1986 Scullin by-election

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Scullin in Victoria (Australia) on 8 February 1986. This was triggered by the resignation of Labor Party MP and Speaker Harry Jenkins to become Australian Ambassador to Spain.

1986 Scullin by-election

8 February 1986

First party Second party   Candidate Harry Jenkins Domenic Cichello Party Labor Liberal Popular vote 34,021 11,741 Percentage 66.3% 22.9% Swing 5.2pp 4.3pp TPP 73.2% 26.8% TPP swing 4.4pp 4.4pp

MP before election Harry Jenkins Sr. Labor Elected MP Harry Jenkins Labor

Scullin had always been a very safe Labor seat, and the election was won easily by Labor candidate Harry Jenkins (the former member's son), despite a swing to the Liberal Party.

Candidates

• Liberal Party of Australia – Domenic Cichello.
• Australian Democrats – Joseph Privitelli.
• Democratic Labor Party – John Mulholland. Mulholland had previously contested three federal elections and one by-election for the DLP.
• Australian Labor Party – Harry Jenkins, a public servant, son of the retiring member Harry Jenkins.
• Socialist Workers Party – Maurice Sibelle.

Results

Scullin by-election, 1986

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Harry Jenkins	34,021	66.3	−5.2
	Liberal	Domenic Cichello	11,741	22.9	+4.3
	Democrats	Joseph Privitelli	3,727	7.3	+0.6
	Socialist Workers	Maurice Sibelle	930	1.8	+1.8
	Democratic Labor	John Mulholland	924	1.8	−1.4
Total formal votes			51,343	93.9
Informal votes			3,318	6.1
Turnout			54,661	87.5
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Harry Jenkins	37,562	73.2	−4.4
	Liberal	Dominic Cichello	13,770	26.8	+4.4
	Labor hold		Swing	−4.4

See also

• List of Australian federal by-elections