May 1977 Australian Labor Party leadership spill

May 1977 Australian Labor Party
Leadership spill

← 1976 31 May 1977 December 1977 →

Candidate Gough Whitlam Bill Hayden Caucus vote 32 (51.6%) 30 (48.4%)

Leader before election Gough Whitlam Elected Leader Gough Whitlam

A leadership spill of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), then the opposition party in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 31 May 1977. Former Treasurer Bill Hayden unsuccessfully challenged Labor leader Gough Whitlam. Whitlam was narrowly re-elected by 32 votes to 30 (the smallest possible majority) leading him to later refer to many in his caucus as 'out of touch'.^[1]