List of Australian federal elections

This article summarises results for the general elections to the Australian House of Representatives and Senate, respectively the lower and upper houses of Australia's federal bicameral legislative body, the Parliament of Australia. The number of seats has increased steadily over time, from 111 for the first election, to the current total of 227. The current federal government structure was established in 1901 by the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, 1901.

Two groups have dominated politics in Australia: Labor and the Coalition, composed of the Liberal Party and the National Party (formerly the Country Party). Since the foundation of the Liberal Party in 1944, these two groups have formed every government.

Although government has been a two-party system, since 1955 Australians have consistently elected Senators from multiple parties. In the 1955 election one DLP candidate was elected (under the ALP-AC banner). Although the DLP ceased to be a force after Gough Whitlam took power in 1972, the Liberal Movement and its successor the Australian Democrats carved out their own niche. In the 1980s the NDP briefly gained election, and in the 1990s the Greens were elected to the Senate.

By 2007, the Democrats' federal parliamentary representation had disappeared, while the Greens have emerged at the national level to take their place. The Nationals' representation has also steadily declined, with their percentage of the vote hitting new lows. With the high-profile defection of Senator Julian McGauran to the Liberals in 2006, questions have been raised about the Nationals' viability, and proposals for a Liberal-National party merger have increased in strength. More recently various smaller parties or microparties are represented.

Summary of results[]

House of Representatives[]

The total for the party forming government after the election is bolded. Parties that have never formed government are listed under "Others".

Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labour		Free Trade		Protectionist	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
1st	1901	Sir Edmund Barton		The Protectionists do not gain a majority, and form a minority government with Labour support, while George Reid's Free Traders form the opposition.	14		28		31		2			75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labour		Free Trade		Protectionist	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
2nd	1903	Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) Chris Watson (1867–1941) Sir George Reid (1845–1918) Alfred Deakin (1856–1919)		Protectionist Alfred Deakin forms a minority government with Labour, but the coalition splits over a dispute on the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill. Free Trade leader George Reid declines Government, so the Governor-General commissions Labour leader Chris Watson to form Government. Watson resigns four months later and Free Trade forms Government under Reid, finally passing the Conciliation and Arbitration Act five months later. Labour and the Protectionists return to Government in 1905 when Reid loses the confidence of the parliament.	23		25		26			1	Revenue Tariff	75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labour		Anti-Socialist		Protectionist	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
3rd	1906	Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) Andrew Fisher (1862–1928) Alfred Deakin (1856–1919)		Protectionist Alfred Deakin forms another minority government, which remains in power largely due to the Anti-Socialists reluctance to pass a vote of no-confidence in it. Deakin loses Labour's support in late 1908 and Andrew Fisher of the Labour Party becomes Prime Minister. Alfred Deakin regains the Prime Ministership as leader of the new Commonwealth Liberal Party.	26		27		16		1	1	Western Australian	75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labour		Commonwealth Liberal		-	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
4th	1910	Andrew Fisher (1862–1928)		Labour wins control of the House of Representatives and the Senate under Andrew Fisher, becoming Australia's first elected federal majority.	43		31				1			75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Commonwealth Liberal		-	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
5th	1913	Joseph Cook (1860–1947)		The Commonwealth Liberals win a one-seat majority under Joseph Cook while Labor retains control of the Senate.	37		38							75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Commonwealth Liberal		-	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
6th	1914	Andrew Fisher (1862–1928) Billy Hughes (1862–1952)		Labor forms a government under Andrew Fisher after the double dissolution election, where World War I breaks out in the middle of the campaign. Fisher resigns due to ill-health, and Labor forms government under Billy Hughes. Hughes – a strong advocate of conscription – holds a national plebiscite on conscription to give his stance legitimacy. The plebiscite is defeated. On the 15 September 1916, Hughes is expelled from the Labor party. Hughes briefly forms the National Labor Party and forms Government, but then merges with the Commonwealth Liberal Party to form the Nationalist Party, with Hughes as Prime Minister and Joseph Cook as his deputy.	42		32				1			75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Nationalist		-	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
7th	1917	Billy Hughes (1862–1952)		The Nationalists form a government under Billy Hughes. A second plebiscite on conscription is held and is defeated again in 1917.	22		53							75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Nationalist		Various Agrarian Parties[1]	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
8th	1919	Billy Hughes (1862–1952)		The Nationalists form another government under Billy Hughes with Independent support. First election held under Instant-runoff voting.	26		37		11		1			75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Nationalist		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
9th	1922	Billy Hughes (1862–1952) Stanley Bruce (1883–1967)		From around 1920, Hughes lost the support of many of the conservative elements of his party. The Nationalists lose their majority in the election. Earle Page declares that his Country Party will not serve under Hughes, forcing Hughes to resign a month after his re-election. His Treasurer Stanley Bruce forms a coalition Government with the Country Party.	29		26		14		1	5	Liberal	75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Nationalist		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
10th	1925	Stanley Bruce (1883–1967)		The Coalition of Nationalists and the Country Party forms another government under Stanley Bruce.	23		37		14		1			75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Nationalist		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
11th	1928	Stanley Bruce (1883–1967)		The Coalition forms another government under Stanley Bruce despite Labor gaining eight seats under Jim Scullin.	31		29		13		1	1	Country Progressives	75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Nationalist		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
12th	1929	Jim Scullin (1876–1953)		Labor forms a government under Jim Scullin in an election where Prime Minister Stanley Bruce is defeated in his seat of Flinders.	46		14		10		4	1	Country Progressives	75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		United Australia Party		Country	Lang Labor	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
13th	1931	Joe Lyons (1879–1939)		United Australia, forms a minority government under Joe Lyons.	14		34		16	4	1	6	Emergency Committee	75
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		United Australia Party		Country	Lang Labor	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
14th	1934	Joe Lyons (1879–1939)		The Coalition of the UAP and the Country Party forms a government under Joe Lyons.	18		28		14	9		5	LCL	74
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		United Australia Party		Country	Lang Labor	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
15th	1937	Joe Lyons (1879–1939) Sir Earle Page (1880–1961) Robert Menzies (1894–1978)		The Coalition forms another government under Joe Lyons.	29		28		16		1			74
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		United Australia Party		Country	Lang Labor	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
16th	1940	Robert Menzies (1894–1978) Arthur Fadden (1895–1973) John Curtin (1885–1945)		The Coalition forms a minority government under Robert Menzies. Billy Hughes later replaces him as UAP leader, and Country Party leader Arthur Fadden replaces him as Coalition leader and Prime Minister. Fadden serves for only 40 days, until Labor and the independents defeat his budget. Labor forms Government under John Curtin.	32		23		14	4	1			74
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		United Australia Party		Country	Lang Labor	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
17th	1943	John Curtin (1885–1945) Frank Forde (1890–1983) Ben Chifley (1885–1951)		Labor forms a government under John Curtin.	49		12		7		1	5	Country-National (3), Liberal Country, Country (QLD)	74
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	Lang Labor	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
18th	1946	Ben Chifley (1885–1951)		Labor forms a government under Ben Chifley.	43		15		11	1	1	3	LCL (2), Liberal Country	74
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
19th	1949	Robert Menzies (1894–1978)		The Coalition forms a government under Robert Menzies, but lacks a Senate majority. Menzies uses the Senate's rejection of the Commonwealth Bank Bill 1951 as a trigger for a double dissolution election.	47		55		19					121
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
20th	1951	Robert Menzies (1894–1978)		The Coalition forms another government under Robert Menzies and gains control of the Senate after a double dissolution.	52		52		17					121
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
21st	1954	Robert Menzies (1894–1978)		The Coalition forms another government under Robert Menzies.	57		47		17					121
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
22nd	1955	Robert Menzies (1894–1978)		The Coalition forms another government under Robert Menzies.	47		57		18					122
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
23rd	1958	Robert Menzies (1894–1978)		The Coalition forms another government under Robert Menzies.	45		58		19					122
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
24th	1961	Robert Menzies (1894–1978)		The Coalition forms another government under Robert Menzies.	60		45		17					122
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
25th	1963	Sir Robert Menzies (1894–1978) Harold Holt (1908–1967)		The Coalition forms another government under Sir Robert Menzies.	50		52		20					122
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
26th	1966	Harold Holt (1908–1967) John McEwen (1900–1980) John Gorton (1911–2002)		The Coalition forms a government under Harold Holt.	41		61		21		1			124
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
27th	1969	John Gorton (1911–2002) William McMahon (1908–1988)		The Coalition forms a government under John Gorton.	59		46		20					125
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
28th	1972	Gough Whitlam (1916–2014)		Labor forms its first government since 1949 under Gough Whitlam.	67		38		20					125
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Country	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
29th	1974	Gough Whitlam (1916–2014) Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015)		Labor forms another government under Gough Whitlam after a double dissolution triggered by a hostile Senate and resulting in the 1974 Joint Sitting. The Coalition forms a government under Malcolm Fraser following his appointment as Prime Minister by Governor-General Sir John Kerr in the 1975 constitutional crisis.	66		40		21					127
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		National Country Party	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
30th	1975	Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015)		The Coalition forms a government under Malcolm Fraser.	36		68		23					127
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		National Country Party	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
31st	1977	Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015)		The Coalition forms another government under Malcolm Fraser.	38		67		19					124
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		National Country Party	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
32nd	1980	Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015)		The Coalition forms another government under Malcolm Fraser.	51		54		20					125
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
33rd	1983	Bob Hawke (1929-2019)		Labor forms a government under Bob Hawke after a double dissolution.	75		33		17					125
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
34th	1984	Bob Hawke (1929-2019)		Labor forms another government under Bob Hawke.	82		45		21					148
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
35th	1987	Bob Hawke (1929-2019)		Labor forms another government under Bob Hawke after a double dissolution over the Australia Card.	86		43		19					148
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
36th	1990	Bob Hawke (1929-2019) Paul Keating (1944– )		Labor forms another government under Bob Hawke.	78		55		14		1			148
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
37th	1993	Paul Keating (1944– )		Labor forms a government under Paul Keating.	80		49		16		2			147
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
38th	1996	John Howard (1939– )		The Coalition forms a government under John Howard.	49		75		19		5			148
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
39th	1998	John Howard (1939– )		The Coalition forms another government under John Howard.	67		64		16		1			148
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
40th	2001	John Howard (1939– )		The Coalition forms another government under John Howard.	65		69		13		3			150
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
41st	2004	John Howard (1939– )		The Coalition forms another government under John Howard.	60		75		12		3			150
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	-	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
42nd	2007	Kevin Rudd (1957– ) Julia Gillard (1961– )		Labor forms a government under Kevin Rudd.	83		55		10		2			150
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	Greens	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
43rd	2010	Julia Gillard (1961– ) Kevin Rudd (1957– )		Labor forms a minority government with the support of 3 independents and 1 Green under Julia Gillard.	72		44 (+ 16 LNP and 1 CLP)		6 + (5 LNP)	1	4	1	WA Nationals	150
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	Greens	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
44th	2013	Tony Abbott (1957– ) Malcolm Turnbull (1954– )		The Coalition forms a government under Tony Abbott.	55		58 (+ 16 LNP and 1 CLP)		9 (+6 LNP)	1	2	2	(1) Katter's Australian Party (1) Palmer United	150
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	Greens	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
45th	2016	Malcolm Turnbull (1954– ) Scott Morrison (1968– )		The Coalition forms another government under Malcolm Turnbull.	69		45 (+ 15 LNP)		10 (+ 6 LNP)	1	2	2	(1) Katter's Australian Party (1) Nick Xenophon Team	150 al seats
Election Year		Prime Minister		Summary	Labor		Liberal		Nationals	Greens	Independent	Other parties		Total seats
46th	2019	Scott Morrison (1968 -)		The Coalition forms another government under Scott Morrison.		69	44 (+ 17 LNP)		10 (+ 6 LNP)	1	3	1	(1) Katter's Australian Party (KAP)	151

House of Representatives primary, two-party and seat results[]

A two-party system has existed in the Australian House of Representatives since the two non-Labor parties merged in 1909. The 1910 election was the first to elect a majority government, with the Australian Labor Party concurrently winning the first Senate majority. Prior to 1909 a three-party system existed in the chamber. A two-party-preferred vote (2PP) has been calculated since the 1919 change from first-past-the-post to preferential voting and subsequent introduction of the Coalition. ALP = Australian Labor Party, L+NP = grouping of Liberal/National/LNP/CLP Coalition parties (and predecessors), Oth = other parties and independents.

Historical party composition of the Senate[]

The Senate has included representatives from a range of political parties, including several parties that have seldom or never had representation in the House of Representatives, but which have consistently secured a small but significant level of electoral support, as the table shows.

Results represent the composition of the Senate after the elections. The full Senate has been contested on eight occasions; the inaugural election and seven double dissolutions. These are underlined and highlighted in puce.^[2]

See also[]

• Chronology of Australian federal parliaments
• Timeline of Australian elections
• Elections in Australia
• List of political parties in Australia
• List of Australian federal by-elections
• 2013 Australian federal election

Notes[]

References[]

• "A database of elections, governments, parties and representation for Australian state and federal parliaments since 1890". University of Western Australia. Retrieved 2009-02-15.