Following instructions from the government of Robin Askin, the redistribution gave an increased weighting to the votes of electors in rural New South Wales .

However, a continuing movement of population from rural to urban NSW meant that many of the "country" seats were effectively situated in the outskirts of Sydney, where the Liberal Party traditionally had strong electoral support.

With the aid of a favourable redistribution, it seemed certain of electoral victory; and as a result the campaign failed to generate significant public interest.

[3] Since 1965 the government had resolved the problem of cost over-runs and building delays at the Sydney Opera House by forcing the resignation of the architect, Jørn Utzon.

[5] In contrast to the coalition, Labor's leader and former Premier, Jack Renshaw, was unable to appeal much to urban voters and had a hard time adjusting to television.

Renshaw was unable to match the government's promises of aid for private schools, which was a difficult ideological question for Labor.