2004 Federal Election

October 9, 2004

The 2004 Federal Election saw the Liberal-National coalition government led by Prime Minister John Howard returned for a fourth term.

The election win enabled Howard to become the second longest-serving prime minister in Australia’s history. However, it would be the government’s last term.

In 1996, Howard had defeated the Labor government led by Paul Keating. In 1998 and 2001, he defeated the Labor opposition led by Kim Beazley.

Beazley stood down after the 2001 election and was replaced by Simon Crean. In 2003, Crean succumbed to leadership turmoil in the ALP and was replaced by Mark Latham. Initially, Latham had some successes against Howard and the two sides appeared to be competitive.

Howard framed the election campaign around the issue of trust and built his message around the concepts of economic security and national security. The election resulted in the second consecutive decline in support for the ALP and a further increase in the coalition’s majority. The ALP’s primary vote fell to its lowest level in 80 years.

State of the Parties

This table shows the final state of the parties in the House of Representatives following the election.

Election Statistics

• May 31, 2004: Seat and Notional Seat Status – AEC Electoral Newsfile showing the seat status of each electorate prior to the 2004 election
• Aug 29, 2004: Federal Election Timetable
• Oct 31, 2004: Seats Changing Hands at the 2004 Federal Election
• Dec 01, 2004: 2004 Primary Vote Winners, Preference Vote Losers
• Dec 15, 2004: Election Pendulum Following the 2004 Election
• Jul 17, 2014: Federal Election Results 1901-2014 – a Parliamentary Library research paper with detailed statistics on elections since 1901.

Election Moments

• Aug 30, 2004: Howard Announces October 9 Election
• Aug 30, 2004: Latham Responds to Election Announcement
• Aug 30, 2004: Parties Haggle Over Rules For Leaders’ Debate
• Sep 12, 2004: Howard and Latham Meet In Leaders’ Election Debate
• Sep 29, 2004: Mark Latham’s ALP Campaign Launch Speech
• Oct 08, 2004: The Latham-Howard Handshake

Newspaper Editorials

• Oct 03, 2004: On Polling Day, Trust Only Your Judgement – (Sunday Age, Vic)
• Oct 03, 2004: Mr Howard’s Team Deserves A Fourth Term – (Sunday Telegraph, NSW)
• Oct 03, 2004: The Fight For Our Future – (Sunday Herald-Sun, Vic)
• Oct 03, 2004: Now Is Not The Time To Change – (Sunday Mail, SA)

Election Analysis

• Oct 27, 2004: Liberal: Brian Loughnane’s Address to the National Press Club
• Oct 30, 2004: Latham: Positive Approach Failed Labor In Election
• Nov 10, 2004: ALP: Tim Gartrell’s Address to the National Press Club

Election Literature

Liberal

• Labor In Opposition 1996 –
• Labor’s Record In Government

Election Advertisements

• 2004 Federal Election: AEC How-To-Vote Advertisements October 6, 2004
• Liberal Party Election Advertisements: 2004 Federal Election October 7, 2004
• ALP Television Advertisements: 2004 Federal Election October 7, 2004
• ALP Election Advertisements: 2004 Federal Election October 7, 2004
• Liberal Party TV Advertisements – 2004 Federal Election October 7, 2004

Archived Posts

• Latham Announces Labor’s Border Protection Policy January 23, 2004
• Australia’s Defence Well Prepared, But ALP Would Make Us Vulnerable: Hill January 24, 2004
• Howard Attacks Latham As ‘Weak’ On Border Protection January 24, 2004
• Opportunity For All: Mark Latham Addresses ALP National Conference January 29, 2004
• Mark Latham Announces Early Childhood Policy January 31, 2004
• Latham Announces Policy To Restrict Parliamentary Superannuation February 10, 2004
• Howard Announces (And Re-Announces) Funds For Child And Family Services April 7, 2004
• 2004 Seat And Notional Seat Status: AEC May 31, 2004
• Howard Announces Election For October 9 August 29, 2004
• 2004 Federal Election: The Choice Of October 9 August 29, 2004
• Ladder Of Opportunity: Latham Responds To Election Announcement August 29, 2004
• Greens Welcome Spring Election August 29, 2004
• 2004 Federal Election Timetable August 29, 2004
• Parties Haggle Over Rules For Leaders’ Debate August 30, 2004
• Treasurer Peter Costello’s Press Conference On The Economy September 1, 2004
• Howard Announces Medicare Rebate Extension September 6, 2004
• Mark Latham Health Policy Announcement September 6, 2004
• Howard And Latham Address RSL Annual Conference September 7, 2004
• Latham Launches ALP Taxation Policy: ‘Ease The Squeeze’ September 7, 2004
• Howard Announces Tax Breaks For Aged Workers September 9, 2004
• Mark Latham Daily Press Conference September 9, 2004
• Jakarta Australian Embassy Bombing: Party Leaders React September 9, 2004
• Parties Debate Final Budget Outcome Figures September 10, 2004
• John Howard Press Conference On The Jakarta Embassy Bombing September 10, 2004
• Jakarta Embassy Bombing: Howard And Latham Briefings September 11, 2004
• Howard And Latham Meet In Election Debate September 12, 2004
• Howard And Anderson Release Coalition’s Water Policy September 13, 2004
• Securing The North-West Shelf: Beazley Questions Coalition Policy September 16, 2004
• John Howard’s Darwin Press Conference September 20, 2004
• Latham And Beazley Launch ALP’s Defence Policy September 20, 2004
• Costello And Crean Debate Economy At National Press Club September 22, 2004
• Howard And Latham: Daily Election Campaign Press Conferences September 23, 2004
• John Howard’s 2004 Election Policy Speech September 26, 2004
• Democrats Leader Andrew Bartlett Addresses The National Press Club September 28, 2004
• Anglican And Catholic Archbishops Attack ALP’s Schools Policy September 28, 2004
• Beattie: Howard Is The Past, Latham Is The Future September 29, 2004
• Mark Latham’s 2004 ALP Campaign Launch Speech September 29, 2004
• Labor In Opposition: Liberal Party 2004 Election Booklet October 1, 2004
• Labor’s Record In Government: Liberal 2004 Election Booklet October 1, 2004
• The Fight For Our Future: Sunday Herald-Sun October 3, 2004
• Mr Howard’s Team Deserves A Fourth Term: Sunday Telegraph October 3, 2004
• On Polling Day, Trust Only Your Judgement: The Age October 3, 2004
• Now Is Not The Time For Change: Sunday Mail October 3, 2004
• 2004 Federal Election: AEC How-To-Vote Advertisements October 6, 2004
• Liberal Party Election Advertisements: 2004 Federal Election October 7, 2004
• ALP Television Advertisements: 2004 Federal Election October 7, 2004
• ALP Election Advertisements: 2004 Federal Election October 7, 2004
• Liberal Party TV Advertisements – 2004 Federal Election October 7, 2004
• Election Eve: Hockey And Rudd Make Final Pitches October 8, 2004
• Senator Len Harris – One Nation How-To-Vote October 8, 2004
• The Latham-Howard Handshake October 8, 2004
• Brian Loughnane: Liberal Party’s 2004 Federal Election Analysis October 27, 2004
• Latham: Positive Approach Failed Labor In 2004 Election October 30, 2004
• Seats Changing Hands At The 2004 Federal Election October 31, 2004
• Tim Gartrell: 2004 Election Analysis November 10, 2004
• Governor-General’s Address Opening The 41st Parliament November 16, 2004
• Steve Georganas (ALP-Hindmarsh) – Maiden Speech November 17, 2004
• Louise Markus (Lib-Greenway) – Maiden Speech November 17, 2004
• Steve Fielding, Family First Senator-Elect, Addresses National Press Club November 17, 2004
• 2004 Primary Vote Winners, Preference Vote Losers December 1, 2004
• Report On ABC Coverage Of The 2004 Federal Election December 1, 2004
• ABC 2004 Election Coverage Review Released December 1, 2004
• Mark Latham’s Final Parliamentary Speech December 9, 2004
• Election Funding Payments: 2004 Federal Election December 9, 2004
• Federal Election Pendulum Following The 2004 Election December 15, 2004
• John Faulkner Launches “Loner”, New Book On Mark Latham June 29, 2005
• Informal Voting In The 2004 Federal Election October 15, 2005
• Federal Election Results 1901-2014 July 17, 2014
• Who’s Left – The Surviving Members Of Every House Of Representatives Since 1949 April 1, 2017