1968 Australian Labor Party leadership spill

1968 Australian Labor Party
Leadership spill
← 1967 30 April 1968 1976 →
 
Candidate Gough Whitlam Jim Cairns
Caucus vote 38 (54.3%) 32 (45.7%)
Leader before election

Gough Whitlam

 Elected Leader

Gough Whitlam

A leadership spill in the Australian Labor Party, the party of opposition in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 30 April 1968. It followed leader Gough Whitlam's decision to resign the leadership following the party executives refusal to seat new Tasmanian delegate Brian Harradine, to which Whitlam demanded a vote of confidence from his caucus. Whitlam received 38 votes to left-winger Jim Cairns' 32 in an unexpectedly close poll.[1]

  1. ^ Gaul, Jonathan (1 May 1968). "Leadership Vote Fails to Heal A.L.P. Dispute: Whitlam faces new left-wing revolt". The Canberra Times. p. 1.