19 May 1974
PRIME MINISTER
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. E. G. WHITLAM, M. P.
The electors of Australia have voted to support their Government.
Their voice has been partly muffled by the peculiarities of the
electoral system. In New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and
South Australia there are some electorates with an enrolment of
only 50,000 aqd others with an enrolment of 80,000 or even more.
Nevertheless, some clear facts emerge.
The 12f Labor candidates won as many votes as the other 374
candidates combined.
The Government secured a higher percentage of votes on 18 May
1974 than on 2 December 1972. The combined Liberal, Country Party
and D. L. P. vote was lower than in 1972.
The majority in favour of the Australian Labor Party over the
coalition parties is far higher than that recorded in 1972.
Swings to the Government have been recorded in all the areas
of greatest concentration of population.
In other words, the mandate of 1972 has been renewed in so
far as the electoral system allows an accurate expression of the
people's will.
If Australia is to have an effective and stable parliamentary
democracy, then electorates must urgently be distributed to give a
more accurate reflection of the wishes of the people.
It is important that it should be realised at home and abroad
that whatever the position of the Government in the House of
Representatives in terms of seats may be, its position in the
nation is one of strong and continuing support.
CANBERRA, A. C. T.
Whitlam, Gough
Period of Service: 05/12/1972 - 11/11/1975
Find more information on Whitlam, Gough on the:
Release Date:
19/05/1974
Release Type:
Media Release
Transcript ID:
3274
Document:
00003274.pdf
1 Page(s)
Released by:
- Whitlam, Edward Gough
PRIME MINISTER - STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR EG WHITLAM QC MP - 19 MAY 1974
3274