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1992 Tasmanian state election

State election in Australia


Summary

State election in Australia

FieldValue
election_name1992 Tasmanian state election
countryTasmania
typeparliamentary
ongoingno
previous_election1989 Tasmanian state election
previous_year1989
next_election1996 Tasmanian state election
next_year1996
seats_for_electionAll 35 seats to the House of Assembly
majority_seats18
election_date1 February 1992
image1
leader1Ray Groom
leader_since117 December 1991
party1Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)
leaders_seat1Denison
last_election117 seats
seats119
seat_change12
popular_vote1154,337
percentage154.11%
swing17.19
image2
leader2Michael Field
leader_since214 December 1988
party2Australian Labor Party (Tasmanian Branch)
leaders_seat2Braddon
last_election213 seats
seats211
seat_change22
popular_vote282,296
percentage228.85%
swing25.86
image3
leader3Bob Brown
leader_since31983
party3Green independents
leaders_seat3Denison
last_election35 seats
seats35
seat_change3
popular_vote337,742
percentage313.23%
swing33.9
map_image1992 Tasmanian state election.svg
map_size350px
map_captionResults of the election
titlePremier
before_electionMichael Field
before_partyAustralian Labor Party (Tasmanian Branch)
after_electionRay Groom
after_partyLiberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)

The 1992 Tasmanian state election was held on 1 February 1992 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 35 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system — seven members were elected from each of five electorates. The quota required for election was 12.5% in each division.

The incumbent Labor Party minority government of Premier Michael Field, supported by the Green Independents led by Bob Brown, was defeated The Liberal Party under Ray Groom, which formed a majority government with Groom as Premier.

The Labor minority government had spent much of their term focusing on economic reform. The priority of the Field government was reducing state debt, which had the support of the Greens. Government cuts in spending, were able to help Tasmania reach its debt servicing commitments, but were a source of discontent in the community. The minority government succeeded until late 1991 when lobbying from the forestry industry caused Field to introduce legislation to protect the industry from conservation. The legislation had the support of the Liberal Party and passed both houses easily. However, the Greens withdrew their support of the government, prompting Labor to an election for February 1992.

The Liberal Party needed to win only one seat at this election to be returned into majority, and needed a primary vote swing of about 4.5 percent to gain that seat. Labor needed five seats to win an outright majority.

Minor parties contesting this election included Advance Tasmania; which ran candidates in each electorate. A political party called "More Jobs" fielded candidates in Denison.

Results

The result saw a swing against the Labor Party and the Greens in the direction of the Liberal Party. The 7.19 percent swing to the Liberals—almost double what they needed to win government—assured Groom would have a secure majority in the next state parliament.

Although the Greens suffered a 3.90% swing against them, their primary vote of 13.23% statewide was above the required quota for election, and it was only in Bass and Braddon that they depended on a large flow of preferences to hold their seats.

The Labor Party polled poorly with a net loss of two members. The party lost four members; Michael Weldon in Braddon, former Premier Harry Holgate and Jim Cox in Bass, David Crean in Denison. The party gained two members; Gill James in Bass and Julian Amos in Denison. The fall in the Labor vote could be attributed to the instability of the Labor-Green accord, but also because of government spending cuts.

Minor parties and Independents collectively had an increase in votes, but were far from reaching the required quota for election.

This is the first successive election until 2024 in which Tasmanian voters were presented with a different Premier from the previous election.

Primary vote by division

BassBraddonDenisonFranklinLyons
Labor Party29.6%20.8%33.3%33.8%
Liberal Party56.5%65.7%43.9%46.3%
Independent Greens11.4%8.8%17.9%15.8%
Other2.5%4.6%4.9%4.1%

Distribution of seats

ElectorateSeats won
BassLiberal}}
Braddon
Denison
Franklin
Lyons
Green

References

References

  1. [http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/tpl/Backg/HAElections.htm House of Assembly Elections], [[Parliament of Tasmania]].
Wikipedia Source

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