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1998 Australian federal election

The 1998 Australian federal election was held to determine the members of the 39th Parliament of Australia. It was held on 3 October 1998. All 148 seats of the House of Representatives and 40 seats of the 76-seat Senate were up for election. The incumbent centre-right Liberal/National Coalition government led by Prime Minister John Howard of the Liberal Party and coalition partner Tim Fischer of the National Party defeated the centre-left Australian Labor Party opposition led by Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, despite losing the nationwide popular and two-party preferred vote. However, the Australian Labor Party gained seats from the previous election.

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

12,154,050 Increase 3.52%

11,545,201 (94.99%)
(Decrease0.78 pp)

Entering parliament at this election were future Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, future Liberal deputy leader and future Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, future Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan and future Speaker Anna Burke.

The Nationals had candidates in 13 seats where existed, with 88.89% of preferences favouring the Liberal Party.

three-cornered-contests

One Nation contested 135 electorates with preferences slightly favouring the Liberal/National Coalition (53.66%)

The Democrats contested 144 electorates with preferences slightly favouring Labor (56.72%)

The Greens contested 120 electorates with preferences strongly favouring Labor (73.28%)

Candidates of the 1998 Australian federal election

Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1998–2001

Members of the Australian Senate, 1999–2002

campaign and results coverage by the ABC

Election 98

Australian Electoral Commission Results

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

University of WA

AEC 2PP vote

AustralianPolitics.com election details

Preference flows – ABC