1977 Queensland state election


Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 12 November 1977 to elect the 82 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.
The election resulted in a fourth consecutive victory for the National-Liberal Coalition under Joh Bjelke-Petersen. It was the eighth victory of the National Party in Queensland since it first came to office in 1957.

Issues

The major issue in the election was law and order. In 1977, the Government had passed a law making it illegal to march in the street without a permit, which were rarely given. The Coalition argued that this prevented traffic disruption and other inconveniences to the people of Brisbane, while the ALP claimed that it was a curtailment of civil liberties. Joh Bjelke-Petersen also no longer had the Whitlam Labor Government to use as a campaigning tool.

Result

The Labor Party gained twelve seats from the Coalition and Independents, making something of a recovery from its disastrous 1974 performance. Even so, the Coalition retained a commanding majority in the Legislative Assembly.
For the first time, the National Party won more votes than the Liberal party. The Liberal Party had begun to decline.
The Democratic Labor Party had ceased to exist. The Australian Democrats contested their first election in Queensland.

Results

Seats changing hands

NATIONAL / LIBERAL SEATS ---
Marginal---
Barron RiverMartin TenniNAT0.2%
MourilyanVicky KippinNAT0.3%
StaffordTerry GygarLIB0.5%
Mount IsaAngelo BertoniNAT0.6%
SalisburyRosemary KyburzLIB0.7%
Townsville WestMax HooperNAT0.9%
Toowoomba NorthJohn LockwoodLIB1.6%
WavellBrian AustinLIB2.8%
KurilpaSam DoumanyLIB3.0%
WarregoNeil TurnerNAT3.0%
HinchinbrookTed RowNAT3.1%
Pine RiversRob AkersLIB3.4%
IpswichLlewellyn EdwardsLIB4.1%
WindsorBob MooreLIB4.5%
AshgroveJohn GreenwoodLIB4.9%
Toowoomba SouthJohn WarnerNAT4.9%
AlbertIvan GibbsNAT5.0%
RedlandsJohn GolebyNAT5.4%
WhitsundayRon CammNAT5.5%
Surfers ParadiseBruce BishopLIB5.7%
Fairly safe---
IthacaCol MillerLIB6.0%
RedcliffeJim HoughtonNAT6.2%
TownsvilleNorman Scott-YoungLIB6.3%
MerthyrDon LaneLIB6.4%
GregoryBill GlassonNAT6.8%
FlindersBob KatterNAT7.1%
Peak DownsVince LesterNAT7.8%
NundahWilliam KnoxLIB8.1%
YerongaNorm LeeLIB8.1%
MulgraveRoy ArmstrongNAT8.4%
ToowongCharles PorterLIB8.7%
CabooltureDes FrawleyNAT9.0%
IsisLin PowellNAT9.2%
South CoastRuss HinzeNAT9.3%
SouthportPeter WhiteLIB9.8% v NAT
Safe---
BurdekinVal BirdNAT10.3%
Mount GravattGuelfi ScassolaLIB10.4%
FassifernSelwyn MullerNAT11.4%
AspleyFred CampbellLIB11.5% v NAT
MiraniTom NewberyNAT11.5%
GreenslopesBill HewittLIB12.4%
MansfieldBill KausLIB12.6%
SherwoodAngus InnesLIB12.9%
CarnarvonPeter McKechnieNAT13.5%
CallideLindsay HartwigNAT15.3%
RomaKen TomkinsNAT16.0%
SomersetBill GunnNAT17.9%
CoorooraGordon SimpsonNAT18.1%
LandsboroughMike AhernNAT18.2%
GympieMax HodgesNAT18.8%
WarwickDes BoothNAT18.9%
BurnettClaude WhartonNAT19.3%
Mount Coot-thaBill LickissLIB19.8%
CondamineVic SullivanNAT21.4%
BalonneDon NealNAT21.9%
AuburnNeville HewittNAT22.3%
LockyerTony BourkeLIB22.5%
BarambahJoh Bjelke-PetersenNAT28.3%
CunninghamTony ElliottNAT30.6%