1977 Australian Senate election

Australian federal election results Members of the Australian Senate, 1978–1981 1977 Australian Senate elections Australia parliamentary no 1975 Australian Senate election 1975 Results of the 1980 Australian federal election (Senate) 1980 34 of the 64 seats in the Australian Senate 33 10 December 1977 Liberal/National coalition 150x150px Reg Withers Western Australia 20 December 1972 35 34 1 3,369,843 45.56% 5.18% Australian Labor Party 150x150px Ken Wriedt Tasmania 10 February 1975 27 27 2,718,876 36.76% 4.15% Australian Democrats 150x150px Don Chipp Victoria 9 May 1977 None (New) 2 2 823,550 11.13% 11.13% Australian Senate elected members, 1977.svg Senators elected in the 1977 federal election Leader of the Senate Reg Withers Liberal/National coalition Reg Withers Liberal/National coalition The following tables show state-by-state results in the Australian Senate at the 1977 federal election. Senators total 34 coalition (27 Liberal, six coalition National, one CLP), 27 Labor, two Democrats and one Independent.Government Wins By Large Margin In AustralianVote https://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/11/archives/government-wins-by-large-margin-in-australian-vote-government.html nytimes.com 6 January 2026 Senator terms are six years (three for territories). Senators elected at this election began their terms on 1 July 1978, except for the territorial senators who took their seats at the election. This election marked the effective parliamentary debut of the Australian Democrats.1977 https://australianpolitics.com/2014/07/17/federal-election-results-1901-2014.html/ australianpolitics.com 6 January 2026Federal Election 1977 https://handbook.aph.gov.au/voting/elections/1977/232 handbook.aph.gov.au 6 January 2026 Australia + Senate (STV) — 1977–80—Turnout 95.08% (CV) — Informal 9.00%File:1977 Australian Senate.svg Party Votes % Swing Seats won Seats held Change   Liberal–NCP Coalition (total) 3,369,843 45.56 –5.18 18 34 –1   Liberal–NCP joint ticket 2,533,882 34.26 −5.60 7 * *   Liberal 783,878 10.60 −0.48 10 27 +1   National Country100px 36,619 0.50 −0.04 0 6 –2   Country Liberal 15,463 0.21 −0.01 1 1 0   Labor 2,718,876 36.76 −4.15 14 27 0   Democrats 823,550 11.13 +11.13 2 2 +2   Democratic Labor 123,192 1.67 –1.00 0 0 0   Progress 88,203 1.19 +0.32 0 0 0   Call to Australia 49,395 1.12 +1.12 0 0 0   Marijuana 44,276 0.60 +0.60 0 0 0   Socialist 42,740 0.58 +0.57 0 0 0   Australia 8,283 0.11 –0.37 0 0 0   Independents 127,850 1.73 +0.13 0 1 0   Total 7,396,207     34 64 Independent: Brian Harradine (Tasmania) The Progress Party was the renamed "Workers Party" from the 1975 election. New South Wales Elected # Senator Party1978 1978 1 Peter Baume  Liberal 1978 2 Tony Mulvihill  Labor 1978 3 Misha Lajovic  Liberal 1978 4 Arthur Gietzelt  Labor 1978 5 Colin Mason  Democrat1976 1976 1 Bob Cotton  Liberal 1976 2 Doug McClelland  Labor 1976 3 John Carrick  Liberal 1976 4 Jim McClelland  Labor 1976 5 Douglas Scott  NCP 1977 Australian federal election: Senate, New South Wales 436,875 Coalition 1. Peter Baume (Lib) (elected 1) 2. Misha Lajovic (Lib) (elected 3) 3. Dorothy Ross (NCP) 1,136,215 43.3 -6.1 Labor 1. Tony Mulvihill (elected 2) 2. Arthur Gietzelt (elected 4) 3. Kerry Sibraa 1,050,672 40.1 -4.0 Democrats 1. Colin Mason (elected 5) 2. Paul McLean 3. Malcolm Hilbery 4. Ronald Mallett 5. Patricia Clark 218,364 8.3 +8.3 Progress 1. Barry Bracken 2. Robert Howard 3. Robert Schollbach 64,557 2.5 +1.4 Group G 1. Bill Wentworth 2. Leah Young 55,230 2.1 +2.1 Call to Australia 1. Fred Nile 2. Reuben Scarf 3. Patricia Judge 49,395 1.8 +1.8 Marijuana 1. James Billington 2. Diana Fuller 3. Peter Livesey 22,879 0.9 +0.9 Group E 1. Shirley Smith 2. Bruce Miles 3. Cecil Patten 4. Christos Roumeliotis 7,235 0.3 +0.3 Socialist (1971) 1. Edgar Woodbury 2. Pat Clancy 5,437 0.2 +0.2 Australia 1. John Notary 2. Clifford Willard 3. Allan Jones 4,454 0.2 -0.2 Group C 1. Allan Chan 2. Chan Chung Ling 3,632 0.2 +0.2 Independent John Esposito 2,737 0.1 +0.1 Independent Henry Harding 442 0.0 0.0 2,621,249 90.4 +0.1 278,196 9.6 -0.1 2,899,445 95.0 -0.4 Victoria Elected # Senator Party1978 1978 1 Alan Missen  Liberal 1978 2 Gareth Evans  Labor 1978 3 David Hamer  Liberal 1978 4 John Button  Labor 1978 5 Don Chipp  Democrat1976 1976 1 Ivor Greenwood  Liberal 1976 2 Jean Melzer  Labor 1976 3 Margaret Guilfoyle  Liberal 1976 4 Cyril Primmer  Labor 1976 5 James Webster  NCP 1977 Australian federal election: Senate, Victoria 331,739 Coalition 1. Alan Missen (Lib) (elected 1) 2. David Hamer (Lib) (elected 3) 3. Tom Tehan (NCP) 833,477 41.9 -8.6 Labor 1. Gareth Evans (elected 2) 2. John Button (elected 4) 3. Bill Brown 680,673 34.2 -7.1 Democrats 1. Don Chipp (elected 5) 2. John Siddons 3. Janice Bateman 4. Harold Jeffrey 5. Neil Sleep 322,493 16.2 +16.2 Democratic Labour 1. Jim Brosnan 2. Les Hilton 3. Paul McManus 123,192 6.2 +0.3 Marijuana 1. Jay McRoach 2. Peter McKenzie 14,773 0.7 +0.7 Group B 1. Carolyn Ingvarson 2. Elizabeth Morton 3. Marie Quinn 4,286 0.2 +0.2 Independent Terence Vine 4,023 0.2 +0.2 Socialist (1971) 1. Ron Hearn 2. Trevor McCandless 3. Hariklia Kokkinos 3,593 0.2 +0.2 Independent Shane Watson 1,355 0.1 +0.1 Australia 1. Derek Kruse 2. David Heath 3. Gail Farrell 1,351 0.1 -0.9 Independent Ronald Batey 729 0.0 0.0 Independent Peter Kavanagh 491 0.0 0.0 1,990,436 90.9 -1.0 199,471 9.1 +1.0 2,189,907 95.6 -0.1 Queensland Elected # Senator Party1978 1978 1 Kathy Sullivan  Liberal 1978 2 George Georges  Labor 1978 3 Stan Collard  NCP 1978 4 Mal Colston  Labor 1978 5 David MacGibbon  Liberal1976 1976 1 Neville Bonner  Liberal 1976 2 Jim Keeffe  Labor 1976 3 Ron Maunsell  NCP 1976 4 Ron McAuliffe  Labor 1976 5 Glen Sheil  NCP 1977 Australian federal election: Senate: Queensland 183,145 Coalition 1. Kathy Sullivan (Lib) (elected 1) 2. Stan Collard (NCP) (elected 3) 3. David MacGibbon (Lib) (elected 5) 564,190 51.3 -6.0 Labor 1. George Georges (elected 2) 2. Mal Colston (elected 4) 3. Verona Wake 380,418 34.6 -2.2 Democrats 1. Paul Griffin 2. Michael Macklin 3. Maureen Burton 98,165 8.9 +8.9 Socialist (1971) 1. Charles Murphy 2. David Ryan 3. Ivan Ivanoff 31,826 2.9 +2.9 Progress 1. Vivian Forbes 2. Owen Pershouse 3. Suzanne Ham 4. Barrie Fulcher 8,376 0.8 -1.2 Group C 1. Anne Glew 2. Geoffrey Crouch 6,674 0.6 +0.6 Group D 1. James Drabsch 2. Lloyd Drabsch 3. Ace Drabsch 4,333 0.4 +0.4 Independent John Jones 3,730 0.3 +0.3 Independent Bruce Chambers 1,160 0.1 +0.1 1,098,872 92.0 +0.3 95,003 8.0 -0.3 1,193,875 94.8 -0.4 South Australia Elected # Senator Party1978 1978 1 Tony Messner  Liberal 1978 2 Geoff McLaren  Labor 1978 3 Harold Young  Liberal 1978 4 Ron Elstob  Labor 1978 5 Baden Teague  Liberal1976 1976 1 Gordon Davidson  Liberal 1976 2 Reg Bishop  Labor 1976 3 Don Jessop  Liberal 1976 4 Jim Cavanagh  Labor 1976 5 Condor Laucke  Liberal 1977 Australian federal election, Senate, South Australia 117,036 Liberal 1. Tony Messner (elected 1) 2. Harold Young (elected 3) 3. Baden Teague (elected 5) 344,351 49.0 -2.4 Labor 1. Geoff McLaren (elected 2) 2. Ron Elstob (elected 4) 3. Nick Bolkus 258,643 36.8 -3.8 Democrats 1. Ian Gilfillan 2. Michael Lee 3. Nicholas Theologou 78,496 11.2 +11.2 Group F 1. George Jukes 2. Jean Jukes 5,255 0.8 +0.8 Marijuana Stephen Dimitriou 4,331 0.6 +0.6 Independent Andrew Jones 3,747 0.5 +0.5 Progress 1. John Whiting 2. Verna Oakley 3,033 0.4 -0.2 Australia 1. Colyn van Reenen 2. Kathy Dancer 2,478 0.4 +0.4 Socialist (1971) 1. Alan Miller 2. Muriel Goss 1,884 0.3 +0.2 702,218 89.6 -0.5 81,451 10.4 +0.5 783,669 95.1 -1.1 Western Australia Elected # Senator Party1978 1978 1 Fred Chaney  Liberal 1978 2 Peter Walsh  Labor 1978 3 Andrew Thomas  Liberal 1978 4 Ruth Coleman  Labor 1978 5 Allan Rocher  Liberal1976 1976 1 Reg Withers  Liberal 1976 2 John Wheeldon  Labor 1976 3 Peter Durack  Liberal 1976 4 Gordon McIntosh  Labor 1976 5 Peter Sim  Liberal 1977 Australian federal election: Senate, Western Australia 100,026 Liberal 1. Fred Chaney (elected 1) 2. Andrew Thomas (elected 3) 3. Allan Rocher (elected 5) 278,413 46.4 -5.3 Labor 1. Peter Walsh (elected 2) 2. Ruth Coleman (elected 4) 3. Howard Olney 196,781 32.8 -3.7 Democrats 1. Jack Evans 2. Uri Themal 3. Shirley de la Hunty 74,912 12.5 +12.5 National Country 1. Donald Eckersley 2. Donald Thomas 3. Moira Jones 36,619 6.1 -0.8 Progress 1. Peter Richardson 2. Robert Scott 3. Janet Beeck 10,412 1.7 +0.5 Independent John Cowley 1,078 0.2 +0.2 Group E 1. Francesco Nesci 2. Nellie Stuart 1,014 0.2 +0.2 Independent Geoffrey Gray 929 0.2 +0.2 600,158 91.8 +2.6 53,426 8.2 -2.6 653,584 94.6 -0.1 Tasmania Elected # Senator Party1978 1978 1 Shirley Walters  Liberal 1978 2 Don Grimes  Labor 1978 3 Brian Archer  Liberal 1978 4 Michael Tate  Labor 1978 5 John Watson  Liberal1976 1976 1 Peter Rae  Liberal 1976 2 Ken Wriedt  Labor 1976 3 Brian Harradine  Independent 1976 4 Michael Townley  Liberal 1976 5 Justin O'Byrne  Labor 1977 Australian federal election: Senate, Tasmania 39,238 Liberal 1. Shirley Walters (elected 1) 2. Brian Archer (elected 3) 3. John Watson (elected 5) 117,217 49.8 +0.8 Labor 1. Don Grimes (elected 2) 2. Michael Tate (elected 4) 3. John White 88,722 37.7 +2.5 Group C 1. Rudge Townley 2. Ann Waterhouse 15,695 6.7 +6.7 Democrats 1. Norman Siberry 2. Liz Holloway 13,793 5.9 +5.9 235,427 92.9 +2.8 17,971 7.1 -2.8 253,398 96.7 +0.1 Australian Capital Territory Elected # Senator Party1977 1977 1 Susan Ryan  Labor 1977 2 John Knight  Liberal 1977 Australian federal election: Senate, Australian Capital Territory 38,067 Labor 1. Susan Ryan (elected 1) 2. Robert Smith 49,374 43.2 +6.2 Liberal 2. John Knight (elected 2) 2. Stanley Sparrow 43,897 38.4 -5.2 Democrats Donald Evans 14,561 12.8 +12.8 Group A 1. Anthony O'Dea 2. Noel McCann 4,075 3.6 +3.6 Marijuana Gerhard Zatschler 2,293 2.0 +2.0 114,200 96.9 +0.6 3,702 3.1 -0.6 117,902 92.6 -1.5 Northern Territory Elected # Senator Party1977 1977 1 Bernie Kilgariff  Country Liberal 1977 2 Ted Robertson  Labor 1977 Australian federal election: Senate, Northern Territory 11,216 CLP 1. Bernard Kilgariff (elected 1) 2. Barry Wyatt 15,463 46.0 -8.6 Labor 1. Ted Robertson (elected 2) 2. Harry Maschke 13,593 40.4 +4.5 Democrats 1. Dennis Booth 2. Peter Dean 2,766 8.2 +8.2 Progress 1. Kenneth Kitto 2. David Cooper 1,825 5.4 +3.2 33,647 93.5 +0.7 2,335 6.5 -0.7 35,982 81.2 +6.3 See also 1977 Australian federal election Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1977 Members of the Australian Senate, 1978–1981 References Category:1977 elections in Australia Category:Results of Australian federal elections Category:Australian Senate elections Category:December 1977 in Australia