McPherson by-election, 1981

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of McPherson on 21 February 1981. This was triggered by the sudden death of Liberal Party MP Eric Robinson. It was held on the same day as by-elections for Boothby and Curtin.

Although National Country Party Senator Glen Sheil resigned from the Senate to contest the by-election, it was won by Liberal candidate Peter White, a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland who had retired in preparation for the by-election.

Results

McPherson by-election, 1981[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Peter White	29,776	41.9	-1.4
	National Country	Glen Sheil	21,189	29.8	+29.8
	Labor	Ronald McKenna	18,278	25.7	-5.1
	Progress	Kevin Chaffey	537	0.8	+0.8
	Independent	William Aabraham-Steer	512	0.7	-1.1
	Independent	Hubert Giesberts	469	0.7	+0.7
	Independent	Peter Courtney	290	0.4	+0.4
Total formal votes			71,051	97.8
Informal votes			1,575	2.2
Turnout			72,626	84.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal	Peter White	46,336	65.2	+11.6
	National Country	Glen Sheil	24,715	34.8	+34.8
	Liberal hold		Swing	+11.6

References

1. "By-Elections 1980-1983". Psephos.