1945 Victoria Park state by-election


A by-election for the seat of Victoria Park in the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia was held on 10 February 1945. It was triggered by the death of the sitting member, Howard Raphael of the Labor Party, on 9 December 1944. The election was won by an independent candidate, William Read, who finished with 56.7 percent of the two-candidate-preferred vote. Outside of Read's victory, the election was also notable as the first in Western Australia to be contested by the newly established Liberal Party.

Background

, a prominent dentist and member of the Perth City Council, had held Victoria Park for the Labor Party since the seat's creation at the 1930 state election. He enlisted in a dental unit of the Australian Army in 1942, but continued on as a member of parliament until his sudden death in Sydney in December 1944. After his death, the writ for the by-election was issued on 3 January 1945, with the close of nominations on 19 January. Polling day was on 10 February, with the writ returned on 23 February.

Candidates

Six candidates contested the by-election:

Aftermath

Read joined three other independents in the Legislative Assembly – Horace Berry, Lionel Kelly, and Harry Shearn. He was re-elected at the 1947 state election, and with Shearn supported Ross McLarty's efforts to form a minority government.