1966 Australian Labor Party leadership spill

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]

1966 Australian Labor Party
Leadership election

← 1960 27 April 1966 1967 →
 
Candidate Arthur Calwell Gough Whitlam
Caucus vote 49 (66.2%) 25 (33.8%)

Leader before election

Arthur Calwell

Elected Leader

Arthur Calwell

Results

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The following table gives the ballot results:

Name Votes Percentage
Arthur Calwell 49 66.21
Gough Whitlam 25 33.79

References

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  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