1985 South Australian state election

Background

Parliamentary elections for both houses of the Parliament of South Australia were held in South Australia on 7 December 1985, which saw John Bannon and the Australian Labor Party win a second successive term, against the Liberal Party of Australia opposition led by John Olsen.

Labor won the election with an increased majority–at the time, the biggest majority it had held since the end of the Playmander, a record that would stand until 2006. The Liberal Party retained John Olsen as leader, partly because his main rival Dean Brown lost his seat to Independent Liberal Stan Evans. Evans rejoined the Liberal Party soon after the election.

In the South Australian Legislative Council, Labor won one seat from the Liberals, while the Democrats maintained their 2 seats. This shift gave the Australian Democrats sole balance of power. They would continue to hold it until the 1997 election.

Key dates

• Issue of writ: 10 November 1985
• Close of nominations: 22 November 1985
• Polling day: 7 December 1985
• Return of writ: On or before 2 January 1986

Results

House of Assembly

| turnout % = 93.46 | informal % = 3.47 |votes % = 48.19 |votes % = 42.15 |votes % = 4.25 |votes % = 1.72 |votes % = 2.28 |votes % = 0.66 |votes % = 0.64 |votes % = 0.11 |2pp % 1 = 53.17 |2pp % 2 = 46.83 |}

Legislative Council

| turnout % = 93.46 | informal % = 3.70 |votes % = 47.99 |votes % = 39.27 |votes % = 5.52 |votes % = 3.03 |votes % = 1.63 |votes % = 1.48 |votes % = 1.08 |}

Seats changing hands

• In addition, Independent MP for Elizabeth, Martyn Evans retained his seat after winning it from Labor at the 1984 by-election.
• Sitting Liberal MP for Fisher, Stan Evans quit the party and contested Davenport as an Independent, and won.

Redistribution affected seats

• Sitting Labor MP for Newland, John Klunder instead contested Todd, and won.
• Sitting Liberal MP for Todd, Scott Ashenden instead contested Newland, and lost.

Post-election pendulum

References

• History of South Australian elections 1857–2006, volume 1: ECSA
• Historical lower house results
• Historical upper house results
• State and federal election results in Australia since 1890

References

1. "Details of SA 1985 Election". Australian Politics and Elections Database.
2. "History of South Australian elections 1857–2006, volume 2 Legislative Council".