Australian federal election, 2001

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‹ 1998 Flag of Australia 2004 ›
Australian federal election, 2001
All 150 seats to the Australian House of Representatives
and 40 (of the 76) seats to the Australian Senate
10 November 2001
Government Opposition
Leader John Howard Kim Beazley
Party Liberal/National coalition Labor
Leader since 30 January 1995 19 March 1996
Leader's seat Bennelong Brand
Last election 80 seats 67 seats
Seats won 82 65
Seat change +2 -2
Popular vote 5,655,791 5,427,569
Percentage 51.03% 48.97%
Swing +2.01 -2.01

Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 November 2001. All 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 seats in the 76-member Senate were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia John Howard and coalition partner the National Party of Australia led by John Anderson defeated the opposition Australian Labor Party led by Kim Beazley.

House of Reps (IRV) — 2001-04 — Turnout 94.85% (CV) — Informal 4.82%
  Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
  Australian Labor Party 4,341,420 37.84 -2.26 65 -2
  Liberal Party of Australia 4,291,032 37.40 +3.18 69 +5
  National Party of Australia 643,926 5.61 +0.32 13 -3
  Australian Democrats 620,225 5.41 +0.28 0 0
  Australian Greens 569,074 4.96 +2.82 0 0
  One Nation Party 498,032 4.34 -4.09 0 0
  Independents 332,669 2.90 +0.99 3 +2
  Other 177,696 1.55 -1.23 0 0
  Total 11,474,074     150 +2
  Liberal/National coalition WIN 51.03 +2.01 82 +2
  Australian Labor Party   48.97 -2.01 65 -2

Independents: Peter Andren, Tony Windsor, Bob Katter

Senate (STV GV) — 2002-05 — Turnout 95.20% (CV) — Informal 3.89%
  Party Votes % Swing Seats Won Seats Held
  Australian Labor Party 3,990,903 34.32 -2.99 14 28
  Liberal/National (Joint Ticket) 2,776,089 23.88 +2.00 6  
  Liberal Party of Australia 1,824,639 15.69 +2.06 12 31
  Australian Democrats 842,984 7.25 -1.20 4 8
  One Nation Party 644,346 5.54 -3.44 0 1
  Australian Greens 574,550 4.94 +2.22 2 2
  National Party of Australia 222,860 1.92 +0.06 1 3
  Country Liberal Party 40,680 0.35 +0.03 1 1
  Other 710,478 6.11 +1.49 0 0
  Harradine Group * * * 0 1
  Shayne Murphy * * * 0 1
  Total 11,627,529     40 76

Contents

[edit] House of Representatives preference flows

  • The Nationals had candidates in 14 seats where three-cornered-contests existed, with 87.34% of preferences favouring the Liberal Party.
  • The Democrats contested 145 electorates with preferences favouring Labor (64.13%)
  • The Greens contested 145 electorates with preferences strongly favouring Labor (74.83%)
  • One Nation contested 120 electorates with preferences slightly favouring the Liberal/National Coalition (55.87%)

[edit] Seats changing hands

Seat Party, pre-2001 Member, pre-2001 Margin, pre-2001 % Swing % Margin, post-2001 % Member, post-2001 Party, post-2001
Ballarat, Vic   Liberal Party of Australia Hon Michael Ronaldson 2.77 5.50 2.73 Catherine King Australian Labor Party  
Canning, WA   Australian Labor Party Jane Gerick 0.04 0.42 0.38 Don Randall Liberal Party of Australia  
Dickson, Qld   Australian Labor Party Cheryl Kernot 0.12 6.09 5.97 Peter Dutton Liberal Party of Australia  
Dobell, NSW   Australian Labor Party Hon Michael Lee 3.35 3.73 0.38 Ken Ticehurst Liberal Party of Australia  
Farrer, NSW   National Party of Australia vacant 14.62 N/A 16.37 Sussan Ley Liberal Party of Australia  
Kennedy, Qld   National Party of Australia Bob Katter 11.19 8.77 19.69 Bob Katter Independent  
New England, NSW   National Party of Australia Stuart St. Clair 12.93 21.23 8.30 Tony Windsor Independent  
Paterson, NSW   Australian Labor Party Bob Horne 1.22 2.64 1.42 Bob Baldwin Liberal Party of Australia  
Ryan, Qld   Australian Labor Party Leonie Short* 0.17 8.79 8.62 Michael Johnson Liberal Party of Australia  
  • *Leonie Short was elected to Ryan in a by-election earlier in 2001.

[edit] Background

Throughout much of 2001, the Coalition had been trailing Labor in opinion polls, thanks to dissatisfaction with the government's economic reform programme and high petrol prices. The opposition Australian Labor Party had won a majority of the two-party-preferred vote at the previous election and had won a series of state and territory elections. Labor also recorded positive swings in two by-elections, taking the Queensland seat of Ryan and coming close in Aston.

[edit] Issues

The September 11 attacks and the MV Tampa were strong influences in the minds of voters at this election, focusing debate around the issues of border protection and national security. The Howard Government also alleged during the campaign that asylum seekers had thrown children overboard from one of their vessels in an attempt to gain rescue by the Australian coastguard.

By moving the debate to national security, the government turned around the opposition's lead. The ALP recorded its lowest primary vote since 1934.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ australianpolitics.com

[edit] External links

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