Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 31 March 1962 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The Liberal-Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir David Brand, won a second term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Albert Hawke.
The election resulted in a confirmation of the status quo, with the only apparent seat changes since the 1959 election being due to the changes of affiliation of the two Independent Liberal members. Edward Oldfield, representing Mount Lawley, had joined the Labor Party during the previous term, whilst Bill Grayden, representing South Perth, had joined the Liberal Party. Both were re-elected.
Two seats changed between the Country and LCL Parties. In Avon, the sitting member James Mann (LCL) retired after 32 years in Parliament, and Harry Gayfer, one of the two Country Party candidates, succeeded him in the seat. Meanwhile, in outer-metropolitan Darling Range, LCL candidate Ken Dunn defeated the sitting Country member Ray Owen. The Labor candidate (Jack Metcalfe) narrowly won the primary vote, whilst Dunn polled one vote ahead of Owen, meaning Owen was eliminated and his votes distributed between Dunn and Metcalfe. A petition was filed and the Court of Disputed Returns ordered a fresh election for 22 July 1962, which widened the gap to 15 votes.
Results
381,805 electors were enrolled to vote at the election, but 11 seats (22% of the total) were uncontested—4 Labor seats (two more than 1959) representing 29,773 enrolled voters, 4 LCL seats (one less than 1959) representing 26,836 enrolled voters, and 3 Country seats (one less than 1959) representing 15,532 enrolled voters.
Post-election pendulum
LCL/Country seats (26)MarginalKarrinyupLes NimmoLCL2.5%SubiacoHugh GuthrieLCL2.6%BunburyGeorge RobertsLCL3.7%Fairly safeCottesloeRoss HutchinsonLCL6.8%AvonHarry GayferCP7.2% v LCLMount LawleyRay O'ConnorLCL8.4%DaleGerald WildLCL8.6%Darling RangeKen DunnLCL8.6%SafeMurchisonRichard BurtLCL10.9%StirlingClayton MitchellCP12.7% v INDEast MelvilleDes O'NeilLCL13.6%ClaremontHarold CrommelinLCL18.2% v INDToodyayJames CraigCP18.3%MurrayRoss McLartyLCL18.7% v INDRoeTom HartCP19.7% v LCLNedlandsCharles CourtLCL21.4%BlackwoodJohn HearmanLCL24.1% v INDGreenoughDavid BrandLCL45.4% v COMSouth PerthBill GraydenLCLundist.KatanningCrawford NalderCPunopp.MooreEdgar LewisCPunopp.Mount MarshallGeorge CornellCPunopp.NarroginWilliam ManningCPunopp.VasseWilliam BovellLCLunopp.WellingtonIven ManningLCLunopp.WembleyGuy HennLCLunopp. Labor seats (24)MarginalCanningDonald MayALP1.0%MaylandsEdward OldfieldALP1.4%PerthStanley HealALP4.3%WarrenJoseph RowberryALP5.9%Fairly safe BalcattaHerb GrahamALP6.0% Mount HawthornBill HegneyALP6.2% Merredin-YilgarnLionel KellyALP8.1% BeelooColin JamiesonALP9.7%Safe MelvilleJohn TonkinALP11.3% Victoria ParkRon DaviesALP13.9% AlbanyJack HallALP14.3% CollieHarry MayALP15.9% CockburnHenry CurranALP16.1% Boulder-EyreArthur MoirALP16.7% FremantleHarry FletcherALP19.0% KalgoorlieTom EvansALP26.3%KimberleyJohn RhatiganALP28.7% v INDSwanJohn BradyALP41.8% v COMBelmontJames HegneyALPundist.GeraldtonBill SewellALPundist.BayswaterMerv TomsALPunopp.GascoyneDaniel NortonALPunopp.NorthamAlbert HawkeALPunopp.PilbaraArthur BickertonALPunopp.
See also Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1959–1962 Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1962–1965 Candidates of the 1962 Western Australian state election
References