Gorton withWilliam McMahon shortly after the unsuccessful leadership challenge.
The election on 7 November was set for 10 a.m., but delayed by an hour as five MPs travelling from Melbourne were delayed by a faulty aircraft. With SpeakerWilliam Aston presiding, the 65 members of the Liberal partyroom took 49 minutes to elect a leader. Gorton won an absolute majority on the first ballot, but the final results were kept secret, with the ballot papers burnt immediately after being tallied.[4]Alan Reid ofThe Daily Telegraph estimated Gorton had won 34 votes,[3] whileThe Canberra Times estimated 38 votes;[4] Gorton's supporters claimed up to 40 votes.[3] The deputy leadership was also declared vacant, and McMahon was re-elected over Immigration MinisterBilly Snedden and Postmaster-GeneralAlan Hulme with about 35 votes, with Snedden receiving the majority of the rest.[4]
After the challenge, Fairbairn resigned from cabinet and McMahon was demoted toMinister for External Affairs. Gorton resigned in March 1971 after a vote of confidence in his leadership was tied33-33, and McMahon won the subsequent leadership contest againstBilly Snedden.[3]
