Australians still awaiting outcome of cliff-hanger General Election

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33538, 20 May 1974, Page 1

Australians still awaiting outcome of cliff-hanger General Election

X.Z. Press Association—Copyright

CANBERRA. May 19. Australians were still waiting loni«»ht to see whether their Federal Labour Government had survived yesterday V General Election. or whether a late surge by the LiberalCountry Partv Coalition had brought it a photo-finish victory.

The Prime Minister (Mr Whitlam) still was not claiming victory, and the Liberal leader (Mr Billy Snedden) had not conceded defeat.

I’lie outcome was slowed further by a breakdown of the computer in the national tally room in Canberra, used to sift through the nearly eight million votes cast for 750 candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate. Late this afternoon. Labour claimed 62 house seats definitely won, the Opposition 58 — and there were seven regarded as still doubtful. The 60-seat Senate also was in the balance. Some observers predicted a 30-30 deadlock, while others said it might be 31-29 either way. Because of the involved system of voting in Australia the final results might not be known for a week or more.

The House of Representatives is elected by the preferential system. When a candidate does not have an ioverall majority, the second preference of voters who supported minor candidates come into effect. The Senate is elected on proportional representation.

| About 80 per cent of the 'votes had been counted this! evening. Labour had a clear majority of 67 to 58 in the old House of Representatives, Combined Opposition parties and Independents held 34 of the Senate seats to Labour’s 26, It was the Senate’s rejection of money bills that led to Mr Whitlam’s calling the General Election late last month. Mr Whitlam said that the Senate had obstructed legislation of the Labour Party, which, he said, had been given a clear mandate from the people to govern for three years in the election of December, 1972, when his party gained power for the first time in 23 years. “Amber light” Mr Snedden, who, during the campaign blamed Labour for Australia’s 14 per cent rate of inflation, said tonight that if Labour were returned to power, it would be “with the amber light of caution” from the public. It. was clear that if Labour continued in office, it would be with a markedly reduced majority, he said. It did not have a clear mandate. ( Mr Snedden said that he I would not concede defeat, as [the result would not be ' known for some days. [ In the Senate, however, present indications are that Labour and the Liberal and Country Parties would have five seats each in five states, with possibly six seats to four in the Liberals’ favour in Queensland. If the Coalition remained in Opposition but had a majority in the Senate, it would be prepared to call another double dissolution if the Government behaved in a way which was “opposite to the best interests and the expressed will of the Australian people,” said Mr Snedden. “If Labour was in Government and chose to convert Australia into a socialist State, we would use the majority in the Senate to prevent it, because the people made it clear they do not want it,” Mr Snedden said. Mr Whitlam’s view Mr Whitlam said that the voting showed the Government had strong and continuing support from the nation. But he did not claim victory. The voters’ choice had been; partly muffled by the pecu-i liarities of the electoral system. said Mr Whitlam. “Swings to the Government have been recorded in all the areas of greatest concentration of population,” he said. “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.” New seats Labour appears to have won two newly-created House seats in the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) and Western Australia, plus Henty in Victoria and Patterson in New South Wales, previously held by the Opposition. Figures indicate that the (Liberals have won three Labour seats — Mitchell in New i South Wales, and Wide Bay 'and Lilley in Queensland. i The seven doubtful seats [include those of the flamboy!ant Minister of Immigration (Mr Al Grassby) in Riverina. [New South Wales, and the 'Minister for Northern Devel-' [opment (Dr Rex Patterson), in 'Dawson. Queensland. In the past, the trend in later counting has been con-

sistently against the Labour

Party. Returns from inner city, town, or suburban polling stations are counted before returns from other booths in sparsely settled parts of the same electorate.