1985 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill

Liberal Party of Australia
Leadership spill, 1985

← 1983 5 September 1985 1987 →

LIB Candidate John Howard Jim Carlton Caucus vote 57 6 Percentage 81.4% 8.6% Seat Bennelong (NSW) Mackellar (NSW)

Leader before election Andrew Peacock Elected Leader John Howard

There was a change of leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia on 5 September 1985 with John Howard replacing Andrew Peacock.

A spill of the deputy leadership of the party took place on that day, Peacock attempting to replace John Howard with his preferred candidate John Moore. The spill was won by Howard over Moore by 38 votes to 31 with 7 members abstaining.^[1]

Upon rejection of his candidate for the deputy leadership, Andrew Peacock resigned and was replaced by John Howard as leader defeating Jim Carlton 57 votes to 6.^[1] The Deputy leadership was then filled by Neil Brown defeating 11 others (including Moore) for the position.