This article provides information on candidates who stood for the 1955 Australian federal election. The election was held on 10 December 1955.
By-elections, appointments and defections
By-elections and appointments On 21 May 1955, Jim Cope (Labor) was elected to replace Tom Sheehan (Labor) as the member for Cook. On 11 October 1955, Nancy Buttfield (Liberal) was appointed a South Australian Senator to replace George McLeay (Liberal).
Defections In 1955, the Australian Labor Party split, with the right-wing Catholic faction forming the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist). This latter group included Victorian Labor MPs Tom Andrews (Darebin), Bill Bourke (Fawkner), Bill Bryson (Wills), Jack Cremean (Hoddle), Bob Joshua (Ballaarat), Stan Keon (Yarra) and Jack Mullens (Gellibrand), together with Tasmanian Labor Senator George Cole. In 1955, Liberal Senator Agnes Robertson (Western Australia) lost preselection and defected to the Country Party.
Redistributions and seat changes Redistributions of electoral boundaries occurred in all states. In New South Wales, the Labor-held seats of Cook and Martin were abolished, and the notionally Labor seat of Hughes was created. The Country-held seat of Lawson became notionally Labor. The member for Cook, Jim Cope (Labor), contested Watson. The member for Martin, William O'Connor (Labor), contested Dalley. The member for Watson, Dan Curtin (Labor), contested Kingsford-Smith. In Victoria, the Labor-held seats of Burke and Hoddle were abolished, and the notionally Liberal seat of Bruce and the notionally Labor seat of Scullin were created. The Liberal-held seat of Corio became notionally Labor, while the Labor-held seats of Fawkner and Wannon became notionally Liberal. The member for Burke, Edward Peters (Labor), contested Scullin. The member for Gellibrand, Jack Mullens (Anti-Communist), contested Melbourne. The member for Hoddle, Jack Cremean (Anti-Communist), contested Scullin. The changes in Queensland did not result in any changes of party status. In Western Australia, the notionally Labor seat of Stirling was created. The Labor-held seat of Swan became notionally Liberal. The member for Swan, Harry Webb (Labor), contested Stirling. In South Australia, the notionally Labor seat of Bonython was created. The Labor-held seat of Sturt became notionally Liberal. The member for Sturt, Norman Makin (Labor), contested Bonython. In Tasmania, the Liberal-held seat of Darwin was renamed Braddon. The member for Darwin, Aubrey Luck (Liberal), contested Braddon.
Retiring Members and Senators
Labor Gordon Anderson MP (Kingsford-Smith, NSW) Arthur Greenup MP (Dalley, NSW) Don McLeod MP (Wannon, Vic)
Liberal Josiah Francis MP (Moreton, Qld) Jo Gullett MP (Henty, Vic)
Country Senator George Rankin (Vic)
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 Robert Greenish
New South Wales
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateCoalition candidateOther candidates Banks Labor Eric Costa Harold Stalker (Lib) Pat Clancy (CPA)Barton Labor H. V. Evatt Bill Arthur (Lib) Eric Trembath (Ind)Bennelong Liberal Harold Coates John Cramer (Lib) Blaxland Labor Jim Harrison Reginald Allsop (Lib) Bradfield Liberal Harry Turner (Lib) Calare Liberal Lionel Wood John Howse (Lib) Cowper Country Sir Earle Page (CP) Cunningham Labor Billy Davies John Parkinson (Lib) William Harkness (CPA)Dalley Labor William O'Connor Stanley Tyler (Lib) Ernie Thornton (CPA)Darling Labor Joe Clark Ewen Martin (CP) East Sydney Labor Eddie Ward Joseph Landor (Lib) Bill Brown (CPA)Eden-Monaro Labor Allan Fraser Mark Flanagan (Lib) Royce Beavis (Ind)Evans Liberal Sidney Pollard Frederick Osborne (Lib) Farrer Liberal Robert Garland David Fairbairn (Lib) Grayndler Labor Fred Daly Ian Chisholm (Lib) Hal Alexander (CPA)William McCristal (Ind)Gwydir Country Austin Heffernan Ian Allan (CP) Hughes Labor Les Johnson Keith Bates (Lib) Robert Mackie (Ind)Alf Watt (CPA)Hume Labor Arthur Fuller Charles Anderson (CP) Hunter Labor Rowley James Edward Farrell (Lib) Evan Phillips (CPA)Kingsford-Smith Labor Dan Curtin John McGirr (Lib) Hubert O'Connell (Ind)Lang Labor Frank Stewart Wallace Peacock (Lib) Lawson Labor Jack Williamson Laurie Failes (CP) Lowe Liberal Edward Davies William McMahon (Lib) Lyne Country Jack Collins Philip Lucock (CP) Joe Cordner (Ind)Macarthur Liberal Claude Allen Jeff Bate (Lib) Mackellar Liberal Norman McAlpine Bill Wentworth (Lib) Frank Hardy (CPA)Macquarie Labor Tony Luchetti Norman Leven (Lib) Vernon Moffitt (CPA)Mitchell Liberal Doug Bowd Roy Wheeler (Lib) New England Country Frederick Cowley David Drummond (CP) Newcastle Labor David Watkins Eric Cupit (Lib) Sidney Monroe (Ind)Doug Olive (CPA)North Sydney Liberal Joseph McNally William Jack (Lib) Parkes Labor Les Haylen John Spicer (Lib) Parramatta Liberal John Heazlewood Howard Beale (Lib) Paterson Liberal William Harvey Allen Fairhall (Lib) Phillip Labor Joe Fitzgerald William Aston (Lib) Reid Labor Charles Morgan George Walker (Lib) Jack Hughes (CPA)Charles Tubman (Ind)Richmond Country Larry Anthony (CP) Riverina Country Oscar Washington Hugh Roberton (CP) Robertson Liberal Frank Spencer Roger Dean (Lib) St George Labor Nelson Lemmon Bill Graham (Lib) Shortland Labor Charles Griffiths Gordon Greig (Lib) Warringah Liberal Francis Bland (Lib) Watson Labor Jim Cope Jill Huxtable (Lib) Harry Hatfield (CPA)Wentworth Liberal Sir Eric Harrison (Lib) Hal Lashwood (Ind)Werriwa Labor Gough Whitlam John Shannon (Lib) West Sydney Labor Dan Minogue Frank Weaver (Lib) Lance Sharkey (CPA)
Northern Territory
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidate Northern Territory Labor Jock Nelson
Queensland
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateCoalition candidateOther candidates Bowman Liberal Hector Chalmers Malcolm McColm (Lib) Brisbane Labor George Lawson Kevin Cairns (Lib) Claude Jones (CPA)Capricornia Liberal Colin Maxwell George Pearce (Lib) Eric Browne (CPA)Darling Downs Liberal Reginald Swartz (Lib) Dawson Country Stanley Dalton Charles Davidson (CP) Fisher Country Charles Adermann (CP) Griffith Labor Wilfred Coutts Doug Berry (Lib) Herbert Labor Bill Edmonds Arnold White (CP) Frank Bishop (CPA)Kennedy Labor Bill Riordan Timothy Donnelly (CP) Leichhardt Labor Harry Bruce Tom Gilmore (CP) Frank Falls (CPA)Lilley Liberal Jack Melloy Bruce Wight (Lib) Maranoa Country Wilfred Brimblecombe (CP) Paul Bauers (Ind)Charles Russell (Ind)McPherson Country David Clarke Sir Arthur Fadden (CP) Thomas Green (Ind)Moreton Liberal Allen Edwards James Killen (Lib) Max Julius (CPA)Oxley Liberal Norman Thomas Donald Cameron (Lib) James Dwyer (Ind)Mervyn Welsby (CPA)Petrie Liberal Noel Curran Alan Hulme (Lib) Ryan Liberal Norman Buchan Nigel Drury (Lib) Wide Bay Country Matthew Tallon William Brand (CP)
South Australia
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateLiberal candidateOther candidates Adelaide Labor Cyril Chambers James Maitland Olaf Alland (ALPAC)Jim Moss (CPA)Angas Liberal Darcy Nielsen Alick Downer Frank Rieck (Ind)Barker Liberal Ralph Dettman Archie Cameron Bonython Labor Norman Makin John Mathwin Boothby Liberal Rex Mathews John McLeay John Sutherland (ALPAC)Grey Labor Edgar Russell George Bockelberg Hindmarsh Labor Clyde Cameron Frank Potter Francis Moran (ALPAC)Kingston Labor Pat Galvin Jim Forbes Port Adelaide Labor Albert Thompson Peter Symon (CPA)Sturt Liberal Frederick Hansford Keith Wilson Wakefield Liberal Robert Bruce Sir Philip McBride Hector Henstridge (Ind)
Tasmania
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateLiberal candidateOther candidates Bass Labor Lance Barnard Frederick White Leslie Duke (ALPAC)Braddon Liberal Reg Murray Aubrey Luck Denison Liberal Brian Miller Athol Townley Max Bound (CPA)Franklin Liberal Brian Crawford Bill Falkinder Henry Roberts (ALPAC)Wilmot Labor Gil Duthie Robert Bethell Owen Doherty (ALPAC)
Victoria
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateCoalition candidateAnti-Communist candidateCommunist candidate Balaclava Liberal George Smith Percy Joske (Lib) Rex Keane Ballaarat Labor Austin Dowling Dudley Erwin (Lib) Bob Joshua Batman Labor Alan Bird Fred Capp (Lib) Tom Walsh Bendigo Labor Percy Clarey Bill Day (Lib) Jim Brosnan Bruce Liberal Keith Ewert Billy Snedden (Lib) Reginald Kearney Chisholm Liberal John Stewart Wilfrid Kent Hughes (Lib) Leonora Lloyd Corangamite Liberal Edwin Morris Dan Mackinnon (Lib) Leo O'Brien Corio Labor Charles Loader Hubert Opperman (Lib) Francis Singleton Darebin Labor Robert Holt Charles White (Lib) Tom Andrews Deakin Liberal Norm Griffiths Frank Davis (Lib) Terence Collins Fawkner Labor Patrick Thompson Peter Howson (Lib) Bill Bourke Flinders Liberal Francis Cranston Robert Lindsay (Lib) Jack Austin Gellibrand Labor Hector McIvor John Bown (Lib) James Eudey Frank JohnsonGippsland Country Clement Little George Bowden (CP) Frank Burns Henty Liberal Percy Treyvaud Max Fox (Lib) Henry Moore Higgins Liberal Andrew Hughes Harold Holt (Lib) John Fitzgerald Higinbotham Liberal Les Coates Frank Timson (Lib) Frank Gaffy Indi Liberal Carl Reeves William Bostock (Lib) William Findlay Isaacs Liberal Barry Jones William Haworth (Lib) John Hughes Kooyong Liberal Dolph Eddy Robert Menzies (Lib) Kevin Gregson Gerry O'DayLa Trobe Liberal Bill Webber Richard Casey (Lib) George Noone Lalor Labor Reg Pollard Peter Kemp (Lib) William Lloyd Mallee Country William Nicholas Winton Turnbull (CP) Edwin Leyden Maribyrnong Labor Arthur Drakeford Philip Stokes (Lib) David Purcell McMillan Liberal Horace Hawkins Alex Buchanan (Lib) Desmond Devlin Melbourne Labor Arthur Calwell James Moloney (Lib) Jack Mullens Melbourne Ports Labor Frank Crean Harold Sher (Lib) Stan Corrigan Alex DobbinMurray Country James Cameron John McEwen (CP) Michael Reilly Scullin Labor Ted Peters Phillip Lynch (Lib) Jack Cremean Wannon Liberal Roy Cundy Malcolm Fraser (Lib) Terence Callander Wills Labor Gordon Bryant Alfred Wall (Lib) Bill Bryson Wimmera Liberal Winston Lamb William Lawrence (Lib) Bernard Flanagan Yarra Labor Jim Cairns James Wilkie (Lib) Stan Keon Ken Miller
Western Australia
ElectorateHeld by Labor candidateCoalition candidateOther candidates Canning Country Len Hamilton (CP) Curtin Liberal Paul Hasluck (Lib) Forrest Liberal Gordon Freeth (Lib) Fremantle Labor Kim Beazley Vernon Hubbard (Lib) Paddy Troy (CPA)Kalgoorlie Labor Herbert Johnson Harold Illingworth (Ind)Moore Country Hugh Leslie (CP) Perth Labor Tom Burke Fred Chaney (Lib) Stirling Labor Harry Webb Frederick Payne (Lib) Swan Liberal Thomas Williams Richard Cleaver (Lib)
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 two seats. The Liberal-Country Coalition was defending three seats. Senators Stan Amour (Labor), Ken Anderson (Liberal), James Arnold (Labor), Donald Grant (Labor) and Alister McMullin (Liberal) were not up for re-election.
Labor candidatesCoalition candidatesCommunist candidatesUngrouped candidates Bill Ashley* John Armstrong* Lindsay NorthBill Spooner* (Lib) Albert Reid* (CP) John McCallum* (Lib)Jim Healy Cecil Connors Flo DavisDonald Skelton Stanley Allen Harry Sawkins Wal Campbell Vincent Scott
Queensland Five seats were up for election. The Labor Party was defending two seats. The Liberal-Country Coalition was defending three seats. Senators Gordon Brown (Labor), Condon Byrne (Labor), Roy Kendall (Liberal), Ted Maher (Country) and Ian Wood (Liberal) were not up for re-election.
Labor candidatesCoalition candidatesCommunist candidates Archie Benn* Ben Courtice* Edward AshmoreWalter Cooper* (CP) Neil O'Sullivan* (Lib) Annabelle Rankin* (Lib)Tom Millar