Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 12 November 1977 to elect the 82 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.
The election resulted in a fourth consecutive victory for the National–Liberal Coalition under Joh Bjelke-Petersen. It was the eighth victory of the National Party in Queensland since it first came to office in 1957.
Issues
The major issue in the election was law and order. In 1977, the Government had passed a law making it illegal to march in the street without a permit, which were rarely given. The Coalition argued that this prevented traffic disruption and other inconveniences to the people of Brisbane, while the ALP claimed that it was a curtailment of civil liberties. Joh Bjelke-Petersen also no longer had the Whitlam Labor Government (which was unpopular in Queensland) to use as a campaigning tool.
Key dates Date Event 10 October 1977 The Legislative Assembly was dissolved. 10 October 1977 Writs were issued by the Governor, James Ramsay, to proceed with an election. 17 October 1977 Close of nominations. 12 November 1977 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm. 16 December 1977 The Bjelke-Petersen Ministry was reconstituted. 20 December 1977 The writ was returned and the results formally declared. 14 January 1978 Deadline for return of the writs. 28 March 1978 Parliament resumed for business.
Result
The Labor Party gained twelve seats from the Coalition and Independents, making something of a recovery from its disastrous 1974 performance. Even so, the Coalition retained a commanding majority in the Legislative Assembly.
For the first time, the National Party won more votes than the Liberal party (an electoral malapportionment had allowed the Nationals to win more seats than the Liberals previously). The Liberal Party had begun to decline.
The Democratic Labor Party had ceased to exist. The Australian Democrats contested their first election in Queensland.
Results
New parties in this election were the Australian Democrats, who stood 12 candidates, and the Progress Party, who stood 27 candidates.
Seats changing hands Seat Pre-1977 Swing Post-1977 Party Member Margin Margin Member PartyBrisbane Central Liberal notional – new seat 2.8 –8.2 5.4 Brian Davis Labor Chatsworth Liberal Bill Hewitt 5.7 –6.8 1.1 Terry Mackenroth Labor Cook National Eric Deeral 2.6 –6.5 3.9 Bob Scott Labor Everton Liberal Brian Lindsay 9.2 –10.2 1.0 Glen Milliner Labor Ipswich West National Albert Hales 1.1 –5.4 4.3 David Underwood Labor Maryborough Liberal Gilbert Alison 5.0 –5.2 0.2 Brendan Hansen Labor Murrumba National Des Frawley 9.7 –11.1 1.4 Joe Kruger Labor South Brisbane Liberal Colin Lamont 4.1 –7.3 3.2 Jim Fouras Labor Southport National notional – new seat 19.4 –29.2 9.8 Peter White Liberal Surfers Paradise National Bruce Small 23.0 –28.7 5.7 Bruce Bishop Liberal Townsville South Independent Tom Aikens 0.6 –1.6 1.0 Alex Wilson Labor Woodridge Liberal notional – new seat 7.8 –11.9 4.1 Bill D'Arcy Labor Wynnum National Bill Lamond 0.1 –4.2 4.1 Eric Shaw Labor
Members listed in italics did not recontest their seats. In addition, the Independent member for Mackay, Ed Casey re-joined the Labor party before the election and retained the seat.
Post-election pendulum
National / Liberal seats (59)MarginalBarron RiverMartin TenniNAT0.2% MourilyanVicky KippinNAT0.3%StaffordTerry GygarLIB0.5%Mount IsaAngelo BertoniNAT0.6% SalisburyRosemary KyburzLIB0.7% Townsville WestMax HooperNAT0.9%Toowoomba NorthJohn LockwoodLIB1.6%WavellBrian AustinLIB2.8% KurilpaSam DoumanyLIB3.0%WarregoNeil TurnerNAT3.0%HinchinbrookTed RowNAT3.1%Pine RiversRob AkersLIB3.4% IpswichLlewellyn EdwardsLIB4.1% WindsorBob MooreLIB4.5%AshgroveJohn GreenwoodLIB4.9%Toowoomba SouthJohn WarnerNAT4.9%AlbertIvan GibbsNAT5.0%RedlandsJohn GolebyNAT5.4%WhitsundayRon CammNAT5.5%Surfers ParadiseBruce BishopLIB5.7%Fairly safeIthacaCol MillerLIB6.0%RedcliffeJim HoughtonNAT6.2% TownsvilleNorman Scott-YoungLIB6.3%MerthyrDon LaneLIB6.4%GregoryBill GlassonNAT6.8%FlindersBob KatterNAT7.1%Peak DownsVince LesterNAT7.8%NundahWilliam KnoxLIB8.1%YerongaNorm LeeLIB8.1%MulgraveRoy ArmstrongNAT8.4%ToowongCharles PorterLIB8.7% CabooltureDes FrawleyNAT9.0%IsisLin PowellNAT9.2%South CoastRuss HinzeNAT9.3%SouthportPeter WhiteLIB9.8% v NATSafeBurdekinVal BirdNAT10.3%Mount GravattGuelfi ScassolaLIB10.4%FassifernSelwyn MullerNAT11.4%AspleyFred CampbellLIB11.5% v NATMiraniTom NewberyNAT11.5%GreenslopesBill HewittLIB12.4%MansfieldBill KausLIB12.6%SherwoodAngus InnesLIB12.9%CarnarvonPeter McKechnieNAT13.5%CallideLindsay HartwigNAT15.3%RomaKen TomkinsNAT16.0%SomersetBill GunnNAT17.9%CoorooraGordon SimpsonNAT18.1%LandsboroughMike AhernNAT18.2%GympieMax HodgesNAT18.8%WarwickDes BoothNAT18.9%BurnettClaude WhartonNAT19.3%Mount Coot-thaBill LickissLIB19.8%Very safeCondamineVic SullivanNAT21.4%BalonneDon NealNAT21.9%AuburnNeville HewittNAT22.3%LockyerTony BourkeLIB22.5%BarambahJoh Bjelke-PetersenNAT28.3%CunninghamTony ElliottNAT30.6% Labor seats (23)MarginalMaryboroughBrendan HansenALP0.2% v LIB EvertonGlen MillinerALP1.0% v LIB Townsville SouthAlex WilsonALP1.0% v IND ChatsworthTerry MackenrothALP1.1% v LIB MurrumbaJoe KrugerALP1.4% South BrisbaneJim FourasALP3.2% v LIB CookBob ScottALP3.9% WoodridgeBill D'ArcyALP4.1% v LIB WynnumEric ShawALP4.1% Ipswich WestDavid UnderwoodALP4.3% BundabergJim BlakeALP4.4% Brisbane CentralBrian DavisALP5.4% v LIBFairly safe SandgateNev WarburtonALP8.0% NudgeeKen VaughanALP8.7% v LIB BulimbaJack HoustonALP9.8% v LIBSafe WolstonBob GibbsALP10.6% v LIB CairnsRay JonesALP11.4% Port CurtisBill PrestALP11.8% MackayEd CaseyALP11.9% Rockhampton NorthLes YewdaleALP16.2% v LIB LyttonTom BurnsALP17.0% RockhamptonKeith WrightALP17.3% v LIB ArcherfieldKevin HooperALP18.4% v LIB
See also Candidates of the Queensland state election, 1977 Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1974–1977 Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1977–1980
References