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1984 Australian federal election

The 1984 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 1 December 1984. All 148 seats in the House of Representatives (24 of them newly created) and 46 of 76 seats in the Senate (12 of them newly created) were up for election. The incumbent Labor Party led by Prime Minister Bob Hawke defeated the opposition Liberal–National coalition, led by Andrew Peacock.


All 148 seats in the House of Representatives
75 seats were needed for a majority in the House
46 (of the 76) seats in the Senate

9,869,217 Increase 5.30%

9,295,421 (94.19%)
(Decrease0.45 pp)

The election was held in conjunction with two referendum questions, neither of which was carried.

Background and issues[edit]

The election had a long campaign and a high rate of informal voting for the House of Representatives, but decreased rate in the Senate (due to the introduction of the Group voting ticket). Although a House election was not due until 1986, Hawke opted to call an election 18 months early in part to bring the elections for the House and Senate back into line following the double dissolution election of 1983.


The legislated increase in the size of the House by 24 seats and the Senate by 12 seats came into effect at the 1984 election. Prior to 1984 the electoral commission did not undertake a full distribution of preferences for statistical purposes. The stored ballot papers for the previous election were put through this process prior to their destruction – therefore the figures from 1983 onwards show the actual result based on full distribution of preferences.

Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

Candidates of the 1984 Australian federal election

Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1984-1987

Members of the Australian Senate, 1985-1987

Archived 18 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine election results in Australia since 1890

University of WA

AEC 2PP vote

AustralianPolitics.com election details