1947 Queensland state election

Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 3 May 1947 to elect the 62 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.

1947 Queensland state election

← 1944 3 May 1947 1950 →

All 62 seats in the Legislative Assembly
32 seats are needed for a majority
Registered697,405 Increase 6.3%
Turnout632,909 (90.75%)
(Increase 12.58pp)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Ned Hanlon Frank Nicklin
Party Labor Country
Leader since 7 March 1946 21 May 1941
Leader's seat Ithaca Murrumba
Last election 38 seats, 46.23% 12 seats, 17.28%
Seats before 39 seats[a] 11 seats[a]
Seats won 35 14
Seat change Decrease 4 Increase 3
Popular vote 272,203 129,158
Percentage 43.00% 20.40%
Swing Decrease 3.23 Increase 3.12

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Bruce Pie Jack Henry
Party People's Party Communist
Leader since 8 March 1946 March 1937
Leader's seat Windsor
Last election 7 seats, 24.29% 1 seat, 2.43%
Seats before 7 seats 1 seat
Seats won 9 1
Seat change Increase 2 Steady
Popular vote 160,623 7,870
Percentage 25.38% 1.24
Swing Increase 1.09 Decrease 1.19

Legislative Assembly after the election

Premier before election

Frank Arthur Cooper
Labor

Elected Premier

Ned Hanlon
Labor

The election was the first that the Labor government had contested under Premier Ned Hanlon, who had been in office for 14 months by the time of the poll.

The election resulted in Labor receiving a sixth term in office. It was the first Queensland election at which all seats were contested by at least two candidates.

Key dates

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Date Event
21 March 1947 The Parliament was dissolved.[2]
24 March 1947 Writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election.[3]
31 March 1947 Close of nominations.
3 May 1947 Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm.
15 May 1947 The Hanlon Ministry was re-sworn in.[4]
24 May 1947 Polling day in the seat of Gregory.[5]
30 May 1947 The writ was returned and the results formally declared.
2 June 1947 Polling day in the seat of Cook.[5]
5 August 1947 Parliament resumed for business.[6]

Results

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Legislative Assembly (IRV) – Turnout: 90.75%[7]
 
Party Primary vote Seats
Votes % Swing (pp) Seats Change
  Labor 272,203 43.00 –3.23 35   4
  Country 129,158[b] 20.40 +3.12 14   3
  People's Party 160,623 25.38 +1.09 9   2
  Frank Barnes Labor 21,823 3.45 +2.63 1   1
  Communist 7,870 1.24 –1.19 1  
  Independent Labor 6,727 1.06 +1.06 1   1
  Hermit Park Labor 4,541 0.72 –0.36 1  
  King O'Malley Labor 3,061 0.48 –0.65 0  
  Co-operative Democrat 702[c] 0.11 +0.08 0  
  Independent 17,722 2.80 –1.82 0   1
Total 632,909 100.00 62  
Invalid/blank votes 8,579 1.4 –0.42
Turnout 632,909 90.75 +12.58
Registered voters 697,405
Popular vote
Labor
43.58%
People's Party
25.73%
Country
19.49%
Frank Barnes Labor
3.97%
Communist
1.26%
Hermit Park Labor
0.73%
Independents
5.24%
Seats
Labor
56.45%
Country
22.58%
People's Party
14.52%
Frank Barnes Labor
1.61%
Communist
1.61%
Hermit Park Labor
1.61%
Independents
1.61%

Seats changing party representation

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This table lists changes in party representation at the 1947 election.

Seat Incumbent member Party New member Party
Cairns Lou Barnes   Frank Barnes Labor Thomas Crowley   Labor
Dalby Aubrey Slessar   Labor Charles Russell   Country
East Toowoomba Les Wood   Labor Gordon Chalk   People's Party
Maree Louis Luckins   Independent Louis Luckins   People's Party
Mirani Ted Walsh   Labor Ernie Evans   Country
Warwick John Healy   Labor Otto Madsen   Country

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Following the death of Country MP for East Toowoomba, Herbert Yeates, in 1945, a by-election was held in March of the following year. Approximately 1 year and 62 days out from the next state election, the seat was won by Labor candidate Les Wood by less than two-hundred votes.[1]
  2. ^ Includes Independent Country candidates for Cooroora and Nanango.
  3. ^ Includes a candidate running as a "Democrat".

References

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  1. ^ "Labour Wins East Toowoomba". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser. No. 23, 107. 4 March 1946. p. 4. Retrieved 2 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "A Proclamation". Queensland Government Gazette. 21 March 1947. p. 168:879.
  3. ^ "Untitled". Queensland Government Gazette. 24 March 1947. p. 168:925.
  4. ^ "Untitled". Queensland Government Gazette. 15 May 1947. p. 168:1511–1512.
  5. ^ a b "Order in Council". Queensland Government Gazette. 26 July 1947. p. 169:206..
  6. ^ "Untitled". Queensland Government Gazette. 3 July 1947. p. 169:15.
  7. ^ Hughes, CA; Graham, BD (1974). Voting for the Queensland legislative assembly, 1890-1964 (PDF). Australia National University (ANU).