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Final Two-Party Figures: Coalition Won 2016 Election With 50.36%; Swing To Labor Of 3.13%

Final figures published by the Australian Electoral Commission show that the Coalition won the 2016 federal election with 50.36% of the two-party-preferred vote.

The Liberal-Nationals coalition polled 50.36% of the national two-party-preferred vote. The ALP received 49.64%. There was a 3.13% swing to the ALP nationally, a near reversal of the 3.61% swing to the Coalition in the 2013 election.

Every state and territory recorded a swing against the Coalition. The largest swing was 7.41% in the Northern Territory. The smallest was 1.22% in the Australian Capital Territory. [Read more…]


Sen. Malarndirri McCarthy (ALP-NT) – Maiden Speech

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy has delivered her maiden speech as an ALP representative from the Northern Territory.

McCarthy

McCarthy is the second indigenous woman to be elected to the Senate. She succeeds the first, Nova Peris, who served one term following the 2013 federal election. McCarthy is joined by the first indigenous woman to be elected to the House of Representatives, Linda Burney, the ALP member for Barton. [Read more…]


So When Will The Next Election Be Held?

The Parliamentary Library has published a research paper setting out Federal, State and Local election dates over the next few years.

According to the paper, the earliest possible date for a joint House of Representatives and half-Senate election is August 4, 2018. The last possible date for such an election is May 18, 2019. Assuming no unforeseen events, the next federal election is almost certain to fall between these dates.

The last possible date for a double dissolution is May 4, 2019. A double dissolution of the parliament cannot be called later than February 27, 2019.

The paper shows that there will only be two state or territory elections over the next eighteen months: in the ACT on October 15, 2016 and in Western Australia on March 11, 2017. [Read more…]


Luke Gosling (ALP-Solomon) – Maiden Speech

Luke Gosling, the new ALP member for the Northern Territory electorate of Solomon, has delivered his maiden speech to the House of Representatives.

Gosling

Gosling, 44, is a former member of the Australian Defence Force. [Read more…]