They saw Prime Minister Godfrey Huggins regain the overall majority he had lost in the previous elections in 1946.
Although this was a minor matter, Huggins argued that it was an issue of confidence because this provision had been agreed with the governments of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland in the Central African Council; as negotiations to form a new majority government failed, the Governor granted a dissolution.
Supporting Huggins' position, the South African general election in May that year had seen a win by the National Party which largely represented Afrikaners.
In the end, it delivered a landslide for Huggins; Liberal Party leader Jacob Smit lost his seat.
The provision allowing postal votes to those living more than 10 miles from the polling station was retained.
Alexander Magnus Flett Stuart died on 7 August 1949, and a byelection to replace him was held on 13 October 1949.