1966 Australian Labor Party leadership spill

1966 Australian Labor Party
Leadership election

27 April 1966

Candidate Arthur Calwell Gough Whitlam Caucus vote 49 (66.2%) 25 (33.8%)

Leader before election Arthur Calwell Elected Leader Arthur Calwell

A leadership spill in the Australian Labor Party, the party of opposition in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 27 April 1966. It followed a challenge by party deputy-leader Gough Whitlam against incumbent leader Arthur Calwell. Calwell received 49 votes to Whitlam's 25 in a caucus ballot.^[1] After claiming victory Calwell then announced that if Labor was defeated at the impending 1966 federal election, he would not stand for the leadership again.^[2]

Results

The following table gives the ballot results:

Name		Votes	Percentage
	Arthur Calwell	49	66.21
	Gough Whitlam	25	33.79

References

1. "Calwell defeats leadership challenge: Pledge of unity". The Canberra Times. 28 April 1966. p. 1.
2. Hocking, Jenny (2008), Gough Whitlam: A Moment in History, The Miegunyah Press, pp. 257–258, ISBN 978-0-522-85705-4