COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA TWENTY-SIXTH PARLIAMENT ==================================================================== BY-ELECTIONS ==================================================================== HIGGINS, Vic ==================================================================== Suburban Melbourne: Caulfield, Darling, Malvern, Malvern East -------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 February 1968, following the presumed death of Rt Hon Harold Holt -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1966 two-party majority: Liberal over Labor 23.7 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- Enrolled voters: 41,425 +00.5 Votes cast: 35,158 84.9 -09.4 Informal votes: 481 01.4 -01.4 Formal votes: 34,677 98.6 +01.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Candidate Party Votes % Swing -------------------------------------------------------------------- David Bennett ALP 9,601 27.7 +02.5 Frank Courtis 347 01.0 Hon John GORTON + Lib 24,067 69.4 +06.1 Leonard Webber 662 01.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 34,677 20.9 e 02.8 to ALP -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gorton was a Senator for Victoria 1950-68. -------------------------------------------------------------------- John Grey Gorton (1911-2002): Elected 1968 By Born: 9 September 1911, Melbourne Career: Educated Geelong Grammar School, Oxford University. Farmer at Mystic Park, Victoria. Military Service 1940-44. Kerang Shire Council. Senate: Senator for Victoria 1950-68 (for earlier ministerial career see Senate) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister for Education and Science to 28 February 1968 (as Senator to 1 February 1968) Prime Minister from 10 January 1968 (as Senator to 1 February 1968) Leader of the Liberal Party from 9 January 1968 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gorton was elected Leader of the Liberal Party following the presumed death of Rt Hon Harold Holt. He assumed office on 10 January 1968, while still a Senator. This is the only occasion on which a Senator has been Prime Minister. Gorton resigned from the Senate on 1 February 1968 to stand at the by-election caused by Holt's presumed death. Between 1 February and the Higgins by- election Gorton was not a member of Parliament. This was the second occasion on which a Prime Minister has not been a member of Parliament (the other was Edmund Barton in January-March 1901). --------------------------------------------------------------------