This is a list of members of the Australian Senate following the 2016 Australian federal election held on 2 July 2016. The election was held as a consequence of a double dissolution in which both houses of parliament were dissolved. Ordinarily, only half of the senators terms end at each election. In this case, all 76 senators were elected. At the first sitting following the election, half of the senators representing each of the six states of Australia were allocated six-year terms to end on 30 June 2022, with the remainder allocated three-year terms to end on 30 June 2019.[1] The terms of senators from the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory end on the day of the next federal election.[2]
In accordance with section 13 of the Constitution,[3] it was left to the Senate to decide which senators were allocated six- and three-year terms. The senate resolved that the first elected six of twelve senators in each state would serve six-year terms, while the other six elected in each state would serve three-year terms. This had been the Senate practice on all seven previous occasions that required allocation of long and short terms.[4] In 1983 the Joint Select Committee on Electoral Reform had unanimously recommended an alternative "recount" method to reflect proportional representation,[5] and section 282 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act was added in 1984 to provide for a recount on that basis.[6] This alternative method had been supported by both major parties in senate resolutions passed in 1998[7] and 2010.[4][8][9][10] Despite the previous resolutions, an agreement between Liberal's Mathias Cormann and Labor's Penny Wong led the Senate to choose the order-elected method again. As a result, in New South Wales, Labor's Deborah O'Neill got a six-year term at the expense of The Greens' Lee Rhiannon getting a three-year term, while in Victoria Liberal's Scott Ryan got a six-year term at the expense of the Justice Party's Derryn Hinch getting a three-year term. Both methods of allocation had the same outcome for all other senators.[11][12][13][14]
More information Senator, Party ...
| Senator |
Party |
State |
Term ending |
Years in office |
|---|
| Eric Abetz | | Liberal | Tasmania | 2022 | 1994–2022 |
| Fraser Anning [l] | | One Nation/Katter's Australian Party/
Independent/Conservative National [o] | Queensland | 2019 | 2017–2019 |
| Wendy Askew [z] | | Liberal | Tasmania | 2022 [a] | 2019–present |
| Chris Back [k] | | Liberal | Western Australia | 2019 | 2009–2017 |
| Andrew Bartlett [l][y] | | Greens | Queensland | 2019 | 1997–2008, 2017–2018 |
| Cory Bernardi |
|
Liberal/Conservatives/Independent [g] | South Australia | 2022 | 2006–2020 |
| Catryna Bilyk | | Labor | Tasmania | 2019 | 2008–present |
| Simon Birmingham | | Liberal | South Australia | 2022 | 2007–present |
| George Brandis [t] | | Liberal National [ae] | Queensland | 2022 | 2000–2018 |
| Slade Brockman [k] | | Liberal | Western Australia | 2019 | 2017–present |
| Carol Brown | | Labor | Tasmania | 2019 | 2005–present |
| Brian Burston | | One Nation/United Australia Party [w] | New South Wales | 2019 | 2016–2019 |
| David Bushby [z] | | Liberal | Tasmania | 2022 [a] | 2007–2019 |
| Doug Cameron | | Labor | New South Wales | 2019 | 2008–2019 |
| Matt Canavan | | Liberal National [af] | Queensland | 2022 | 2014–present |
| Kim Carr | | Labor | Victoria | 2022 | 1993–2022 |
| Michaelia Cash | | Liberal | Western Australia | 2022 | 2008–present |
| Anthony Chisholm | | Labor | Queensland | 2022 | 2016–present |
| Raff Ciccone [aa] | | Labor | Victoria | 2019 | 2019–present |
| Richard Colbeck [n] | | Liberal | Tasmania | 2019 | 2002–2016, 2018–present |
| Jacinta Collins [aa] | | Labor | Victoria | 2019 | 1995–2005, 2008–2019 |
| Stephen Conroy [c] | | Labor | Victoria | 2022 | 1996–2016 |
| Mathias Cormann | | Liberal | Western Australia | 2022 | 2007–2020 |
| Rod Culleton [f] | | One Nation/Independent [e] | Western Australia | 2019 | 2016–2017 |
| Sam Dastyari [r] | | Labor | New South Wales | 2022 | 2013–2018 |
| Bob Day [d] | | Family First | South Australia | 2019 | 2014–2016 |
| Richard Di Natale | | Greens | Victoria | 2022 | 2011–2020 |
| Pat Dodson | | Labor | Western Australia | 2019 | 2016–2024 |
| Jonathon Duniam | | Liberal | Tasmania | 2022 [a] | 2016–present |
| Don Farrell | | Labor | South Australia | 2022 | 2008–2014, 2016–present |
| Mehreen Faruqi [x] | | Greens | New South Wales | 2019 | 2018–present |
| David Fawcett | | Liberal | South Australia | 2019 | 2011–present |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells | | Liberal | New South Wales | 2022 [a] | 2005–2022 |
| Mitch Fifield | | Liberal | Victoria | 2022 | 2004–2019 |
| Alex Gallacher | | Labor | South Australia | 2019 | 2011–2021 |
| Katy Gallagher [u] | | Labor | Australian Capital Territory | 2019 [b] | 2015–2018, 2019–present |
| Peter Georgiou [f] | | One Nation | Western Australia | 2019 | 2017–2019 |
| Lucy Gichuhi [d] | | Family First/Independent/Liberal [h][s] | South Australia | 2019 | 2017–2019 |
| Stirling Griff | | Xenophon/Centre Alliance | South Australia | 2022 | 2016–2022 |
| Pauline Hanson | | One Nation | Queensland | 2022 | 2016–present |
| Sarah Hanson-Young | | Greens | South Australia | 2019 | 2008–present |
| Derryn Hinch | | Justice | Victoria | 2019 | 2016–2019 |
| Jane Hume | | Liberal | Victoria | 2019 | 2016–present |
| Skye Kakoschke-Moore [q] | | Xenophon | South Australia | 2019 | 2016–2017 |
| Kristina Keneally [r] | | Labor | New South Wales | 2022 | 2018–2022 |
| Chris Ketter | | Labor | Queensland | 2019 | 2014–2019 |
| Kimberley Kitching [c] | | Labor | Victoria | 2022 | 2016–2022 |
| Jacqui Lambie[p] | | Lambie | Tasmania | 2022 | 2014–2017, 2019–present |
| David Leyonhjelm [ab] | | Liberal Democrats | New South Wales | 2019 | 2014–2019 |
| Sue Lines | | Labor | Western Australia | 2022 | 2013–present |
| Scott Ludlam [i][l] | | Greens | Western Australia | 2022 | 2008–2017 |
| Ian Macdonald | | Liberal National [ae] | Queensland | 2019 | 1990–2019 |
| Gavin Marshall | | Labor | Victoria | 2019 | 2002–2019 |
| Steve Martin ,[p][v] | | Independent / National | Tasmania | 2019 | 2018–2019 |
| Jenny McAllister | | Labor | New South Wales | 2022 | 2015–present |
| Malarndirri McCarthy | | Labor | Northern Territory | 2019 [b] | 2016–present |
| James McGrath | | Liberal National [ae] | Queensland | 2022 | 2014–present |
| Bridget McKenzie | | National | Victoria | 2022 | 2011–present |
| Nick McKim | | Greens | Tasmania | 2019 | 2015–present |
| Jim Molan [l] | | Liberal | New South Wales | 2019 | 2017–2019, 2019-2023 |
| Claire Moore | | Labor | Queensland | 2019 | 2002–2019 |
| Fiona Nash [l] | | National | New South Wales | 2022 | 2005–2017 |
| Deborah O'Neill | | Labor | New South Wales | 2022 | 2013–present |
| Barry O'Sullivan | | Liberal National [af] | Queensland | 2019 | 2014–2019 |
| Stephen Parry [n] | | Liberal | Tasmania | 2022 | 2005–2017 |
| James Paterson | | Liberal | Victoria | 2019 | 2016–present |
| Rex Patrick [m] | | Xenophon/Centre Alliance | South Australia | 2022 | 2017–2022 |
| Marise Payne | | Liberal | New South Wales | 2022 | 1997–2023 |
| Helen Polley | | Labor | Tasmania | 2022 | 2005–present |
| Louise Pratt | | Labor | Western Australia | 2019 | 2008–2014, 2016–present |
| Linda Reynolds | | Liberal | Western Australia | 2019 | 2014–present |
| Lee Rhiannon [x] | | Greens | New South Wales | 2019 | 2011–2018 |
| Janet Rice | | Greens | Victoria | 2019 | 2014–present |
| Malcolm Roberts [l] | | One Nation | Queensland | 2019 | 2016–2017, 2019–present |
| Anne Ruston | | Liberal | South Australia | 2019 | 2012–present |
| Scott Ryan | | Liberal | Victoria | 2022 | 2008–2021 |
| Nigel Scullion | | Country Liberal [af] | Northern Territory | 2019 [b] | 2001–2019 |
| Zed Seselja | | Liberal | Australian Capital Territory | 2019 [b] | 2013–2022 |
| Rachel Siewert | | Greens | Western Australia | 2022 [a] | 2005–2021 |
| Lisa Singh | | Labor | Tasmania | 2019 | 2011–2019 |
| Arthur Sinodinos | | Liberal | New South Wales | 2022 | 2011–2019 |
| David Smith [u] [ac] | | Labor | Australian Capital Territory | 2019 [b] | 2018–2019 |
| Dean Smith | | Liberal | Western Australia | 2022 | 2012–present |
| Duncan Spender [ab] | | Liberal Democrats | New South Wales | 2019 | 2019 |
| Jordon Steele-John [l] | | Greens | Western Australia | 2019 | 2017–present |
| Glenn Sterle | | Labor | Western Australia | 2022 | 2005–present |
| Amanda Stoker [t] | | Liberal National [ae] | Queensland | 2022 | 2018–2022 |
| Tim Storer [q] | | Independent | South Australia | 2019 | 2018–2019 |
| Anne Urquhart | | Labor | Tasmania | 2022 | 2011–present |
| Larissa Waters [j][l][y] | | Greens | Queensland | 2019 | 2011–2017, 2018–present |
| Murray Watt | | Labor | Queensland | 2022 | 2016–present |
| Peter Whish-Wilson | | Greens | Tasmania | 2022 | 2012–present |
| John Williams | | National | New South Wales | 2019 | 2008–2019 |
| Penny Wong | | Labor | South Australia | 2022 | 2002–present |
| Nick Xenophon [m] | | Xenophon | South Australia | 2022 | 2008–2017 |
Close
The term of some senators originally ended in 2019, but was extended to 2022 after resignations and recounts.[1] The terms of senators from the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory end on the next dissolution of the House of Representatives.
South Australian Family First Senator Bob Day resigned on 1 November 2016. The High Court held on 5 April 2017 that Day was "incapable of being chosen" as a Senator as he had an indirect interest in an agreement with the Commonwealth.[20] The High Court had previously held that the presence of a person whose election was void did not invalidate the proceedings of the Senate.[18] Day's seat was filled by a recount, and Lucy Gichuhi was declared elected on 19 April 2017.[21] Culleton resigned from the One Nation party on 18 December 2016.[19] Western Australian Rod Culleton was declared bankrupt by the Federal Court of Australia on 11 January 2017, and as such was disqualified from being a Senator. The High Court subsequently held he was "incapable of being chosen" as a Senator as he was awaiting sentence on a criminal conviction.[17] The High Court had previously held that the presence of a person whose election was void did not invalidate the proceedings of the Senate.[18] Culleton's seat was filled by a recount, and on 10 March 2017 the High Court declared Peter Georgiou to be elected to the vacancy. On 26 April 2017, Family First merged with the Australian Conservatives—with Lucy Gichuhi declining to join the new party, she became an independent.[22] Western Australian Liberal Senator Chris Back resigned on 31 July 2017. Slade Brockman was appointed as his replacement on 16 August 2017. On 27 October 2017, the High Court of Australia ruled that Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts, Nationals Senator Fiona Nash and Greens Senator Larissa Waters were held to be "incapable of being chosen" as senators because they held foreign citizenship.[24] The High Court had previously held that the presence of a person whose election was void did not invalidate the proceedings of the Senate.[18] Their seats have been filled by a recount, which elected Jordon Steele-John, Fraser Anning and Andrew Bartlett, replacing Ludlam, Roberts and Waters respectively. Nash's replacement, Hollie Hughes, was referred to the full bench of the High Court, and was deemed ineligible under Section 44(iv). Jim Molan was elected on recount.[25] Fraser Anning was declared elected at a recount to replace Malcolm Roberts as a Senator for One Nation, but left the party within an hour of being sworn in on 13 November 2017. Tasmanian JLN Senator Jacqui Lambie resigned on 14 November 2017 after discovering she was a citizen of the United Kingdom, due to the recent High Court ruling that foreign citizens could not serve in parliament. Steve Martin, a JLN candidate in 2016, was declared duly elected by the High Court on 9 February 2018, following a special count. Lambie had expelled Martin from the party on 7 February, so he initially sat as an independent. South Australian NXT Senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore resigned on 22 November 2017 after discovering she was a citizen of the United Kingdom, due to the recent High Court ruling that foreign citizens could not serve in parliament. Tim Storer, an NXT candidate in 2016, was declared duly elected by the High Court on 9 February 2018. Storer was expelled from the party in November 2017, and sits as an independent. On 9 May 2018, ACT Labor Senator Katy Gallagher was found by the High Court to be ineligible to be a senator. David Smith was elected in a special count as her replacement on 23 May 2018. Steve Martin, formerly an independent Senator for Tasmania, joined the Nationals on 28 May 2018.[26] On 21 January 2019, Tasmanian Liberal Senator David Bushby resigned from the Senate to take up the role of Australia's consul-general in Chicago. His sister Wendy Askew was appointed as his replacement on 6 March 2019. On 15 February 2019, Victorian Labor Senator Jacinta Collins resigned from the Senate. Raff Ciccone was appointed as her replacement on 6 March 2019. The changes to the composition of the Senate, in chronological order, were
Conroy resigned,[c]
Day resigned,[d]
Culleton resigned from One Nation,[e]
Culleton was declared bankrupt,[f]
Bernardi resigned from the Liberal Party,[g]
Gichuhi became an independent,[h]
Ludlam resigned,[i]
Waters resigned,[j]
Back resigned,[k]
the High Court ruled on the Citizenship 7,[l]
Xenophon resigned,[m]
Parry resigned,[n]
Anning resigned from One Nation,[o]
Lambie resigned,[p]
Kakoschke-Moore resigned,[q]
Dastyari resigned,[r]
Gichuhi joined the Liberal Party,[s]
Brandis resigned,[t]
Gallagher resigned,[u]
Martin joined the Nationals,[v]
Burston joined the UAP,[w]
Rhiannon resigned,[x]
Bartlett resigned,[y]
Bushby resigned,[z]
Collins resigned,[aa]
Leyonhjelm resigned,[ab] and
Smith resigned.[ac]
Constitution (Cth) s 13 Rotation of senators. Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) s 282 Re-count of Senate votes to determine order of election in other circumstances.
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