Examine these election results. In each case the Vietnam War was a major issue.
| Party | House of Representatives | Senate | |||||
| 1963 | 1966 | 1969 | 1972 | 1963 | 1966 | 1969 | |
| Liberal | 52 | 61 | 46 | 38 | 23 | 21 | 21 |
| Country Party | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| ALP | 52 | 41 | 59 | 68 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| DLP | - | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Indep | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Now examine the results of public opinion polls (published in Peter Cook, Australia and Vietnam 1965 - 1972, La Trobe University Melbourne, 1991 page 39).
| Poll date | Continue to fight (%) | Bring back (%) | Undecided (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 65 | 56 | 28 | 16 |
| Sept 66 | 61 | 27 | 12 |
| May 67 | 62 | 24 | 14 |
| Oct 68 | 54 | 38 | 8 |
| Dec 68 | 49 | 37 | 14 |
| Apr 69 | 48 | 40 | 12 |
| Aug 69 | 40 | 55 | 6 |
| Oct 69 | 39 | 51 | 10 |
| Oct 70 | 42 | 50 | 8 |