1959 Australian Labor Party leadership spill

1959 Australian Labor Party
Leadership spill

16 February 1959

Candidate H. V. Evatt Eddie Ward Caucus vote 46 (59.0%) 32 (41.0%)

Leader before election H. V. Evatt Elected Leader H. V. Evatt

A leadership spill of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), then the opposition party in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 16 February 1959.

Background

Senior Labor left-winger Eddie Ward unsuccessfully challenged ALP leader H. V. Evatt following Evatt's third defeat at the polls in the 1958 election. Evatt was re-elected by a lower than expected margin of only 14 votes.^[1] The closeness of the ballot further highlighted the dissatisfaction with Evatt's leadership.

At the same caucus, Arthur Calwell was re-elected as deputy leader unopposed.

Results

The following table gives the ballot results:

Name		Votes	Percentage
	H. V. Evatt	46	58.97
	Eddie Ward	32	41.03

See also

• 1958 Australian federal election

References

1. "Dr. Evatt Back as Party Leader". The Canberra Times. 17 February 1959. p. 1.