AUSTRALIAN GENERAL ELECTION, 1996

Federal election major party leaders
1993 1996 1998
'Labor' 'Paul Keating' 'Prime Minister' 'Parliament': 27 years 'Leader since': 1991 'Division': Blaxland
'Liberal' 'John Howard' 'Opposition leader' 'Parliament': 22 years 'Leader since': 1995 'Division': Bennelong 'WIN'

'Federal elections' were held in Australia on 2 March 1996. All 148 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 seats in the 76-member Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party in power since 1983 led by Bob Hawke and Paul Keating were defeated by the opposition Liberal Party of Australia led by John Howard and coalition partner the National Party of Australia led by Tim Fischer.

'House of Reps (IRV) — 1996-98 — Turnout 95.77% (CV) — Informal 3.20%'

	'Party'	'Votes'	'%'	'Swing'	'Seats'	'Change'
	Liberal Party of Australia	4,248,991	39.04	+1.94	75	+26
	Australian Labor Party	4,217,765	38.75	-6.17	49	-31
	National Party of Australia	893,170	8.21	+1.04	19	+3
	Australian Democrats	735,848	6.76	+3.01	0	0
	Australian Greens	317,654	2.92	+1.06	0	0
	Independents	253,894	2.33	-0.77	5	+3
	Other	216,530	1.99	-0.11	0	0
	Total	10,883,852			'148'	+1
	'Liberal/National coalition'	'WIN'	'53.63'	+5.07	'94'	+29
	Australian Labor Party		46.37	-5.07	49	-31

Independents: Peter Andren, Pauline Hanson, Allan Rocher, Graeme Campbell, Paul Filing (ex-Liberal)

'Senate (STV GV) — 1996-98 — Turnout 96.20% (CV) — Informal 3.50%'

	'Party'	'Votes'	'%'	'Swing'	'Seats Won'	'Seats Held'
	Australian Labor Party	3,940,150	36.15	-7.35	14	29
	Liberal/National (Joint Ticket)	2,669,377	24.49	+0.09	6
	Liberal Party of Australia	1,770,486	16.24	+0.65	12	31
	Australian Democrats	1,179,357	10.82	+5.51	5	7
	National Party of Australia	312,769	2.87	+0.15	1	5
	Australian Greens	261,677	2.40	-0.03	0	0
	WA Greens	57,006	0.52	+0.02	0	1
	Country Liberal Party	40,050	0.37	+0.04	1	1
	Tasmanian Greens	26,830	0.25	★	1	1
	Harradine Group	★	★	-0.30	0	1
	Other	641,335	5.88	+1.02	0	0
	Total	10,899,037			40	76

Independents: Mal Colston (resigned from ALP in August 1996)

Contents

House of Reps preference flows

Seats changing hands

References

House of Reps preference flows

★ The Democrats contested 138 electorates with preferences slightly favouring Labor (54.02%)

★ The Greens contested 102 electorates with preferences favouring Labor (67.10%)

Seats changing hands

'Seat'	'Party, pre-1996'		'Member, pre-1996'	'Margin, pre-1996 %'	'Swing %'	'Margin, post-1996 %'	'Member, post-1996'	'Party, post-1996'
Bass, Tas		Australian Labor Party	Silvia Smith	0.03	4.60	4.57	Warwick Smith	Liberal Party of Australia
Bowman, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Hon Con Sciacca	8.14	9.03	0.89	Andrea West	Liberal Party of Australia
Calare, NSW		Australian Labor Party	''vacant''	N/A	N/A	13.32	Peter Andren	Independent
Canning, WA		Australian Labor Party	Hon George Gear	0.19	0.88	0.69	Ricky Johnston	Liberal Party of Australia
Capricornia, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Marjorie Henzell	2.78	6.40	3.62	Paul Marek	National Party of Australia
Curtin, WA		Liberal Party of Australia	Allan Rocher	N/A	N/A	7.28	Allan Rocher	Independent
Dickson, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Hon Michael Lavarch	2.55	5.72	3.17	Tony Smith	Liberal Party of Australia
Eden-Monaro, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Jim Snow	4.27	9.03	4.76	Gary Nairn	Liberal Party of Australia
Gilmore, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Peter Knott	0.45	6.69	6.24	Joanna Gash	Liberal Party of Australia
Griffith, Qld		Australian Labor Party	''vacant''	5.90	7.37	1.47	Graeme McDougall	Liberal Party of Australia
Herbert, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Hon Ted Lindsay	3.31	9.90	6.59	Peter Lindsay	Liberal Party of Australia
Hinkler, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Brian Courtice	0.03	10.39	10.36	Paul Neville	National Party of Australia
Hughes, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Hon Robert Tickner	6.42	11.31	4.89	Danna Vale	Liberal Party of Australia
Kalgoorlie, WA		Australian Labor Party	Graeme Campbell	N/A	N/A	10.35	Graeme Campbell	Independent
Kingston, SA		Australian Labor Party	Gordon Bilney	1.45	3.46	2.01	Susan Jeanes	Liberal Party of Australia
Leichhardt, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Peter Dodd	1.33	5.51	4.18	Warren Entsch	Liberal Party of Australia
Lilley, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Wayne Swan	6.18	6.91	0.73	Elizabeth Grace	Liberal Party of Australia
Lindsay, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Ross Free	10.22	11.80	1.58	Jackie Kelly	Liberal Party of Australia
Lowe, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Mary Easson	5.01	7.48	2.47	Paul Zammit	Liberal Party of Australia
Macarthur, NSW		Australian Labor Party	''vacant''	1.28	11.97	10.69	John Fahey	Liberal Party of Australia
Macquarie, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Maggie Deahm	0.12	6.48	6.36	Kerry Bartlett	Liberal Party of Australia
Makin, SA		Australian Labor Party	Peter Duncan	3.71	4.79	1.08	Trish Draper	Liberal Party of Australia
McMillan, Vic		Australian Labor Party	Barry Cunningham	0.53	2.60	2.07	Russell Broadbent	Liberal Party of Australia
Moore, WA		Liberal Party of Australia	Paul Filing	N/A	N/A	15.48	Paul Filing	Independent
Moreton, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Garrie Gibson	0.21	5.30	5.09	Gary Hardgrave	Liberal Party of Australia
Murray, Vic		National Party of Australia	''vacant''	N/A	N/A	3.70 ★	Sharman Stone	Liberal Party of Australia
Northern Territory, NT		Australian Labor Party	Warren Snowdon	5.31	5.68	0.37	Nick Dondas	Country Liberal Party
Oxley, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Les Scott	14.65	19.31 ★ ★	4.66	Pauline Hanson	Independent
Page, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Harry Woods	0.13	4.44	4.31	Ian Causley	National Party of Australia
Parramatta, NSW		Australian Labor Party	''vacant''	3.24	7.11	3.87	Ross Cameron	Liberal Party of Australia
Paterson, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Bob Horne	3.30	3.73	0.43	Bob Baldwin	Liberal Party of Australia
Petrie, Qld		Australian Labor Party	Gary Johns	2.15	9.85	7.70	Teresa Gambaro	Liberal Party of Australia
Richmond, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Neville Newell	1.78	8.53	6.75	Larry Anthony	National Party of Australia
Robertson, NSW		Australian Labor Party	Frank Walker	5.56	9.12	3.56	Jim Lloyd	Liberal Party of Australia
Swan, WA		Australian Labor Party	''vacant''	0.22	3.93	3.71	Don Randall	Liberal Party of Australia

★
★ Figure is Liberal against Nationals.

★
★
★ Figure is a swing compared to Liberal vote at the last election.


Labor's primary vote was the lowest recorded by the ALP since 1934 (an additional eight percent coming from preferences). The Liberal Party leader, John Howard, had resumed the leadership of his party in January 1995, following a disastrous 8 months under the leadership of Alexander Downer. Downer and Peter Costello had succeeded Dr. John Hewson early in 1994 and were touted as the leaders of the new-generation Liberals. In the end, the party opted for the seasoned Howard, perhaps an acknowledgement that he was the only one left standing after a decade of party infighting.
Howard approached the campaign with a determination to present as small a target as possible. Throughout 1995, he refused to detail specific policy proposals. By 1996, however, it was clear that the electorate had tired of the Labor government and Paul Keating in particular. "The recession we had to have" line resonated with deadly force throughout the electorate, although Keating also attracted much support and adoration from supporters attracted by his republicanism and internationalist approach to Australia's future.

References

★ Australian Electoral Commission Results

★ University of WA election results in Australia since 1890

★ AEC 2PP vote

★ AustralianPolitics.com election details

★ Preference flows - ABC