1928 Australian federal election

1928 Australian federal election

← 1925 17 November 1928 (1928-11-17) 1929 →
All 75 seats in the House of Representatives 38 seats were needed for a majority in the House 19 (of the 36) seats in the Senate
First party Second party   Leader Stanley Bruce James Scullin Party Nationalist/Country coalition Labor Leader since 9 February 1923 26 April 1928 Leader's seat Flinders (Vic.) Yarra (Vic.) Last election 51 seats 23 seats Seats won 42 seats 31 seats Seat change 9 8 Percentage 51.60% 48.40% Swing 2.20% 2.20
Popular vote by state with graphs indicating the number of seats won. As this is an IRV election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote by state but instead via results in each electorate.
Prime Minister before election Stanley Bruce Nationalist/Country coalition Subsequent Prime Minister Stanley Bruce Nationalist/Country coalition

The 1928 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 17 November 1928. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist–Country coalition, led by Prime Minister Stanley Bruce won a record fifth consecutive election defeating the opposition Labor Party led by James Scullin.

The election was held in conjunction with a referendum on Commonwealth–State relations, which was carried.

Future Prime Ministers John Curtin and Ben Chifley both entered parliament at this election. Both then lost their seats in the 1931 election and did not re-enter parliament until 1934 and 1940 respectively.

Results[]

  Nationalist: 29 seats

  Labor: 31 seats

  Country: 13 seats

  Country Progressive: 1 seat

  Independent: 1 seat

House of Representatives[]

House of Reps (IRV) — 1928–29—Turnout 93.64% (CV) — Informal 4.90%

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Nationalist–Country coalition		1,286,208	49.56	–3.64	42	–8
		Nationalist	1,014,522	39.09	–3.37	29	–8
		Country	271,686	10.47	–0.27	13	0
	Labor		1,158,505	44.64	–0.40	31	+8
	Country Progressive		41,713	1.61	+1.61	1	+1
	Protestant Labor		20,212	0.78	+0.78	0	0
	Independents		88,447	3.41	+1.65	1	–1
	Total		2,595,085			75
Two-party-preferred (estimated)
	Nationalist–Country coalition		Win	51.60	−2.20	42	–8
	Labor			48.40	+2.20	31	+8

Notes

• Independent: William McWilliams (Franklin, Tas.).
• Twelve members were elected unopposed – three Labor, five Nationalist, and four Country.

Senate[]

Senate (P BV) — 1928–31—Turnout 93.61% (CV) — Informal 9.88%

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats won	Seats held	Change
	Nationalist–Country coalition		1,466,323	50.46	–4.35	12	29	+1
		Nationalist	1,141,405	39.28	–6.07	10	24	0
		Country	324,918	11.18	+1.73	2	5	+1
	Labor		1,422,418	48.95	+3.93	7	7	–1
	Independents		17,092	0.59	+0.42	0	0	0
	Total		2,905,833			19	36

Seats changing hands[]

• Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

In the Division of Indi, the sitting candidate Robert Cook lost his seat after forgetting to file nomination papers, resulting in Labor candidate Paul Jones winning the seat unopposed.

See also[]

• Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1928
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1928–1929
• Members of the Australian Senate, 1929–1932

References[]

• University of WA election results in Australia since 1890
• Two-party-preferred vote since 1919