✶ History · 1901 to 2026
48 elections,
31 Prime Ministers.
The Commonwealth began on 1 January 1901. Its House grew from 75 to 150 members, its franchise from the states' patchwork to every adult citizen, its count from first-past-the-post to full preferences; 8 of 45 attempts to change the Constitution have carried.
House of Representatives · seats at each general election
Labor and
the non-Labor side.
Federal politics settled into two sides within a decade: Labor, and the anti-Labor parties that fused in 1909 and later governed in coalition with the Country (now National) Party. From 1949 to 1987 the House had at most one member outside the two sides; the crossbench reached 16 in 2022 and 13 in 2025.
- Labor
- Non-Labor parties
- Others and independents
- Country Party Prime Ministers
- — majority · ● double dissolution
Seats won at each general election, 48 elections, House from 75 to 151 seats. Non-Labor: Protectionist and Free Trade (Anti-Socialist) to 1909, then the Commonwealth Liberals, Nationalists, the United Australia Party and the Liberal–Country (National) coalition. Seat totals from a secondary source (Wikipedia, "List of Australian federal elections"); early figures differ between sources. Prime Ministers: National Archives of Australia.
Who may vote, and how votes count
From 1902
to 2016.
- 1901 Federation Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (UK) · first used 1901
Both houses 'directly chosen by the people' (ss 7, 24). Until Parliament legislated, each state's own franchise and voting method applied at the first election, so women voted in South Australia and Western Australia only.
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 1902 Uniform adult franchise, including women Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 · first used 1903
Adult British subjects, men and women, could vote and stand for Parliament — among the first national women's franchises. The same Act excluded 'aboriginal natives of Australia, Asia, Africa or the Islands of the Pacific' (except New Zealand) unless already entitled under s 41.
Federal Register of Legislation: Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 - 1902 Secret ballot and first-past-the-post Commonwealth Electoral Act 1902 · first used 1903
A national roll, the secret ballot and plurality voting in both houses; the Electoral Branch of the Department of Home Affairs ran elections.
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 1911 Compulsory enrolment
Enrolment became compulsory, though voting did not yet.
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 1918 Preferential voting for the House Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 · first used 1919
Full preferential (instant-runoff) voting replaced first-past-the-post after the conservative vote split at the Swan by-election; first used at the Corangamite by-election in December 1918. Preferential block voting followed for the Senate (1919).
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 1924 Compulsory voting Commonwealth Electoral Act 1924 · first used 1925
A private member's bill made voting compulsory; turnout rose from 59% in 1922 to 91% in 1925.
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 1948 Proportional Senate and a larger House Representation Act 1948; Commonwealth Electoral Act 1948 · first used 1949
The Senate grew from 36 to 60 and switched to proportional representation (single transferable vote); the House grew from 74 to 121 to keep the nexus.
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 1949 Some Aboriginal people may vote
Aboriginal people entitled to vote in their state, or who had served in the armed forces, gained the federal vote.
AEC: History of the Indigenous vote - 1962 All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may vote Commonwealth Electoral Act 1962 · first used 1963
The federal vote extended to all Indigenous Australians; enrolment for them stayed voluntary until 1984.
AEC: History of the Indigenous vote - 1967 1967 referendum
90.77% voted to let Parliament make laws for Aboriginal people (s 51(xxvi)) and to count them in the population (repeal of s 127). It did not concern the franchise, which had been granted in 1962.
AEC: Referendum dates and results - 1973 Voting age lowered to 18 Commonwealth Electoral Act 1973 · first used 1974
From 21 to 18; the Australian Electoral Office became a separate office.
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 1977 Territorians vote at referendums
A carried referendum let ACT and NT electors vote at referendums (their votes count only in the national total), fixed casual Senate vacancies to the same party, and set the judges' retirement age at 70.
AEC: Referendum dates and results - 1983 AEC, above-the-line voting, party registration, public funding Commonwealth Electoral Legislation Amendment Act 1983 · first used 1984
The Australian Electoral Commission became an independent statutory authority on 21 February 1984. The Act introduced party registration and party names on ballots, above-the-line Senate voting with group voting tickets, public election funding and financial disclosure, and compulsory enrolment for Indigenous Australians. The House grew to 148 and the Senate to 76.
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 2016 Senate voting reform Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Act 2016 · first used 2016
Group voting tickets abolished: voters now number at least 6 boxes above the line or at least 12 below it, and preferences go only where voters send them.
AEC: A short history of federal electoral reform in Australia - 2025 Donation and spending caps Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 2025
From 1 January 2027: disclosure threshold cut from $17,300 to $5,000; donations capped at $50,000 a year per recipient and $1.6 million in total per donor; spending capped at $800,000 per House division and $90 million nationally for a party; donations above the threshold disclosed within days (24 hours in the last week of a campaign); higher public funding per vote.
AEC: Funding and disclosure legislative changes (from 1 January 2027)
Highlighted: changes to who could vote and how preferences are marked.
Constitution s 57
7 double
dissolutions.
| Polling day | Advised by | Prime Minister after | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 September 1914 | Joseph Cook | Andrew Fisher | |
| 28 April 1951 | Robert Menzies | Robert Menzies | |
| 18 May 1974 | Gough Whitlam | Gough Whitlam | Followed by the only joint sitting of both houses (6–7 August 1974), which passed six bills including Medibank. |
| 13 December 1975 | Malcolm Fraser | Malcolm Fraser | Fraser advised the dissolution as caretaker Prime Minister on the day of the Dismissal. |
| 5 March 1983 | Malcolm Fraser | Bob Hawke | |
| 11 July 1987 | Bob Hawke | Bob Hawke | |
| 2 July 2016 | Malcolm Turnbull | Malcolm Turnbull |
Parliament of Australia: House of Representatives Infosheet 18 – Double dissolution · How s 57 works →
Tuesday 11 November 1975
The Dismissal.
Sir John Kerr withdrew Gough Whitlam's commission and appointed Malcolm Fraser.
From 16 October 1975 the Coalition-controlled Senate deferred the budget (supply) bills. On 11 November Governor-General Sir John Kerr withdrew Whitlam's commission and appointed Opposition Leader Malcolm Fraser caretaker Prime Minister on condition that he secure supply and advise a double dissolution. Supply passed that afternoon; both houses were dissolved and at the election on 13 December 1975 the Coalition won 91 of 127 seats. It remains the only dismissal of an Australian Prime Minister by a Governor-General.
National Archives of Australia: Fact sheet — The Dismissal, 1975 · Reserve powers →
Constitution s 128 · 45 referendums · 8 carried
Yes in four states
and the nation.
- 27 May 1967 · carried Aboriginals 90.77% Yes nationally · 6 of 6 states
Removed the words excluding 'the aboriginal race in any State' from s 51(xxvi), so the Commonwealth could make laws for Aboriginal people, and repealed s 127, which had kept them out of population counts. The largest Yes vote of any referendum.
- 6 November 1999 · not carried Establishment of Republic 45.13% Yes nationally · 0 of 6 states · Yes in the ACT
Proposed replacing the King and Governor-General with a President chosen by a two-thirds majority of a joint sitting of Parliament. No state voted Yes; the ACT did.
A uniform swing of more than 8.52 points would have carried it. - 14 October 2023 · not carried Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice 39.94% Yes nationally · 0 of 6 states · Yes in the ACT
Proposed recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through a body able to make representations to Parliament and the executive. No state voted Yes; the ACT did.
A uniform swing of more than 13.27 points would have carried it.
| No. | Date | Proposal | Yes | States | NSW | VIC | QLD | WA | SA | TAS | ACT | NT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 December 1906 | Senate Electionscarried | 82.65% | 6–0 | 83.9 | 83.1 | 76.8 | 78.9 | 87.0 | 81.3 | ||
| 2 | 13 April 1910 | State Debtscarried | 54.95% | 5–1 | 33.3 | 64.6 | 64.6 | 72.8 | 73.2 | 81.0 | ||
| 3 | 13 April 1910 | Surplus Revenue | 49.04% | 3–3 | 47.4 | 45.3 | 54.6 | 61.7 | 49.1 | 60.0 | ||
| 4 | 26 April 1911 | Trade and Commerce | 39.42% | 1–5 | 36.1 | 38.6 | 43.8 | 54.9 | 38.1 | 42.1 | ||
| 5 | 26 April 1911 | Monopolies | 39.89% | 1–5 | 36.7 | 39.0 | 44.3 | 55.8 | 38.4 | 42.4 | ||
| 6 | 31 May 1913 | Trade and Commerce | 49.38% | 3–3 | 46.9 | 49.1 | 54.3 | 52.9 | 51.3 | 45.2 | ||
| 7 | 31 May 1913 | Corporations | 49.33% | 3–3 | 46.8 | 49.1 | 54.3 | 52.8 | 51.3 | 45.1 | ||
| 8 | 31 May 1913 | Industrial Matters | 49.33% | 3–3 | 46.9 | 49.0 | 54.4 | 52.7 | 51.4 | 45.2 | ||
| 9 | 31 May 1913 | Trusts | 49.78% | 3–3 | 47.1 | 49.7 | 54.8 | 53.6 | 51.7 | 45.4 | ||
| 10 | 31 May 1913 | Monopolies | 49.33% | 3–3 | 46.9 | 49.1 | 54.2 | 53.2 | 51.3 | 45.2 | ||
| 11 | 31 May 1913 | Railway Disputes | 49.13% | 3–3 | 46.7 | 48.8 | 54.2 | 52.4 | 51.3 | 45.0 | ||
| 12 | 13 December 1919 | Legislative Powers | 49.65% | 3–3 | 40.0 | 64.7 | 57.4 | 51.8 | 25.3 | 33.4 | ||
| 13 | 13 December 1919 | Monopolies | 48.64% | 3–3 | 38.3 | 63.3 | 56.9 | 54.0 | 25.5 | 34.1 | ||
| 14 | 4 September 1926 | Industry and Commerce | 43.50% | 2–4 | 51.5 | 36.2 | 52.1 | 29.3 | 29.3 | 44.9 | ||
| 15 | 4 September 1926 | Essential Services | 42.80% | 2–4 | 50.4 | 35.6 | 50.6 | 25.9 | 31.3 | 48.6 | ||
| 16 | 17 November 1928 | State Debtscarried | 74.30% | 6–0 | 64.5 | 87.8 | 88.6 | 57.5 | 62.7 | 66.9 | ||
| 17 | 6 March 1937 | Aviation | 53.56% | 2–4 | 47.3 | 65.1 | 61.9 | 47.6 | 40.1 | 38.9 | ||
| 18 | 6 March 1937 | Marketing | 36.26% | 0–6 | 33.8 | 46.6 | 38.8 | 27.8 | 20.8 | 21.9 | ||
| 19 | 19 August 1944 | Post-War Reconstruction and Democratic Rights | 45.99% | 2–4 | 45.4 | 49.3 | 36.5 | 52.3 | 50.6 | 38.9 | ||
| 20 | 28 September 1946 | Social Servicescarried | 54.39% | 6–0 | 54.0 | 56.0 | 51.3 | 62.3 | 51.7 | 50.6 | ||
| 21 | 28 September 1946 | Marketing | 50.57% | 3–3 | 51.8 | 52.4 | 45.7 | 56.2 | 48.7 | 42.6 | ||
| 22 | 28 September 1946 | Industrial Employment | 50.30% | 3–3 | 51.7 | 52.1 | 43.4 | 55.7 | 48.2 | 41.4 | ||
| 23 | 29 May 1948 | Rents and Prices | 40.66% | 0–6 | 41.7 | 44.6 | 30.8 | 38.6 | 42.2 | 35.5 | ||
| 24 | 22 September 1951 | Communists and Communism | 49.44% | 3–3 | 47.2 | 48.7 | 55.8 | 55.1 | 47.3 | 50.3 | ||
| 25 | 27 May 1967 | Parliament | 40.25% | 1–5 | 51.0 | 30.9 | 44.1 | 29.1 | 33.9 | 23.1 | ||
| 26 | 27 May 1967 | Aboriginalscarried | 90.77% | 6–0 | 91.5 | 94.7 | 89.2 | 81.0 | 86.3 | 90.2 | ||
| 27 | 8 December 1973 | Prices | 43.81% | 0–6 | 48.6 | 45.2 | 38.5 | 31.9 | 41.2 | 38.2 | ||
| 28 | 8 December 1973 | Incomes | 34.42% | 0–6 | 40.3 | 33.4 | 31.7 | 25.2 | 28.3 | 28.3 | ||
| 29 | 18 May 1974 | Simultaneous Elections | 48.30% | 1–5 | 51.1 | 49.2 | 44.3 | 44.1 | 47.1 | 41.4 | ||
| 30 | 18 May 1974 | Mode of Altering the Constitution | 47.99% | 1–5 | 51.4 | 49.2 | 44.3 | 42.5 | 44.3 | 40.7 | ||
| 31 | 18 May 1974 | Democratic Elections | 47.20% | 1–5 | 50.6 | 47.7 | 43.7 | 42.9 | 44.1 | 40.8 | ||
| 32 | 18 May 1974 | Local Government Bodies | 46.85% | 1–5 | 50.8 | 47.4 | 43.7 | 40.7 | 42.5 | 40.0 | ||
| 33 | 21 May 1977 | Simultaneous Elections | 62.22% | 3–3 | 70.7 | 65.0 | 47.5 | 48.5 | 66.0 | 34.3 | ||
| 34 | 21 May 1977 | Senate Casual Vacanciescarried | 73.32% | 6–0 | 81.6 | 76.1 | 58.9 | 57.1 | 76.6 | 53.8 | ||
| 35 | 21 May 1977 | Referendumscarried | 77.72% | 6–0 | 83.9 | 80.8 | 59.6 | 72.6 | 83.3 | 62.3 | ||
| 36 | 21 May 1977 | Retirement of Judgescarried | 80.10% | 6–0 | 84.8 | 81.4 | 65.2 | 78.4 | 85.6 | 72.5 | ||
| 37 | 1 December 1984 | Terms of Senators | 50.64% | 2–4 | 52.9 | 53.2 | 45.7 | 46.5 | 50.0 | 39.3 | 56.7 | 51.9 |
| 38 | 1 December 1984 | Interchange of Powers | 47.06% | 0–6 | 49.0 | 49.9 | 41.7 | 44.3 | 45.9 | 34.7 | 56.1 | 47.8 |
| 39 | 3 September 1988 | Parliamentary Terms | 32.92% | 0–6 | 31.7 | 36.2 | 35.2 | 30.7 | 26.8 | 25.3 | 43.6 | 38.1 |
| 40 | 3 September 1988 | Fair Elections | 37.60% | 0–6 | 35.6 | 40.1 | 44.8 | 32.0 | 30.6 | 28.9 | 52.0 | 43.0 |
| 41 | 3 September 1988 | Local Government | 33.62% | 0–6 | 31.7 | 36.1 | 38.3 | 29.8 | 29.9 | 27.5 | 39.8 | 38.8 |
| 42 | 3 September 1988 | Rights and Freedoms | 30.79% | 0–6 | 29.7 | 33.4 | 32.9 | 28.1 | 26.0 | 25.5 | 40.7 | 37.1 |
| 43 | 6 November 1999 | Establishment of Republic | 45.13% | 0–6 | 46.4 | 49.8 | 37.4 | 41.5 | 43.6 | 40.4 | 63.3 | 48.8 |
| 44 | 6 November 1999 | Preamble | 39.34% | 0–6 | 42.1 | 42.5 | 32.8 | 34.7 | 38.1 | 35.7 | 43.6 | 38.5 |
| 45 | 14 October 2023 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice | 39.94% | 0–6 | 41.0 | 45.9 | 31.8 | 36.7 | 35.8 | 41.1 | 61.3 | 39.7 |
Yes as a percentage of formal votes. Shaded: a Yes majority; lighter: within five points. The ACT and the NT voted from 1977 (figures here from 1984) and count only in the national total. National results: AEC; per-state figures from a secondary source (Wikipedia, "Referendums in Australia").
Every general election · secondary source for seats and votes
1901 to 2025.
| Polling day | Seats | Result | Prime Minister after | Turnout | Labor TPP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2025 | 150 | Labor 94, Liberal and National 43, Other 13Labor's largest-ever seat tally; Opposition Leader Peter Dutton lost his seat. First 150-seat House. | Anthony Albanese | 90.7% | 55.2% |
| 21 May 2022 | 151 | Labor 77, Liberal and National 58, Other 16Record crossbench of 16, including six new 'teal' independents. | Anthony Albanese | 89.8% | 52.1% |
| 18 May 2019 | 151 | Labor 68, Liberal and National 77, Other 6 | Scott Morrison | 91.9% | 48.5% |
| 2 July 2016DD | 150 | Labor 69, Liberal and National 76, Other 5Double dissolution; first election under the reformed Senate voting. | Malcolm Turnbull | 91.0% | 49.6% |
| 7 September 2013 | 150 | Labor 55, Liberal and National 90, Other 5 | Tony Abbott | 93.2% | 46.5% |
| 21 August 2010 | 150 | Labor 72, Liberal and National 72, Other 6Hung parliament: Gillard formed a minority government with crossbench support. | Julia Gillard | 93.2% | 50.1% |
| 24 November 2007 | 150 | Labor 83, Liberal and National 65, Other 2 | Kevin Rudd | 94.8% | 52.7% |
| 9 October 2004 | 150 | Labor 60, Liberal and National 87, Other 3 | John Howard | 94.3% | 47.3% |
| 10 November 2001 | 150 | Labor 65, Liberal and National 82, Other 3 | John Howard | 94.9% | 49.0% |
| 3 October 1998 | 148 | Labor 67, Liberal and National 80, Other 1Coalition won despite losing the two-party vote. | John Howard | 95.0% | 51.0% |
| 2 March 1996 | 148 | Labor 49, Liberal and National 94, Other 5 | John Howard | 95.8% | 46.4% |
| 13 March 1993 | 147 | Labor 80, Liberal and National 65, Other 2 | Paul Keating | 95.8% | 51.4% |
| 24 March 1990 | 148 | Labor 78, Liberal and National 69, Other 1Labor won despite losing the two-party vote. | Bob Hawke | 95.3% | 49.9% |
| 11 July 1987DD | 148 | Labor 86, Liberal and National 62Double dissolution. | Bob Hawke | 93.8% | 50.8% |
| 1 December 1984 | 148 | Labor 82, Liberal and National 66House enlarged to 148; first election run by the AEC with above-the-line Senate voting. | Bob Hawke | 94.2% | 51.8% |
| 5 March 1983DD | 125 | Labor 75, Liberal and National 50Double dissolution called by Fraser; Hawke won. | Bob Hawke | 94.6% | 53.2% |
| 18 October 1980 | 125 | Labor 51, Liberal and Country 74 | Malcolm Fraser | 94.4% | 49.6% |
| 10 December 1977 | 124 | Labor 38, Liberal and Country 86 | Malcolm Fraser | 95.1% | 45.4% |
| 13 December 1975DD | 127 | Labor 36, Liberal and Country 91Double dissolution after the Dismissal of 11 November 1975; Fraser won the largest majority to that date. | Malcolm Fraser | 95.4% | 44.3% |
| 18 May 1974DD | 127 | Labor 66, Liberal and Country 61Double dissolution, followed by the only joint sitting (6–7 August 1974). | Gough Whitlam | 95.4% | 51.7% |
| 2 December 1972 | 125 | Labor 67, Liberal and Country 58 | Gough Whitlam | 95.4% | 52.7% |
| 25 October 1969 | 125 | Labor 59, Liberal and Country 66 | John Gorton | 95.0% | 50.2% |
| 26 November 1966 | 124 | Labor 41, Liberal and Country 82, Other 1 | Harold Holt | 95.1% | 43.1% |
| 30 November 1963 | 122 | Labor 50, Liberal and Country 72 | Robert Menzies | 95.7% | 47.4% |
| 9 December 1961 | 122 | Labor 60, Liberal and Country 62 | Robert Menzies | 95.2% | 50.5% |
| 22 November 1958 | 122 | Labor 45, Liberal and Country 77 | Robert Menzies | 95.4% | 45.9% |
| 10 December 1955 | 122 | Labor 47, Liberal and Country 75 | Robert Menzies | 95.0% | 45.8% |
| 29 May 1954 | 121 | Labor 57, Liberal and Country 64 | Robert Menzies | 96.1% | 50.7% |
| 28 April 1951DD | 121 | Labor 52, Liberal and Country 69Double dissolution. | Robert Menzies | 96.0% | 49.3% |
| 10 December 1949 | 121 | Labor 47, Liberal and Country 74House enlarged from 74 to 121; first PR Senate election. | Robert Menzies | 95.9% | 49.0% |
| 28 September 1946 | 74 | Labor 43, Liberal and Country 26, Other 5 | Ben Chifley | 94.0% | 54.1% |
| 21 August 1943 | 74 | Labor 49, UAP and Country 23, Other 2 | John Curtin | 96.3% | 58.2% |
| 21 September 1940 | 74 | Labor 32, UAP and Country 36, Other 6Hung parliament; two independents moved to Labor in October 1941, making Curtin PM. | Robert Menzies | 94.8% | 50.3% |
| 23 October 1937 | 74 | Labor 29, UAP and Country 43, Other 2 | Joseph Lyons | 96.1% | 49.4% |
| 15 September 1934 | 74 | Labor 18, UAP and Country 42, Other 14 | Joseph Lyons | 95.2% | |
| 19 December 1931 | 75 | Labor 14, UAP and Country 50, Other 11Labor split; Lyons's new United Australia Party won. | Joseph Lyons | 95.0% | |
| 12 October 1929 | 75 | Labor 46, Nationalist and Country 24, Other 5Bruce lost his own seat. | James Scullin | 94.7% | |
| 17 November 1928 | 75 | Labor 31, Nationalist and Country 42, Other 2 | Stanley Bruce | 93.6% | |
| 14 November 1925 | 75 | Labor 23, Nationalist and Country 50, Other 2First election with compulsory voting. | Stanley Bruce | 91.4% | |
| 16 December 1922 | 75 | Labor 29, Nationalist and Country 40, Other 6 | Stanley Bruce | 59.4% | |
| 13 December 1919 | 75 | Labor 26, Nationalist and Country 48, Other 1First election under preferential voting. | Billy Hughes | 71.6% | |
| 5 May 1917 | 75 | Labor 22, Nationalist 53After the Labor split over conscription; Hughes led the new Nationalist Party. | Billy Hughes | 78.3% | |
| 5 September 1914DD | 75 | Labor 42, Commonwealth Liberal 32, Other 1First double dissolution. | Andrew Fisher | 73.5% | |
| 31 May 1913 | 75 | Labor 37, Commonwealth Liberal 38One-seat majority; Labor kept the Senate, leading to the first double dissolution. | Joseph Cook | 73.5% | |
| 13 April 1910 | 75 | Labor 42, Commonwealth Liberal 31, Other 2First federal majority government. | Andrew Fisher | 62.8% | |
| 12 December 1906 | 75 | Anti-Socialist 26, Labour 26, Protectionist 16, Independent 5, Western Australian 2Deakin's Protectionist minority government continued with Labour support until 1908. | Alfred Deakin | 51.5% | |
| 16 December 1903 | 75 | Protectionist 26, Free Trade 24, Labour 22, Independent 2, Revenue Tariff 1Three roughly equal parties ('three elevens'); minority governments followed. | Alfred Deakin | 50.3% | |
| 29 March 1901 | 75 | Protectionist 32, Free Trade 25, Labour 16, Independent 2Polling 29–30 March 1901, dates varied by state. Protectionist minority government with Labour support. | Edmund Barton | 56.7% |
Turnout: AEC (to 1922, contested seats only). Two-party-preferred from 1937, estimated before 1949. Compulsory voting from 1925.