Contesting elections

Just to clarify

The previous Policy Insight on Leadership noted that Dr HV Evatt, leader of the federal ALP from 1951-1960 had contested four elections in that role.

It was three – 1954, 1955 and 1958 – not the 1951 election.

It was former Labor PM, Ben Chifley, by then opposition leader, who contested the April 1951 election and lost.

Chifley died shortly after in June 1951 and was replaced by Evatt.

Evatt retired in 1960 and Arthur Calwell became leader, who as correctly detailed, unsuccessfully contested three elections – 1961, 1963 and 1966.