1999 Victorian state election

{{Short description|Australian state election}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox election | election_name = 1999 Victorian state election | country = Victoria | type = parliamentary | ongoing = no | previous_election = 1996 Victorian state election | previous_year = 1996 | next_election = 2002 Victorian state election | next_year = 2002 | seats_for_election = All 88 seats in the [[Victorian Legislative Assembly]]<br />and [[Results of the 1999 Victorian state election (Legislative Council)|22 (of the 44) seats]] in the [[Victorian Legislative Council]]<br />45 seats needed for a majority | election_date = {{Start date|df=yes|1999|09|18}}{{efn|The [[1999 Frankston East state supplementary election|supplementary election for Frankston East]] was held on 16 October 1999.}}

| image1 = {{CSS image crop |Image = Jeff Kennett b.jpg|bSize = 137|cWidth = 130|cHeight = 170|oTop = 10|oLeft = 7|Location = center}} | leader1 = [[Jeff Kennett]] | leader_since1 = 23 April 1991 | party1 = Liberal/National coalition | leaders_seat1 = [[Electoral district of Burwood|Burwood]] | popular_vote1 = '''1,330,928''' | percentage1 = '''47.02%''' | swing1 = {{decrease}}3.46 | last_election1 = 58 seats | seats1 = '''43''' | seat_change1 = {{decrease}}15 | 1data1 = 49.80% | 2data1 = {{decrease}}3.66

| image2 = {{CSS image crop |Image = Steve Bracks at a Vietnam Veterans Day ceremony, August 2006 b.jpg|bSize = 140|cWidth = 130|cHeight = 170|oTop = 3|oLeft = 5|Location = center}} | leader2 = [[Steve Bracks]] | leader_since2 = 22 March 1999 | party2 = Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch) | leaders_seat2 = [[Electoral district of Williamstown|Williamstown]] | popular_vote2 = 1,289,696 | percentage2 = 45.57% | swing2 = {{increase}}2.44 | last_election2 = 29 seats | seats2 = 42 | seat_change2 = {{increase}}13 | 1data2 = '''50.20%''' | 2data2 = {{increase}}3.66

| 1blank = [[Two-party-preferred|TPP]] | 2blank = TPP swing

| map_image = 1999 Victorian state election.svg | map_size = 320px | map_caption = Results in each electorate.

| title = [[Premier of Victoria|Premier]] | posttitle = Elected [[Premier of Victoria|Premier]] | before_election = [[Jeff Kennett]] | before_party = Liberal/National coalition | after_election = [[Steve Bracks]] | after_party = Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch) }} The '''1999 Victorian state election''' was held on Saturday 18 September 1999 to elect the 54th [[Parliament of Victoria]]. All 88 members of the state's [[Victorian Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] and 22 members of the 44-member [[Victorian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] were up for election. The [[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Liberal]]–[[National Party of Australia – Victoria|National]] [[Coalition (Victoria)|Coalition]] led by [[Jeff Kennett]] and [[Pat McNamara (Australian politician)|Pat McNamara]], which had held majority government since the 1992 election, lost 15 seats and its majority due mainly to a swing against it in rural and regional Victoria.

The [[Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch)|Labor Party]], led by [[Steve Bracks]], although also not having majority of the seats, took government due to support from three rural independents. They decided to back the Labor Party, which gave a working majority in the chamber to a Labor minority government. Bracks was sworn in as [[Premier of Victoria]] on 20 October 1999.<ref name="ajph1999">{{cite journal |last= Economou |first= Nick |date=June 2000 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: July–December 1999 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics and History |volume= 46 |issue= 2 |pages= 226–237 |issn=0004-9522}}</ref>

Future Premiers [[Jacinta Allan]] and [[Ted Baillieu]] entered parliament at this election.

==Results== {{see also|Post-election pendulum for the 1999 Victorian state election}}

===Legislative Assembly=== {{see also|Results of the 1999 Victorian state election (Legislative Assembly)}}

{{Election results |image=[[File:1999 Victorian Legislative Assembly.svg]] |electorate=3130338 |invalid=72800 |invalidsw={{increase}} 0.28 |turnoutsw={{increase}} 0.13

|party1=[[Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch)|Labor]] |votes1=1289696 |sw1={{increase}} 2.44 |seats1=42 |sc1={{increase}} 13

|party2=[[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Liberal]] |votes2=1194998 |sw2={{decrease}} 1.77 |seats2=36 |sc2={{decrease}} 13

|party3=[[National Party of Australia – Victoria|National]] |votes3=135930 |sw3={{decrease}} 1.69 |seats3=7 |sc3={{decrease}} 2

|party4=[[Australian Greens Victoria|Greens]] |votes4=32570 |sw4=New |seats4=0 |sc4={{steady}}

|colour5=#00ffff |party5=[[Hope Party Australia|Hope]] |votes5=10894 |sw5=New |seats5=0 |sc5={{steady}}

|party6=[[Pauline Hanson's One Nation|One Nation]] |votes6=8181 |sw6=New |seats6=0 |sc6={{steady}}

|party7=[[Australian Democrats|Democrats]] |votes7=7972 |sw7=New |seats7=0 |sc7={{steady}}

|party8=[[Democratic Labour Party (Australia, 1978)|Democratic Labour]] |votes8=6183 |sw8=New |seats8=0 |sc8={{steady}}

|colour9=#adff2f |party9=[[Natural Law Party|Natural Law]] |votes9=6044 |sw9={{decrease}} 1.65 |seats9=0 |sc9={{steady}}

|colour10={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}} |party10=[[Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party|Shooters]] |votes10=2011 |sw10={{increase}} 0.03 |seats10=0 |sc10={{steady}}

|colour11=#cfb53b |party11=[[Reform the Legal System|Reform]] |votes11=1483 |sw11=New |seats11=0 |sc11={{steady}}

|party12=[[Christian Democratic Party (Australia)|Christian Democrats]] |votes12=414 |sw12={{decrease}} 0.21 |seats12=0 |sc12={{steady}}

|party13=[[Independent politician|Independents]] |votes13=133701 |sw13={{increase}} 1.12 |seats13=3 |sc13={{increase}} 2

|embedded={{Election results |embed=y |header1=[[Two-party-preferred vote|Two-party-preferred]]

|party2=[[Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch)|Labor]] |votes2=1420775 |sw2={{increase}} 3.66

|colour3=#06667c |party3=[[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Liberal]]/[[National Party of Australia – Victoria|National]] [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] |votes3=1409567 |sw3={{decrease}} 3.66 }}

|source=<ref>{{cite book|last=Hughes|first=Colin A.|author-link=Colin Hughes|title=A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1985-1999|publisher=Federation Press|location=Sydney|year=2002|page=320}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/elections/archive/vic/VIC1999_ResultsBook.pdf#page=26|title=1999 Victorian State Election - Summary of Results|author=Antony Green|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=June 2001|access-date=5 July 2013}}</ref> }}

===Legislative Council=== {{see also|Results of the 1999 Victorian state election (Legislative Council)}} [[File:1999 Victorian state election - Legislative Council.svg|thumb|300px|Results for the Legislative Council.]]

The following voting statistics exclude the three mid-term by-elections held on the same day, at which two seats were retained by Labor and a third was gained by Labor from the Liberals.

{{Australian elections/Title row | title = Victorian state election, 18 September 1999<ref>Hughes (2002) p.321.</ref> | house = [[Victorian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] | staggered = yes | enrolled = 3,130,338 | total_votes = 2,909,727 | turnout % = 92.95 | turnout chg = –1.13 | informal = 97,949 | informal % = 3.37 | informal chg = +0.79 }} {{Australian elections/Party summary| |party_id = Labor VIC |votes = 1,187,484 |votes % = 42.23 |votes chg = {{increase}}+1.74 |seats = 8 |seats held = 14 }} {{Australian elections/Party summary| |party_id = Liberal VIC |votes = 1,116,347 |votes % = 39.70 |votes chg = {{decrease}}–4.17 |seats = 11 |seats held = 24 }} {{Australian elections/Party summary| |party_id = Nationals VIC |votes = 204,587 |votes % = 7.28 |votes chg = {{increase}}+0.65 |seats = 3 |seats held = 6 }} {{Australian elections/Party summary| |party_id = Democrats |votes = 190,940 |votes % = 6.79 |votes chg = {{increase}}+1.06 |seats = 0 |seats held = 0 }} {{Australian elections/Party summary| |party_id = Greens VIC |votes = 62,796 |votes % = 2.23 |votes chg = New |seats = 0 |seats held = 0 }} {{Australian elections/Party summary| |party_id = Reform |votes = 6,617 |votes % = 0.24 |votes chg = New |seats = 0 |seats held = 0 }} {{Australian elections/Party summary| |party_id = Christian Democrats |votes = 6,608 |votes % = 0.24 |votes chg = {{increase}}+0.04 |seats = 0 |seats held = 0 }} {{Australian elections/Party summary| |party_id = Independent |votes = 36,399 |votes % = 1.29 |votes chg = {{increase}}+0.35 |seats = 0 |seats held = 0 }} {{Australian elections/Total row | |total_votes = 2,811,778 |total_seats = 22 |total_held = 44 }} {{Australian elections/2PP summary | |party id 1 = Labor VIC |2pp votes 1 = 1,408,843 |2pp % 1 = 50.12 |2pp chg 1 = {{increase}}+4.08 |party id 2 = Liberal VIC |party 2 = [[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Liberal]]/[[National Party of Australia – Victoria|National]] |2pp votes 2 = 1,402,338 |2pp % 2 = 49.88 |2pp chg 2 = {{decrease}}–4.08 }} |}

==Maps== [[File:Vic99electionresults r.png|Results of the 1999 Victorian state election, Rural districts]]

[[File:Vic99electionresults m.png|Results of the 1999 Victorian state election, Metropolitan districts]]

==Seats changing hands== {|class="wikitable" |- | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"| '''Seat''' | colspan="4" style="text-align:center"| '''Pre-1999''' | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"| '''Swing''' | colspan="4" style="text-align:center"| '''Post-1999''' |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center"| '''Party''' | style="text-align:center"| '''Member''' | style="text-align:center"| '''Margin''' | style="text-align:center"| '''Margin''' | style="text-align:center"| '''Member''' | colspan="2" style="text-align:center"| '''Party''' |- |[[Electoral district of Ballarat East|Ballarat East]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |[[Barry Traynor]] | style="text-align:right;"| 0.1 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-3.7''' | style="text-align:right;"| 3.7 |[[Geoff Howard]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Ballarat West|Ballarat West]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |''[[Paul Jenkins (politician)|Paul Jenkins]]'' | style="text-align:right;"| 1.4 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-2.4''' | style="text-align:right;"| 1.0 |[[Karen Overington]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Bendigo East|Bendigo East]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |[[Michael John (politician)|Michael John]] | style="text-align:right;"| 5.0 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-8.1''' | style="text-align:right;"| 3.1 |[[Jacinta Allan]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Carrum|Carrum]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |[[David Lean (politician)|David Lean]] | style="text-align:right;"| 0.8 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-1.0''' | style="text-align:right;"| 0.2 |[[Jenny Lindell]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Frankston East|Frankston East]] |{{Australian party style|Independent}}|  |Independent |''[[Peter McLellan (Australian politician)|Peter McLellan]]''* | style="text-align:right;"| 3.1 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-7.7''' | style="text-align:right;"| 4.6 |[[Matt Viney]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Geelong|Geelong]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |[[Ann Henderson (politician)|Ann Henderson]] | style="text-align:right;"| 3.5 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-3.5''' | style="text-align:right;"| 0.03 |[[Ian Trezise]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Gippsland East|Gippsland East]] |{{Australian party style|National}}|  |National |[[David Treasure (politician)|David Treasure]] | style="text-align:right;"| 15.2 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-22.9''' | style="text-align:right;"| 7.7 |[[Craig Ingram]] |Independent |{{Australian party style|Independent}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Gisborne|Gisborne]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |''[[Tom Reynolds (Victorian politician)|Tom Reynolds]]'' | style="text-align:right;"| 7.8 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-9.4''' | style="text-align:right;"| 1.6 |[[Jo Duncan (Australian politician)|Jo Duncan]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Narracan|Narracan]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |[[Florian Andrighetto]] | style="text-align:right;"| 1.6 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-4.1''' | style="text-align:right;"| 2.5 |[[Ian Maxfield]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Oakleigh|Oakleigh]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |[[Denise McGill]] | style="text-align:right;"| 0.8 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-4.1''' | style="text-align:right;"| 3.3 |[[Ann Barker]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Ripon|Ripon]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |[[Steve Elder]] | style="text-align:right;"| 4.6 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-7.2''' | style="text-align:right;"| 2.6 |[[Joe Helper]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Seymour|Seymour]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |''[[Marie Tehan]]'' | style="text-align:right;"| 4.2 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-4.9''' | style="text-align:right;"| 0.7 |[[Ben Hardman]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Tullamarine|Tullamarine]] |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |Liberal |[[Bernie Finn]] | style="text-align:right;"| 3.0 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-6.8''' | style="text-align:right;"| 3.8 |[[Liz Beattie]] |Labor |{{Australian party style|Labor}}|  |- |[[Electoral district of Warrnambool|Warrnambool]] |{{Australian party style|National}}|  |National |''[[John McGrath (Victorian politician)|John McGrath]]'' | style="text-align:right;"| 13.8 | style="text-align:right;"| '''-22.7''' | style="text-align:right;"| 8.9 |[[John Vogels]] |Liberal |{{Australian party style|Liberal}}|  |- |}

*Members listed in italics did not recontest their seats. *The Liberal-turned-Independent member for Frankston East, [[Peter McLellan (Australian politician)|Peter McLellan]] died on election day. A supplementary election was held in which Labor won. *In addition, Labor won [[Electoral district of Mitcham (Victoria)|Mitcham]] in a [[1997 Mitcham state by-election|by-election]] and retained it in this election. *In addition, Independent [[Susan Davies]] won [[Electoral district of Gippsland West|Gippsland West]] in a [[1997 Gippsland West state by-election|by-election]] and retained it in this election.

==Campaign== The Kennett government entered the campaign with a substantial lead in the polls and was widely expected to win, some commentators even tipped the government to increase their already large majority.<ref name="ajps1999">{{cite journal| last=Woodward | first=Dennis |author2=Costar, Brian | title= The Victorian Election of 18 September 1999 | journal = Australian Journal of Political Science | volume=35|issue=1|pages=125–133 | doi=10.1080/10361140050002881| year=2000 | s2cid=153439196 }}</ref>

The Liberals ran a campaign centred on Jeff Kennett and the unusual jeff.com.au website. The presidential nature of the campaign was emphasised when the [[Herald Sun]] ran a damaging front-page story revealing that most Liberal candidates were gagged from speaking to the [[Mass media|media]].<ref>Bennett S. & Newman G., 'Victorian Election 1999', Australian Parliamentary Library Research Paper [http://www.aph.gov.au/LIBRARY/Pubs/rp/1999-2000/2000rp19.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613101634/http://www.aph.gov.au/LIBRARY/Pubs/rp/1999-2000/2000rp19.htm|date=2007-06-13}}</ref> The Coalition stuck to a message of focusing on its economic record, and promising modest increases in spending in schools, hospitals and police.<ref name="ajps1999"/>

In contrast Labor sought to tap into perceptions in rural Victoria that the Kennett government had neglected them. Both [[John Brumby]] who led Labor until early 1999 and Steve Bracks campaigned extensively in rural and regional Victoria, attacking Coalition policies of [[privatisation]] highlighting poor service delivery. Labor also took the unusual step of launching their campaign in the regional centre of [[Ballarat]] where it announced it would spend $170 million to improve rural infrastructure. In addition Labor campaigned on issues of government transparency and service administration.<ref>Bennett S. & Newman G., 'Victorian Election 1999', Australian Parliamentary Library Research Paper</ref> By election day few people believed that there would be a change of government. When [[The Australian]] published a poll which suggested the result would be a cliffhanger, Steve Bracks is said to have stated 'I hope it's right, but I think ''The Australian'' is on drugs.'<ref>{{cite book|last=Megalogenis|first=George|title=The Longest Decade|publisher=Scribe|location=Melbourne|year=2006|page=54}}</ref> Kennett during the campaign was at the centre of controversy over a heated interview with ABC Radio presenter Jon Faine.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-10 |title='I'll just sit here and drink my tea': Jeff Kennett's tense interview on ABC |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-11/jeff-kennetts-tense-interview-on-abc/11417696 |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=www.abc.net.au |language=en-AU}}</ref>

==Election day== On the afternoon of the election, while polling was being conducted, it was learned that Liberal-turned-Independent member for the marginal seat of [[Electoral district of Frankston East|Frankston East]], [[Peter McLellan]], had died of a heart attack. Polling was therefore aborted, with a supplementary election to be scheduled.

When the results started to come through, it appeared that there was only a modest swing to Labor in metropolitan [[Melbourne]], even in the politically volatile eastern suburbs. However, there was a substantial swing to Labor in provincial and rural Victoria, traditionally a Liberal stronghold. Political analyst and ABC commentator [[Antony Green]] later wrote that "in the more than 35 elections I've been involved in, the 1999 Victorian election was the only one where I thought there was something wrong with the computer."<ref>Comment by [[Antony Green]] at pollbludger ([http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/?p=356#comments] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509001053/http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/?p=356#comments|date=9 May 2014}}, 8 May 2006, accessed 2 February 2010.</ref>

When the [[Victorian Electoral Commission]] finished counting for the night, the result was still too close to call: Labor had made huge gains in the rural hinterland, but had failed to make much headway in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne where elections had historically been won or lost.

==Frankston East and rural independents== {{main|1999 Frankston East state supplementary election }}

Initial counting had the Coalition on 43 seats in the 88-seat chamber, Labor on 41 (including winning the seat of [[Electoral district of Geelong|Geelong]] by just 16 votes), and the independents on three. Frankston East remained vacant pending the results of the [[1999 Frankston East state supplementary election|16 October supplementary election]]. As McLellan died on the day of the general election, voters in Frankston East had already cast votes before learning of McLellan's death. As McLellan died while the campaign was underway, the Victorian constitution required a supplementary election in the seat.

Regardless of who won in Frankston East, neither the Coalition nor Labor could form a government without the support of the independents, leaving them in a position to effectively choose the next premier.

On 16 October, the supplementary election resulted in a 7.71% swing to Labor, with its candidate [[Matt Viney]] winning 54.60% of the [[two-party preferred]] vote, putting Labor on 42 seats. The votes that were cast in Frankston East on the day of the election and McLellan's death had been destroyed without being counted. It is therefore unknown whether Frankston East voters had voted differently in the supplementary election than the way they voted at the general election.

The next morning, Labor and the Independents signed an agreement which became public the following day. Although this allowed Labor to form government by one seat, Kennett's supporters urged the Coalition to force a last-ditch confidence vote on the floor of the Assembly. They believed that Savage, Davies and Ingram would be forced to publicly support Kennett. In truth, Savage and Davies felt that Kennett had been dismissive during the previous term, and would not have even considered supporting any government led by Kennett. However, with the Liberals divided on Kennett's future role, Kennett resigned as premier and retired from politics.

==Aftermath== Kennett's resignation became official on 20 October. Soon afterward, Bracks advised the [[Governor of Victoria|Governor]], [[James Gobbo|Sir James Gobbo]], that he could [[Bracks Ministry|form a government]], which was duly sworn in later that day. With Kennett retiring from politics, Dr [[Denis Napthine]], a rural MP who was believed to bring a more consensus-style approach to leadership, succeeded him as Liberal leader.<ref name="ajph1999"/><ref name="ajps1999"/><ref>{{Gazette VIC|url=https://www.gazette.vic.gov.au/gazette/Gazettes1999/GG1999S155.pdf|page=1999:S155 (Special)|date=20 October 1999|title=Ministers of the Crown}}</ref> Nationals leader [[Pat McNamara (Australian politician)|Pat McNamara]] retired from politics as well. His successor, [[Peter Ryan (politician)|Peter Ryan]], tore up the Coalition agreement; the Liberals and Nationals would not resume their Coalition until 2008.

Labor won Kennett's old seat of [[Electoral district of Burwood|Burwood]] in a [[1999 Burwood state by-election|by-election]] that December after he decided to retire from parliament. The following year they also won McNamara's hitherto safe seat of [[Electoral district of Benalla|Benalla]] in [[2000 Benalla state by-election|another by-election]], which brought them to 44 of the Assembly's 88 seats.

==See also==

* [[Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, 1999–2002]] * [[Members of the Victorian Legislative Council, 1999–2002]] * [[Candidates of the 1999 Victorian state election]] * [[1999 AFL first preliminary final]]

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Elections in Victoria (state)]] [[Category:1999 elections in Australia]] [[Category:1990s in Victoria (state)]] [[Category:September 1999 in Australia]]