1970 Australian Capital Territory election

For the federal by-election held in May, see 1970 Australian Capital Territory by-election.
1970 Australian Capital Territory election
← 1967 12 September 1970 1974 →
All 8 seats on the Australian Capital Territory Advisory Council
  First party Second party Third party
 
AUS
Leader Gordon Walsh Alan Fitzgerald Jim Leedman
Party Labor Australia Liberal
Leader since 8 July 1967 24 August 1970 1966
Last election 3 seats Did not exist 2 seats
Seats before 3 1 2
Seats won 3 1 1
Seat change Steady Steady Decrease 1
First preference vote 14,918 10,954 6,634
Percentage 30.32% 22.27% 13.48%

The 1970 Australian Capital Territory election was held on 12 September 1970 to elect all eight members of the Advisory Council, the main elected representative body of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).[1][2] The election was conducted by the Commonwealth Electoral Office, with 18 candidates and four political parties contesting.[3][4]

Four members of the previous council were re-elected, with Labor Party leader Gordon Walsh receiving the highest first preference vote of 25.68%.[5][6] Alan Fitzgerald, who was elected in 1967 as part of the satirical True Whig Party, was re-elected with 21.9% of the vote as the leader of the Australia Party, ahead of Liberal leader Jim Leedman.[7]

This was the final election for the Advisory Council, which was replaced by the Legislative Assembly (later known as the House of Assembly) in 1974.[8]

Results

1970 Australian Capital Territory election[5][6][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Quota 5,466
Labor Gordon Walsh (elected) 12,633 25.68
Australia Alan Fitzgerald (elected) 10,778 21.91
Independent Jim Pead (elected) 6,315 12.83
Liberal Jim Leedman (elected) 6,264 12.73
Independent Ian Black (elected) 3,139 6.38
Independent Anne Dalgarno (elected) 2,824 5.74
Democratic Labor Terence Christie 1,991 4.04
Labor Noelle Gleeson 1,063 2.16
Independent Bill Pye 976 1.98
Labor Fred McCauley (elected) 962 1.95
Independent Augustin (Gus) Petersilka 685 1.39
Independent Mary Moore 449 0.91
Independent Mike Cavanough 302 0.61
Labor Ken Fry (elected) 260 0.52
Liberal Tony Pratten 235 0.47
Liberal Alan Harper 135 0.27
Australia Bill Robinson 93 0.18
Australia Derek Emerson-Elliott 83 0.16
Total formal votes 49,187 91.16
Informal votes 4,769 8.84
Turnout 53,956
Party total votes
Labor 14,918 30.32
Independent 14,690 29.89
Australia 10,954 22.27
Liberal 6,634 13.48
Democratic Labor 1,991 4.04

References

  1. ^ "Three try for Council poll". The Canberra Times. 12 August 1970. p. 10. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Mr PEAD AGAIN LEADS COUNCIL". The Canberra Times. 14 October 1970. p. 1. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  3. ^ Davidson, Gay (25 August 1970). "More power issue of ACT council poll". The Canberra Times. p. 3. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  4. ^ "PREFERENCE COUNTING FOR A.C.T. VOTING". The Canberra Times. 16 September 1970. p. 7. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Election position unchanged". The Canberra Times. 15 September 1970. p. 3. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Four of last council back". The Canberra Times. 17 September 1970. p. 13. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Hansard of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly" (PDF). ACT Legislative Assembly. 7 April 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  8. ^ "20pc GAIN BY LIBERALS". The Canberra Times. 30 September 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  9. ^ "LABOR SELECTS CANDIDATES FOR ADVISORY COUNCIL". The Canberra Times. 27 July 1970. p. 1. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  10. ^ "ACT poll entry". The Canberra Times. 7 August 1970. p. 3. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  11. ^ Hines, Barbara (27 August 1970). "A happy community starts with a woman". The Canberra Times. p. 21. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  12. ^ Robinson, A. (28 August 1970). "Advisory Council". The Canberra Times. p. 2. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Land costs must be reduced: DLP man". The Canberra Times. 1 September 1970. p. 7. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  14. ^ Castellari, Bert (3 September 1970). "Protest for the ordinary man". The Canberra Times. p. 15. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  15. ^ Castellari, Bert (4 September 1970). "Second election bid by Christie". The Canberra Times. p. 10. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  16. ^ Castellari, Bert (8 September 1970). "Public apathetic, but candidates have the enthusiasm". The Canberra Times. p. 10. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  17. ^ "AUGUSTIK (GUS) PETERSILKA". The Canberra Times. 10 September 1970. p. 8. Retrieved 24 December 2024.