| Parliament name |
Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
House of Representatives
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
2 July 2016 |
| Purpose of elections |
The Liberal National coalition, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, reduced its share but retained an outright majority in the 150-member House of Representatives. It also became the largest force in the 76-member Senate. The Australian Labor Party (ALP), led by Mr. Bill Shorten, increased the number of seats won from 55 to 69 in the House of Representatives. During the election campaigning, the major parties focused on the health system, child care, tax cuts and climate change.
The 2016 elections followed the first "double dissolution" (see note) since 1987. As well as ending the term of office of the members of the House of Representatives, the double dissolution also brought an end to the terms of all 76 senators. On 8 May 2016, Prime Minister Turnbull (who had succeeded Mr. Tony Abbott as Liberal Party leader in September 2015) asked the Governor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, to dissolve Parliament after the Senate twice rejected a bill that had been passed by the House of Representatives.
Note:
The House of Representatives is fully renewed every three years. By contrast, the Senate is a more continuous body: one half of the senators end their six-year term every three years on a rolling basis. However, both Chambers may be dissolved simultaneously in accordance with Section 57 of the Constitution, in case of an irreconcilable disagreement between the two Houses.
The terms of senators, elected on 2 July 2016, were taken to have commenced on 1 July 2016. The 72 state senators will be divided into two classes: short-term senators whose terms expire on 30 June 2019, and long-term senators whose terms expire on 30 June 2022. The four senators elected to represent the federal territories will serve a three-year term as normal, and on the same electoral timetable as members of the House of Representatives.
Source: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Double_dissolution |
Date of previous elections: 7 September 2013
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 9 May 2016
Timing of election: Early elections
Expected date of next elections:
- For senators serving a three-year term (36 state senators and 4 senators elected to represent the federal territories): In practice, no later than 18 May 2019*
*Under the Constitution, senate elections are due in the year preceding the expiry of these senators' terms of office (30 June 2019). It is considered that the last possible date for the next senate elections will be 18 May 2019. That will allow enough time for the completion of the electoral process before the commencement of the term of new the senators on 1 July 2019.
- For senators serving a six-year term (the remaining 36 state senators): In 2022
*Senate elections are held at the same time as every general election for the House of Representatives.
The election date for the senators serving a six-year term will be determined after the general election due to be held in 2019.
Number of seats at stake: 76 (full renewal)*
*Double dissolution.
Number of candidates: 631 (402 men, 228 women, 1 undeclared*)
*Undeclared: Details of gender were not provided by the candidate.
Percentage of women candidates: 36.1%
Number of parties contesting the election: 57
Number of parties winning seats: 12
Alternation of power: No
Number of parties in government: 4
Names of parties in government: Liberal, Liberal National Party, The Nationals and Country Liberals (NT)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 30 August 2016
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Stephen Parry (Liberal Party) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 2 July 2016 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
15'676'659
14'406'706 (91.9%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Australian Labor Party (ALP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal/Nationals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The Greens |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal National Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Nick Xenophon Team |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Derryn Hinch's Justice Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Family First Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jacqui Lambie Network |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Country Liberals (NT) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Australian Labor Party (ALP) |
26
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal |
14
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal/Nationals |
10
|
|
|
|
|
| The Greens |
9
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal National Party |
5
|
|
|
|
|
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Nick Xenophon Team |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Derryn Hinch's Justice Party |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Family First Party |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Jacqui Lambie Network |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Country Liberals (NT) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
48
28
36.84%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
Parliament (10.08.2016, 30.08.2016, 01.01.2017)
http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenatePartyRepresentation-20499.htm
http://www.aec.gov.au/election/key-facts.htm
http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateTurnoutByState-20499.htm
http://www.abc.net.au
http://www.smh.com.au
https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan
http://www.alp.org.au/ |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
