rft.aufirst=Nicholas&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1972+Australian+federal+election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/glossary.htm#casual_vacancy">"Glossary of Election Terms – Federal Election 2007"</a>. ABC<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">30 July</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Glossary+of+Election+Terms+%E2%80%93+Federal+Election+2007&rft.pub=ABC&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Felections%2Ffederal%2F2007%2Fguide%2Fglossary.htm%23casual_vacancy&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1972+Australian+federal+election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTrumbull1972" class="citation web cs1">Trumbull, Robert (23 December 1972). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/23/archives/australia-grants-china-recognition-new-zealand-joins-move-and-both.html">"AUSTRALIA GRANTS CHINA RECOGNITION"</a>. <i>NY Times</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=NY+Times&rft.atitle=AUSTRALIA+GRANTS+CHINA+RECOGNITION&rft.date=1972-12-23&rft.aulast=Trumbull&rft.aufirst=Robert&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F1972%2F12%2F23%2Farchives%2Faustralia-grants-china-recognition-new-zealand-joins-move-and-both.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1972+Australian+federal+election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://australianpolitics.com/elections/1972/">AustralianPolitics.com 1972 election details</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://australianpolitics.com/elections/1972/72-11-13_it's-time.shtml">"It's Time For Leadership" – Whitlam policy speech, 13 November 1972</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://elections.uwa.edu.au/">University of WA</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150118085343/http://elections.uwa.edu.au/">Archived</a> 18 January 2015 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a> election results in Australia since 1890</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/Australian_Electoral_History/House_of_Representative_1949_Present.htm">AEC 2PP vote</a></li> <li>Prior to 1984, the AEC did not undertake a full distribution of preferences for statistical purposes. The stored ballot papers for the 1983 election were put through this process prior to their destruction. Therefore, the figures from 1983 onwards show the actual result based on full distribution of preferences.</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist 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title="Referendums in Australia">referendums</a> in Australia</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_Australian_federal_elections" title="List of Australian federal elections">Federal elections</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1901_Australian_federal_election" title="1901 Australian federal election">1901</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1903_Australian_federal_election" title="1903 Australian federal election">1903</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1906_Australian_federal_election" title="1906 Australian federal election">1906</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1910_Australian_federal_election" title="1910 Australian federal election">1910</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1913_Australian_federal_election" title="1913 Australian federal election">1913</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1914_Australian_federal_election" title="1914 Australian federal election">1914</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1917_Australian_federal_election" title="1917 Australian federal election">1917</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1919_Australian_federal_election" title="1919 Australian federal election">1919</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1922_Australian_federal_election" title="1922 Australian federal election">1922</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1925_Australian_federal_election" title="1925 Australian federal election">1925</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1928_Australian_federal_election" title="1928 Australian federal election">1928</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1929_Australian_federal_election" title="1929 Australian federal election">1929</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1931_Australian_federal_election" title="1931 Australian federal election">1931</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1934_Australian_federal_election" title="1934 Australian federal election">1934</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1937_Australian_federal_election" title="1937 Australian federal election">1937</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1940_Australian_federal_election" title="1940 Australian federal election">1940</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1943_Australian_federal_election" title="1943 Australian federal election">1943</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1946_Australian_federal_election" title="1946 Australian federal election">1946</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1949_Australian_federal_election" title="1949 Australian federal election">1949</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1951_Australian_federal_election" title="1951 Australian federal election">1951</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1953_Australian_Senate_election" title="1953 Australian Senate election">1953</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1954_Australian_federal_election" title="1954 Australian federal election">1954</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1955_Australian_federal_election" title="1955 Australian federal election">1955</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1958_Australian_federal_election" title="1958 Australian federal election">1958</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1961_Australian_federal_election" title="1961 Australian federal election">1961</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1963_Australian_federal_election" title="1963 Australian federal election">1963</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1964_Australian_Senate_election" title="1964 Australian Senate election">1964</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1966_Australian_federal_election" title="1966 Australian federal election">1966</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1967_Australian_Senate_election" title="1967 Australian Senate election">1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1969_Australian_federal_election" title="1969 Australian federal election">1969</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1970_Australian_Senate_election" title="1970 Australian Senate election">1970</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">1972</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1974_Australian_federal_election" title="1974 Australian federal election">1974</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1975_Australian_federal_election" title="1975 Australian federal election">1975</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1977_Australian_federal_election" title="1977 Australian federal election">1977</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1980_Australian_federal_election" title="1980 Australian federal election">1980</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1983_Australian_federal_election" title="1983 Australian federal election">1983</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1984_Australian_federal_election" title="1984 Australian federal election">1984</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1987_Australian_federal_election" title="1987 Australian federal election">1987</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1990_Australian_federal_election" title="1990 Australian federal election">1990</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1993_Australian_federal_election" title="1993 Australian federal election">1993</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1996_Australian_federal_election" title="1996 Australian federal election">1996</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1998_Australian_federal_election" title="1998 Australian federal election">1998</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2001_Australian_federal_election" title="2001 Australian federal election">2001</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2004_Australian_federal_election" title="2004 Australian federal election">2004</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2007_Australian_federal_election" title="2007 Australian federal election">2007</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2010_Australian_federal_election" title="2010 Australian federal election">2010</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2013_Australian_federal_election" title="2013 Australian federal election">2013</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2016_Australian_federal_election" title="2016 Australian federal election">2016</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_Australian_federal_election" title="2019 Australian federal election">2019</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2022_Australian_federal_election" title="2022 Australian federal election">2022</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/2025_Australian_federal_election" title="2025 Australian federal election">2025</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Constitutional Convention</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1997_Australian_Constitutional_Convention_election" title="1997 Australian Constitutional Convention election">1997</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Referendums_in_Australia" title="Referendums in Australia">Referendums</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1906_Australian_senate_elections_referendum" title="1906 Australian senate elections referendum">1906</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1910_Australian_referendum" title="1910 Australian referendum">1910</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1911_Australian_referendum" title="1911 Australian referendum">1911</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1913_Australian_referendum" title="1913 Australian referendum">1913</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1916_Australian_conscription_referendum" title="1916 Australian conscription referendum">1916</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1917_Australian_conscription_referendum" title="1917 Australian conscription referendum">1917</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1919_Australian_referendum" title="1919 Australian referendum">1919</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1926_Australian_referendum" title="1926 Australian referendum">1926</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1928_Australian_state_debts_referendum" title="1928 Australian state debts referendum">1928</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1937_Australian_referendum" title="1937 Australian referendum">1937</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1944_Australian_Post-War_Reconstruction_and_Democratic_Rights_referendum" title="1944 Australian Post-War Reconstruction and Democratic Rights referendum">1944</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1946_Australian_referendum" title="1946 Australian referendum">1946</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1948_Australian_rents_and_prices_referendum" title="1948 Australian rents and prices referendum">1948</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1951_Australian_Communist_Party_ban_referendum" title="1951 Australian Communist Party ban referendum">1951</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1967_Australian_referendum" title="1967 Australian referendum">1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1973_Australian_referendum" title="1973 Australian referendum">1973</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1974_Australian_referendum" title="1974 Australian referendum">1974</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1977_Australian_referendum" title="1977 Australian referendum">1977</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1984_Australian_referendum" title="1984 Australian referendum">1984</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1988_Australian_referendum" title="1988 Australian referendum">1988</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1999_Australian_republic_referendum" title="1999 Australian republic referendum">1999</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Australian_Marriage_Law_Postal_Survey" title="Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey">2017</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2023_Australian_Indigenous_Voice_referendum" title="2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum">2023</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div>See also: <a href="/wiki/List_of_Australian_federal_by-elections" title="List of Australian federal by-elections">By-elections</a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&useformat=desktop" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&oldid=1259666935">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1972_Australian_federal_election&oldid=1259666935</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" 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