Results of the 1951 Australian federal election (House of Representatives)

The 1951 Australian federal election, held on 28 April 1951, saw the incumbent Liberal-Country coalition government, led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies, re-elected with a reduced majority. This was a double dissolution election, meaning both houses of parliament were dissolved and all seats contested.

The election was triggered by the Senate's repeated rejection of the Menzies government's banking legislation. The government sought a mandate from the people to proceed with its plans, particularly concerning the control and regulation of the Commonwealth Bank.

The Australian Labor Party, led by Ben Chifley, campaigned strongly against the government's banking policies and also focused on issues such as rising inflation and the cost of living. However, the Korean War and concerns about communism, skillfully exploited by the Menzies government, proved to be significant factors in the outcome.

The Liberal Party secured 52 seats and the Country Party 17, giving the coalition a total of 69 seats in the 121-seat House of Representatives. The Australian Labor Party won 52 seats. This represented a loss of five seats for the coalition compared to the 1949 election.

While Menzies secured a second term as Prime Minister, the reduced majority indicated a degree of public dissatisfaction and set the stage for a more closely contested political landscape in subsequent years. Ben Chifley passed away several weeks after the election, leading to a leadership contest within the Labor Party.