John Malcolm Fraser contested the seat of Wannon, in the western district of Victoria, 13 times. He won the seat in 1955 and held it for nearly 28 years, until his retirement from parliament in 1983.

29 May 1954

Fraser was unsuccessful in this first bid for the House of Representatives seat of Wannon. The federal election returned the Coalition government, but with 5 seats lost to Labor.

10 December 1955

Fraser won the seat of Wannon, one of the 57 House of Representatives seats won by the Liberal Party. The Country Party won 18 seats, and Labor 47. In the half-Senate election, of the 30 seats contested, the Coalition won 16, Labor 12, Anti-Communist Labor 1 and Country-Western Australia 1.

22 November 1958

The Menzies–McEwen Coalition was returned with a substantial majority, and Fraser retained Wannon. In the House of Representatives, the Liberal Party won 58 seats, the Country Party 19, and Labor 45. Of the 32 Senate seats contested, however, the Coalition and Labor each won 15, with the other 2 seats won by the Democratic Labor Party and Country-Western Australia.

9 December 1961

At this election the Coalition narrowly retained government, with 45 Liberal members and 17 Country Party members to Labor’s 60. The Coalition thus governed by a majority of 1 seat after a Speaker was elected in the House of Representatives. Of the 31 Senate seats contested at this election, the Coalition won 15 and Labor 14, with 1 Country-Western Australia and 1 ‘other’.

30 November 1963

Robert Menzies called this House of Representatives election early, and obtained an improved majority with 52 House of Representatives seats won by the Liberal Party, 20 by the Country Party and 50 by Labor.

26 November 1966

The Liberal Party won 61 seats in the House of Representatives, the Country Party 21 and the Labor Party 41. An Independent won 1 seat.

25 October 1969

The Gorton government was returned at this House of Representatives election, but with increased dependence on its Coalition partner. The Liberal Party won 46 seats and the Country Party 20, with Labor increasing its seats to 59. The Democratic Labor Party and Australia Party also contested this election, without success.

2 December 1972

Labor won government with 67 seats in the House of Representatives to the Liberal Party’s 38 and the Country Party’s 20. The Democratic Labor Party and Australia Party candidates were again unsuccessful.

18 May 1974

Prime Minister Gough Whitlam secured a double dissolution election. In the House of Representatives, the Labor Party remained in government with 66 seats, the Liberal Party 40, and the Country Party 21. But the new Senate was evenly balanced with the government holding 29 seats, the Liberal party 23 and the Country Party 6. The balance of power was held by an Independent Senator and one representing the Liberal Movement.

13 December 1975

This double dissolution election was held after Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed the government of Gough Whitlam and appointed Fraser as caretaker Prime Minister. The Fraser government was elected with a resounding majority. The Liberal Party won 68 seats to Labor’s 36, with the National Country Party (the new name of the Country Party from 2 May 1975) winning 23 seats in the House of Representatives.

In the newly enlarged Senate, 64 seats were contested and 27 Liberal, 27 Labor and 7 National Party Senators were elected. Also elected were 1 Independent and 1 each from the Liberal Movement and the Country Liberal Party. The increase in the size of the Senate was the result of allocating 2 Senate seats each to the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

10 December 1977

The Fraser government maintained its strong majority in the House of Representatives, winning 67 seats to the Labor Party’s 38, with 19 seats going to the National Country Party.

In the Senate, the government improved its position slightly, winning 16 seats to Labor’s 14. The National Country Party and the Country Liberal Party won 1 seat each. The Australian Democrats entered parliament for the first time, winning 2 Senate seats.

18 October 1980

The Fraser government remained in office, though Liberal Party seats in the House of Representatives decreased to 54. The National Country Party won 20 seats, while Labor increased its seats to 51, one of which was the seat of Wills, won by Bob Hawke.

In the Senate the government won 12 seats, the Labor Party 15, the National Party 2, Country Liberal Party 1, and the Australian Democrats 3. An Independent also won 1 seat.

5 March 1983

Labor gained government in a landslide win, with 75 seats in the House of Representatives to 33 Liberal Party and 17 National Party seats. Labor also increased its Senate seats to 30. The Liberal Party won 23 Senate seats, the National Party 4, the Country Liberal Party 1 and 1 Independent. The Australian Democrats increased their representation, winning 5 Senate seats.

Fraser held his House of Representatives seat of Wannon with a comfortable majority, but resigned from parliament on 31 March 1983.

Sources

These brief election results relate only to this Prime Minister. They are drawn from the online sources below, where further information can be found.

Australian Electoral Commission: Election results

University of Western Australia: Australian Government and Politics Database