At stake
in this election:
- 40 seats in the
Senate and 150 in the House of Representatives.
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Description
of government structure:
- Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth
II represented by Governor General Dr. Peter HOLLINGWORTH
- Parliament: Australia has
a bicameral parliament that consists of the Senate with 76 seats and
the House of Representatives with 148 seats*.
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Description
of electoral system:
- 72 members of
the Senate represent the Federal States (12 per each of the six states)
and serve six-year terms, with half of these seats renewed every three
years. The four remaining members of the Senate represent the two Federal
Territories and are elected for three-year terms.
- The House of Representatives
will consist of 150 members elected by direct preferential majority
vote for three-year terms.
|
Main
parties in the electoral race:
- Party:
Liberal Party of Australia (LP)/National Party (NP) Coalition
Leaders: John W. HOWARD/John ANDERSON
Seats won in last Senate election: 16
Total seats in Senate: 34
Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 80
- Party:
Australian Labor Party (ALP)
Leader: Kim BEAZLEY
Seats won in last Senate election: 17
Total seats in Senate: 29
Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 68
- Party:
Australian Democrats (AD)
Leader: Natasha STOTT DESPOJA
Seats won in last Senate election: 4
Total seats in Senate: 9
Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0
- Party:
Australian Greens
Leader: Bob BROWN
Seats won in last Senate election: 0
Total seats in Senate: 1
Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0
- Party:
Pauline Hanson's One Nation (PHON)
Leader: Pauline HANSON
Seats won in last Senate election: 1
Total seats in Senate: 1
Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0
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When was the last election?
- Elections to the
Federal Parliament last held: October 3, 1998.
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Population:
- Number of registered voters:
12,515,052 (September 2001)
|
Of Interest:
- Recent polls indicate that
healthcare, the economy, immigration and security are the key issues
in the campaign.
|
| SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (IFES) |
| For additional information:
IFES ElectionGuide Online |
