1889 Victorian colonial election

The 1889 Victorian colonial election was held on 28 March 1889 to elect the 14th Parliament of Victoria. All 95 seats in the Legislative Assembly were up for election, though 11 were uncontested.

1889 Victorian colonial election

28 March 1889
All 95 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly 48 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Alfred Deakin Duncan Gillies Party Liberal Ministerialists Conservative Ministerialists Leader's seat Essendon and Flemington Eastern Suburbs Seats won 30 23 Percentage 23.14 14.81
Premier before election Duncan Gillies Conservative Elected Premier Duncan Gillies Conservative

There were 73 single-member and 11 two-member electorates.

The incumbent coalition government, led by Conservative leader Duncan Gillies and Liberal leader Alfred Deakin, was re-elected.

Results

Legislative Assembly (FPTP)

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Liberal Ministerialists		39,241	23.14		30
	Liberal Oppositionists		34,407	20.30		23
	Ministerialists		32,281	19.04		6
	Conservative Ministerialists		25,103	14.81		23
	Oppositionists		22,168	13.07		3
	Conservative Oppositionists		7,388	4.36		7
	Liberal		4,566	2.69		2
	Conservative		2,558	1.51		0
	Independent		1,837	1.08		1
Formal votes			169,549

Aftermath

On 30 October 1890, the Gillies-Deakin government was defeated on a vote of confidence, and was succeeded by a composite (though not formally a coalition) government led by Liberal James Munro.

In February 1892 Munro, who was deeply in debt, asked his Cabinet to appoint him Victorian Agent-General in London. He then resigned as Premier and immediately took ship from Port Melbourne. William Shiels became the new Premier on 16 February 1892, and he led the Liberals to the 1892 election.