1980 in Australia

← 1979 1978 1977 1980 in Australia → 1981 1982 1983
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
See also:	Other events of 1980 Federal election Timeline of Australian history

Incumbents

• Queen of Australia – Elizabeth II
• Prime Minister – Malcolm Fraser
• Governor General – Sir Zelman Cowen

Premiers and Chief Ministers

• Premier of New South Wales – Neville Wran
• Premier of South Australia – David Tonkin
• Premier of Queensland – Joh Bjelke-Petersen
• Premier of Tasmania – Doug Lowe
• Premier of Western Australia – Sir Charles Court
• Premier of Victoria – Rupert Hamer
• Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory – Post did not exist in 1980
• Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – Paul Everingham

Governors and administrators

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler
• Governor of South Australia – Keith Seaman
• Governor of Queensland – Sir James Ramsay
• Governor of Tasmania – Sir Stanley Burbury
• Governor of Western Australia – Sir Wallace Kyle (until 24 November), then Sir Richard Trowbridge
• Governor of Victoria – Sir Henry Winneke
• Administrator of the Northern Territory – John England

Events

• 21 February – A Beech 200 light aircraft crashes at Sydney Airport, killing 13.
• 23 February – The Liberal/National coalition government of Sir Charles Court is re-elected in Western Australia.
• 24 March – The Australian Olympic Federation announces it will send an Olympic delegation to Moscow, despite objections raised by the Prime Minister.
• 26 April – Louise and Charmian Faulkner disappear from outside their flat in St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia.
• 7 June – Paul Everingham's Country Liberal Party government is re-elected in the Northern Territory.
• 23 June – Australia's first "test tube baby" (Candice Reed) is born in Melbourne.^[1]
• 23 June – David Opas, a Judge of the Family Court of Australia is shot and killed outside his home.
• 17 August – Azaria Chamberlain disappears from a campsite at Ayers Rock (Uluru), reportedly taken by a dingo.
• 26 September – The Lonie Report in Victoria recommends the closure of half the suburban rail lines, all country passenger rail lines and a number of tram routes. It also recommends huge freeway expansion. The report is controversial and protests cause its recommendations to be moderated.
• 18 October – The federal election sees Malcolm Fraser's Liberal/National coalition government re-elected for a third consecutive term, albeit with an almost halved majority.
• 29 November – In Queensland, the National Party government of Joh Bjelke-Petersen is re-elected.
• 23 December – Victoria decriminalises homosexual acts between consenting adults, with the Royal Assent of the Crimes (Sexual Offences) Act 1980.

Arts and literature

• Jessica Anderson's novel The Impersonators wins the Miles Franklin Award

Film

• 'Breaker' Morant
• The Club

Television

• 17 January – Gippsland's GLV-10 becomes GLV-8. This is done so that Melbourne's ATV-0 can become ATV-10.
• 20 January – ATV-0 becomes ATV-10. This move prompts the 0–10 Network to change its name to Network Ten, although Brisbane's TVQ-0 would continue to broadcast on Channel 0 until 1988. On the same night, Ten's new drama series Arcade premieres. It is regarded as the biggest flop in Australian television history, costing over $3 million to make and being axed after 49 episodes.
• 17 July – Nine Network's new quiz show Sale of the Century launches, bringing in record ratings with Nine winning the 7pm timeslot.
• 30 January – Kingswood Country debuts on the Seven Network.
• 15 October – Mini-series The Last Outlaw debuts on Seven.
• 24 October – SBS commences transmission in Sydney & Melbourne on VHF Channel 0 & UHF Channel 28, becoming the first station in Australia to use UHF frequencies.

Sport

• 8 July, Lang Park – The inaugural 1980 State of Origin game is won by Queensland who defeat New South Wales 20 – 10.
• 27 July – Lawrence Whitty wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:19:00 in Adelaide.
• 27 September – The Canterbury Bulldogs defeat the Eastern Suburbs Roosters (now Sydney Roosters) 18–4 to win the 73rd NSWRL premiership. It is the first premiership for Canterbury since 1942 & the last ever grand final played on a Saturday. In the process, Steve Gearin scores one of the most spectacular tries in history.
• 27 September – On the same day, the Richmond Tigers (23.21.159) defeat the Collingwood Magpies (9.24.78) to win the 84th VFL premiership. It is the most recent premiership win for Richmond.
• 5 October – Alan Jones becomes the second Australian driver to win the Formula One World Drivers Championship after winning the final race of the season at Watkins Glen, New York.
• 4 November – Beldale Ball wins the Melbourne Cup.
• 13 December – The Illawarra Steelers are accepted as the 13th team in the NSWRL premiership for 1982, making them the first team from outside the Sydney metropolitan area to compete in the competition since Newcastle in 1909.

Births

• 5 January – Brad Meyers, rugby league player
• 17 January – Kylie Wheeler, heptathlete
• 8 February – Cameron Muncey, singer and guitarist (Jet
• 27 March – Toni Cronk, field hockey goalkeeper
• 9 May – Grant Hackett, swimmer
• 18 June – Craig Mottram, long and middle distance runner
• 9 July – Brooke Krueger, hammer thrower
• 23 August – Bronwyn Eagles, hammer thrower
• 25 December – Ricky Muir, politician

Deaths

• 7 January – Eddie Scarf, 71, boxer and wrestler
• 11 November – Vince Gair, 79, Premier of Queensland (1952–1957)
• 20 November – John McEwen, 80, 18th Prime Minister of Australia

See also

• 1980 in Australian television
• List of Australian films of 1980

References