State Government of Western Australia beginning 3 March 1971 - period in office of Premier Tonkin, John Trezise ending on 8 April 1974
Period in office of premier (see Glossary entry for 'period in office' and related terms)
Parliamentary support during period
Coalition partner 1
Number of ministers at beginning of period (this may vary during the period)
Assembly elections contested as premier or after which became premier (see Glossary entry for 'after election')
| Election | Premier at election | Premier's party | Premier after election | Premier's party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WA 30 March 1974 | John Trezise Tonkin | Australian Labor Party | Charles Walter Michael Court | Liberal Party |
| WA 20 February 1971 | David Brand | Liberal Party | John Trezise Tonkin | Australian Labor Party |
Previous period in this series for WA | Next period in this series for WA
Notes
Loss of general election (Brand): Beginning of Tonkin's period in office: The Brand Liberal Party and Country Party coalition government was defeated at the general election for the Legislative Assembly on 20 February 1971, with the Australian Labor Party gaining a majority of one seat in the Assembly. After the election results were finalized, Premier Brand resigned on 3 March 1971 and Tonkin was commissioned as Premier of an Australian Labor Party majority government.
Loss of general election (Tonkin): The Tonkin government was defeated at the general election for the Legislative Assembly on 30 March 1974; Premier Tonkin resigned on 8 April 1974.
References: For a study of the style of parliamentary politics during this period, see Harry Phillips, 'The Modern Parliament, 1965-1989', in David Black (editor), The House on the Hill: A History of the Parliament of Western Australia 1832-1990, pp 185-262, particularly pp 201-210, (Perth: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project, Parliament of Western Australia, 1991, ISBN 0730939839).
Summary information on Western Australian premiers from 1890 to 1982 and a short essay, 'The Premiers -- An Introductory Comment', can be found in Reid and Oliver (see 'Sources', below).
The Australian Journal of Politics and History has provided brief surveys of Western Australian politics since 1956 in the 'Political Chronicle' section of the journal in issues of each annual volume. This publication can be viewed online through Wiley-Blackwell Journals at subscribing libraries.
Sources
Colin A Hughes, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1965-1974, (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1977 ISBN 0708113400); John Mandy and David Black (editors),The Western Australian Parliamentary Handbook Centenary Edition, (Perth: Parliamentary History Project, Parliament of Western Australia, 1990, ISBN 0731697847); G S Reid and M R Oliver, The Premiers of Western Australia 1890-1982, (Perth: University of Western Australia Press, 1982, ISBN 0855642149).