# 1995 Australian Capital Territory election

The 1995 Australian Capital Territory election was held on 18 February 1995 to elect all 17 members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. A referendum on entrenching the ACT's electoral system was also held alongside the election.
Like the 1989 and 1992 elections, the result was another hung parliament. However, the Liberal Party were able to form government with the support of Michael Moore and Paul Osborne. Liberal leader Kate Carnell was elected chief minister at the first sitting of the third Assembly on 9 March 1995.
This was the first time the Legislative Assembly used three multi-member electorates instead of a unicameral system, following the results of the 1992 electoral system referendum.
This was also the first time at an Australian federal, state or territory election that the leaders of both major parties have been female. This would not occur again until the 2020 Queensland state election.

## Key dates

* Close of party registration: 12 January 1995
* Pre-election period commenced/nominations opened: 13 January 1995
* Rolls closed: 20 January 1995
* Nominations closed: 26 January 1995
* Nominations declared/ballot paper order determined: 27 January 1995
* Pre-poll voting commenced: 30 January 1995
* Polling day: 18 February 1995
* Poll declared: 2 March 1995
Source:

## Candidates

Sitting members at the time of the election are listed in bold. Tickets that elected at least one MLA are highlighted in the relevant colour. Successful candidates are indicated by an asterisk (*).

### Brindabella

Five seats were up for election.
| Labor candidates | Liberal candidates | Greens candidates | Democrats candidates |
| Eva Cawthorne Annette Ellis Steve Whan Andrew Whitecross* Bill Wood* | Sandie Brooke Tony De Domenico* Trevor Kaine* Louise Littlewood Brian Lowe | Julie McInness Andrew Parratt Liz Stephens | Charlie Bell Lyn Forceville |
| Moore candidates | Smokers candidates | Ungrouped | |
| Nick Isaacson Stephanie Isaacson | Keith Dencio Stan Kowalski | Janice Ferguson (Ind) Margaret Kobier (Ind) Paul Osborne* (Ind) Tony Savage (Ind) | |

### Ginninderra

Five seats were up for election.
| Labor candidates | Liberal candidates | Greens candidates | Democrats candidates |
| Wayne Berry* Ellnor Grassby Roberta McRae* Jacqueline Shea Fiona Wilson | Lyle Dunne Martin Gordon Cheryl Hill Harold Hird* Bill Stefaniak* | Gary Corr Lucy Horodny* Michelle Rielly | Peter Granleese Peter Main |
| Moore candidates | Smokers candidates | Ungrouped | |
| Graeme Evans Helen Szuty | Donovan Ballard Lorraine Bevan | Kevin Connor (Ind) | |

### Molonglo

Seven seats were up for election.
| Labor candidates | Liberal candidates | Greens candidates | Democrats candidates |
| Terry Connolly* Simon Corbell Rosemary Follett* David Lamont Marion Reilly Michael Wilson Silvia Zamora | Greg Aouad David Ash Kate Carnell* Greg Cornwell* Gary Humphries* Lucinda Spier Gwen Wilcox | Natasha Davis Shane Rattenbury Kerrie Tucker* | Nicola Appleyard Greg Kramer |
| Moore candidates | Smokers candidates | Ungrouped | Ungrouped |
| Mark Dunstone Michael Moore* Tona Ven Raay | John McMahon John Reavell | Mike Boland (Ind) Arthur Burns Allison Dellit Terry De Luca | Alex Middleton Regina Slazenger (Ind) Fred Weston (Ind) |

## Results

| | Liberal | 66,895 | 40.48 | 11.45 | 7 | 1 |
| | Labor | 52,276 | 31.63 | 8.29 | 6 | 2 |
| | Greens | 14,967 | 9.06 | New | 2 | New |
| | Moore Independents | 11,645 | 7.05 | 1.45 | 1 | 1 |
| | Independents | 9,260 | 5.60 | 4.14 | 1 | 1 |
| | Democrats | 6,457 | 3.91 | 0.56 | 0 | 0 |
| | Smokers Are Voters and Civil Rights | 3,770 | 2.28 | New | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 165,270 | 100.00 | – | 17 | – |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 165,270 | 93.76 | | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 10,994 | 6.24 | 0.2 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 176,264 | 100.00 | – | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 196,959 | 89.49 | 0.8 | | |
Results by electorate :
| | | Brindabella | Brindabella | Brindabella | Ginninderra | Ginninderra | Ginninderra | Molonglo | Molonglo | Molonglo |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Liberal | 18,494 | 37.1 | 2 | 19,507 | 40.7 | 2 | 28,894 | 42.9 | 3 |
| | Labor | 15,758 | 31.6 | 2 | 15,693 | 32.7 | 2 | 20,825 | 30.9 | 2 |
| | Greens | 3,965 | 8.0 | 0 | 4,176 | 8.7 | 1 | 6,826 | 10.1 | 1 |
| | Moore Independents | 1,907 | 3.8 | 0 | 3,837 | 8.0 | 0 | 5,901 | 8.8 | 1 |
| | Independent | 6,779 | 13.6 | 1 | 1,059 | 2.2 | 0 | 1,422 | 2.1 | 0 |
| | Democrats | 1,878 | 3.8 | 0 | 2,420 | 5.1 | 0 | 2,159 | 3.2 | 0 |
| | Smokers Are Voters And Civil Rights | 1,116 | 2.2 | 0 | 1,247 | 2.6 | 0 | 1,407 | 2.1 | 0 |
Distribution of seats :
| Electorate | Seats held | Seats held |
| Brindabella | I | |
| Ginninderra | | |
| Molonglo | | M |
I - Independent politician M - Moore Independents

## Opinion polling
### Voting intention

| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote |
| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | LIB | ALP | GRN | MMIG | DEM | SMO | OTH | UND |
| 18 February 1995 | 1995 election | — | 176,264 | 40.5% | 31.6% | 9.1% | 7.1% | 3.9% | 2.3% | 5.6% | — |
| 8−14 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 1278 | 26.2% | 23.8% | 6.4% | 4.9% | 3.5% | 0.9% | 2.4% | 31.9% |
| 28 January−7 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 916 | 22% | 26% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 1% | 2% | 36% |
| 21 August−20 September 1994 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 964 | 32% | 36% | 1% | 3% | 1% | — | 6% | 21% |
| 15 February 1992 | 1992 election | — | 166,467 | 29.0% | 39.9% | — | 5.6% | 4.5% | — | 21.0% | — |

#### Brindabella

| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote |
| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | LIB | ALP | GRN | MMIG | DEM | SMO | OTH | UND |
| 18 February 1995 | 1995 election | — | 49,897 | 37.1% | 31.6% | 8.0% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 2.2% | 13.6% | — |
| 8−14 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 1278 | 25% | 23% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 6% | 32% |
| 28 January−7 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 916 | 19% | 29% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 6% | 39% |
| 21 August−20 September 1994 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 964 | 37% | 33% | 0% | 2% | 1% | — | 6% | 22% |

#### Ginninderra

| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote |
| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | LIB | ALP | GRN | MMIG | DEM | SMO | OTH | UND |
| 18 February 1995 | 1995 election | — | 47,939 | 32.7% | 40.7% | 8.7% | 8.0% | 5.1% | 2.6% | 2.2% | — |
| 8−14 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 1278 | 23% | 25% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 1% | 1% | 35% |
| 28 January−7 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 916 | 22% | 24% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 1% | 2% | 39% |
| 21 August−20 September 1994 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 964 | 29% | 36% | 0% | 3% | 0% | — | 6% | 24% |

#### Molonglo

| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote | Primary vote |
| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | LIB | ALP | GRN | MMIG | DEM | SMO | OTH | UND |
| 18 February 1995 | 1995 election | — | 67,434 | 42.9% | 30.9% | 10.1% | 8.8% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 2.1% | — |
| 8−14 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 1278 | 29% | 23% | 9% | 5% | 3% | 0% | 1% | 30% |
| 28 January−7 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 916 | 25% | 26% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 31% |
| 21 August−20 September 1994 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 964 | 29% | 39% | 2% | 5% | 2% | — | 5% | 19% |

### Preferred chief minister

| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Carnell | Follett | Don't know |
| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | 8−14 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 1278 | 36% | 38% | 26% |
| 28 January−7 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 916 | 39% | 36% | 25% |
| 21 August−20 September 1994 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 964 | 39% | 36% | 26% |

### Leadership approval ratings
#### Rosemary Follett (Labor)

| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Approval rating | Approval rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating |
| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Approve | Disapprove | VB | B | M | G | VG |
| 28 January−7 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 916 | — | — | 13% | 19% | 37% | 25% | 6% |

#### Kate Carnell (Liberal)

| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Approval rating | Approval rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating |
| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Approve | Disapprove | VB | B | M | G | VG |
| 28 January−7 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 916 | — | — | 10% | 18% | 38% | 28% | 6% |

#### Michael Moore (MMIG)

| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Approval rating | Approval rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating | Performance rating |
| Date | Firm | Interview mode | Sample size | Approve | Disapprove | VB | B | M | G | VG |
| 28 January−7 February 1995 | Canberra Times/Datacol | Telephone | 916 | — | — | 20% | 21% | 40% | 16% | 4% |