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Seats Changing Hands At The 2016 Federal Election

A total of 19 seats changed hands at the 2016 House of Representatives elections.

The Coalition went into the election holding 90 seats and finished up with 76. It lost 17 (16 to the ALP and one to the Nick Xenophon Team). One seat moved from the Liberal Party to The Nationals. The Liberals won one seat from the ALP.

The ALP went into the election holding 55 seats and ended up with 69. It won 16 from the Coalition, lost one to the Liberals, and lost one to the redistribution in NSW.

As in 2013, there are 5 crossbenchers. The Greens and Katter’s Australian Party retained their seats, whilst the two independents (Wilkie and McGowan) increased their majorities. Clive Palmer did not contest Fairfax and it returned to the LNP. The Nick Xenophon Team took Mayo from the Liberal Party.

The 19 seats that changed hands represent 12.66% of the House. 131 seats (87.33%) did not change hands, demonstrating once again the stability and predictability of Australian voting habits and the narrow range of seats that change governments. In the 2013 election, 22 seats (14.66%) changed hands.

Summary of Seats Changing Hands – 2016 Federal Election
Party/Group 2010 Seats 2013 Total Seats Won Seats Lost 2016 Total
ALP
72
55
16
2
69
Coalition
73
90
1
15
76
Greens
1
1
1
Katter’s Australian Party
1
1
1
Palmer United Party
1
1
0
Nick Xenophon Team
1
1
Independent
3
2
2
TOTAL
150
150
150

 
Three seats won by the ALP in NSW were notionally ALP, following a redistribution. The seat of Barton, whilst held by the Liberal Party, was notionally Labor (4.4%). Dobell, whilst held by the Liberal Party, was nationally Labor (0.2%).Paterson, whilst held by the Liberal Party, was notionally Labor (0.4%).

In WA, the newly-created seat of Burt was notionally Liberal (6.1%). The ALP won this seat with a large swing.

Two former MPs have returned to the House. Mike Kelly, who held Eden-Monaro from 2007 until 2013, has regained the seat at this election. Steve Georganas has regained Hindmarsh, which he held between 2004-2013.

Australia’s youngest-ever MP and minister, Wyatt Roy, now 26, has lost Longman, after winning it in 2010 at the age of 20.

Linda Burney, the new ALP member for Barton, is the first indigenous woman to be elected to the House of Representatives. She was a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly (2003-2016) and a minister (2007-2011). She was Deputy Leader of the NSW Opposition (2011-2016).

At the 2013 election, 22 seats changed hands.

Seats Changing Hands In 2016 House of Representatives Elections
No. Seat Held By Party New Member Party % Swing to ALP
NEW SOUTH WALES
1.
Barton Nickolas Varvaris Liberal
notionally ALP 4.4%
Linda Burney ALP
3.91
2.
Dobell Karen McNamara Liberal
notionally ALP 0.2%
Emma McBride ALP
4.63
3.
Eden-Monaro Peter Hendy Liberal Mike Kelly ALP
5.84
4.
Lindsay Fiona Scott Liberal Emma Husar ALP
4.10
5.
Macarthur Russell Matheson Liberal Mike Freelander ALP
11.72
6.
Macquarie Louise Markus Liberal Susan Templeman ALP
6.67
7.
Paterson Bob Baldwin (ret)
Karen Howard
Liberal
notionally ALP 0.4%
Meryl Swanson ALP
10.47
VICTORIA
8.
Chisholm Anna Burke (ret)
Stefanie Perri
ALP Julia Banks Liberal
-2.84
9.
Murray Sharman Stone (ret)
Duncan McGauchie
Liberal Damian Drum Nationals
55.13 (Nats)
-4.03 (ALP)
QUEENSLAND
10.
Herbert Ewen Jones Liberal National Cathy O’Toole ALP
6.19
11.
Longman Wyatt Roy Liberal National Susan Lamb ALP
7.71
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
12.
Burt New Seat
Matt O’Sullivan
notionally Liberal 6.1% Matt Keogh ALP
13.20
13.
Cowan Luke Simpkins Liberal Anne Aly ALP
5.20
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
14.
Hindmarsh Matt Williams Liberal Steve Georganas ALP
2.47
15.
Mayo Jamie Briggs Liberal Rebekha Sharkie Xenophon
55.13 (NXT)
7.16 (ALP)
TASMANIA
16.
Bass Andrew Nikolic Liberal Ross Hart ALP
10.13
17.
Braddon Brett Whiteley Liberal Justine Keay ALP
4.76
18.
Lyons Eric Hutchinson Liberal Brian Mitchell ALP
3.53
NORTHERN TERRITORY
19.
Solomon Natasha Griggs Country Liberal Luke Gosling ALP
7.40

 

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Malcolm Farnsworth
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