1980 Western Australian state election


Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 23 February 1980 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly and 16 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council. The Liberal-National Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir Charles Court, won a third term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Ron Davies.
The election produced very little in terms of the balance of the parties in Parliament—Labor won Kimberley from the Liberals in the Assembly, and a North Province seat in the Council, but lost two Council seats to the Liberals—one each in North Metropolitan and South-East Metropolitan. However, Labor received a substantial swing overall, increasing majorities in seats it already held, and reducing Liberal majorities in western suburban seats and pushing the key seats of Bunbury and Pilbara into marginal status. Despite a vigorous campaign against each other, the National Country and National parties, which had split in August 1978, failed to gain any seats off each other, each retaining three seats in the Assembly, and the former retaining one in the Council.

Results

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Seats changing hands

Post-election pendulum

LIBERAL/NCP SEATS ---
Marginal---
BunburyJohn SibsonLIB1.3%
PilbaraBrian SodemanLIB1.6%
RoeGeoff GrewarLIB3.3%
MundaringTom HerzfeldLIB3.5%
MurdochBarry MacKinnonLIB3.8%
ClontarfTony WilliamsLIB3.9%
CottesloeBill HassellLIB5.2%
Fairly safe---
ScarboroughRay YoungLIB6.2%
WhitfordMick NanovichLIB8.3%
KarrinyupJim ClarkoLIB8.5%
Murchison-EyrePeter CoyneLIB9.0%
Mount LawleyRay O'ConnorLIB9.2%
MurrayRichard ShaldersLIB9.2%
WellingtonJune CraigLIB9.2%
Safe---
Darling RangeGeorge SpriggsLIB11.0%
RoeGeoff GrewarLIB11.1% v NCP
AlbanyLeon WattLIB12.5%
GascoyneIan LauranceLIB12.7%
South PerthBill GraydenLIB13.0%
SubiacoTom DadourLIB13.9%
KalamundaIan ThompsonLIB14.4%
FloreatAndrew MensarosLIB19.4%
NedlandsCharles CourtLIB20.6%
VasseBarry BlaikieLIB21.7%
MooreBert CraneNCP23.1%
NarroginPeter JonesNCP27.0%
KatanningDick OldNCP29.3% v NAT
GreenoughReg TubbyLIB29.4%
East MelvilleAnthony TrethowanLIBunopp.