oral ▁debut , ▁and ▁surprised ▁most ▁obser vers ▁by ▁pol ling ▁ 1 3 ▁percent ▁on ▁first ▁prefer ences ▁( only ▁ 6 2 ▁votes ▁fewer ▁than ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party ). ▁ ▁Background ▁David ▁Brand ▁had ▁held ▁Green ough ▁for ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁since ▁a ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁by - e lection . ▁He ▁was ▁party ▁leader ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁and ▁premier ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁setting ▁records ▁for ▁length ▁of ▁service ▁in ▁both ▁positions . ▁Brand ▁res igned ▁from ▁parliament ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁The ▁writ ▁for ▁the ▁by - e lection ▁was ▁issued ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁August , ▁with ▁the ▁close ▁of ▁nomin ations ▁on ▁ 8 ▁October . ▁Pol ling ▁day ▁was ▁on ▁ 1 ▁November , ▁with ▁the ▁writ ▁returned ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁November . ▁ ▁The ▁by - e lection ▁occurred ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁Australian ▁constitution al ▁crisis , ▁which ▁cul min ated ▁with ▁the ▁dismiss al ▁of ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁G ough ▁Whit lam ▁( an ▁un pop ular ▁figure ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia ) ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁November . ▁Ear lier ▁in ▁the ▁year , ▁there ▁had ▁also ▁been ▁political ▁tur mo il ▁at ▁state ▁level , ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Country ▁Party ▁withdraw ing ▁from ▁its ▁gover ning ▁coal ition ▁with ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁for ▁eleven ▁days . ▁ ▁Results