Former Treasurer Bill Hayden unsuccessfully challenged Labor leader Gough Whitlam.

Whitlam was narrowly re-elected by 32 votes to 30 (the smallest possible majority) leading him to later refer to many in his caucus as 'out of touch'.

[1] After his party's heavy defeat at the 1975 election Gough Whitlam was comfortably re-elected leader of the ALP.

However over the following year his support began to fall away and many MPs lobbied his former Treasurer Bill Hayden to stand against him.

[2][3][4] Tom Uren Tom Uren The following tables gives the ballot results:[6] Despite surviving the vote the ALP only gained a handful of seats at the 1977 election, which prompted Whitlam to resign as leader with Hayden elected as his replacement.