Claim: The conservationists were ultimately successful in their campaign to stop any dam on the Gordon River. Furthermore, the new Hawke Labor Government in Canberra had opposed the Franklin dam and had moved to stop its construction.
Evidence: On 5 March 1983, the Australian Labor Party won the federal election with a large swing. The new prime minister, Bob Hawke, had vowed to stop the dam from being built, and the anti-dam vote increased Hawke's majority - some federal Victorian seats were notable for having a strong interest in the issue. The movement that eventually led to the project's cancellation became one of the most significant environmental campaigns in Australian history.