A federal election was held in Australia on 22 November 1958. All 122 seats in the House of Representatives and 32 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Liberal–Country coalition led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies defeated the opposition Labor Party, led by H. V. Evatt.

Issues In spite of a major global downturn in early 1958, the Coalition was returned to power and there was an even swing against the Labor Party. This was due largely to support for the breakaway Democratic Labor Party. This was the first Australian election campaign to be fought using television as a medium for communicating with voters. Menzies was interviewed on television, while opposition figures H. V. Evatt and Arthur Calwell took part in debates with ministers Harold Holt and William McMahon. Somewhat surprisingly Menzies emerged as a confident and effective television performer. This may have contributed to the better than expected result for the government.

Results House of Representatives

+ House of Reps (IRV) — 1958–61—Turnout 95.48% (CV) — Informal 2.87% Party First preference votes % Swing Seats Change   Liberal–Country coalition 2,298,512 46.55 –1.12 77 +2 Liberal1,859,18037.23−2.5358+1 Country465,3209.32+1.4119+1 Labor2,137,89042.81−1.8447−2  Democratic Labor389,6887.80+2.6300  Queensland Labor80,0351.60+1.6000  Communist26,3370.53–0.6300  Nationalist3,5770.07+0.0700  Independent31,4660.63–0.7400  Total4,993,493  122 Two-party-preferred  Liberal–Country coalitionWin54.10−0.1077+2 Labor45.90+0.1045−2

Senate + Senate (STV) — 1958–61—Turnout 95.48% (CV) — Informal 10.29% Party First preference votes % Swing Seats won Seats held Change   Liberal–Country coalition 2,084,193 45.19 –3.49 16 32 +2   Liberal–Country joint ticket 1,077,586 23.36 –16.02 9 N/A N/A   Liberal 953,856 20.68 +12.02 6 25 +1   Country 52,751 1.14 +0.51 1 7 +1  Labor1,973,02742.78+2.171526–2  Democratic Labor314,7556.82+0.72120  Communist134,2632.91−0.73000  Queensland Labor73,0371.66+1.66000  Loyalist4,4590.10+0.10000  True Democrat4,3370.09+0.09000  Republican3,7150.08+0.08000  Independents20,2730.44–0.46000  Total4,612,059  3260

Notes The Democratic Labor Party was the renamed "Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)" from the 1955 election.

Seats changing hands Seat Pre-1958 Swing Post-1958 Party Member Margin Margin Member PartyBraddon, Tas LiberalAubrey Luck8.99.30.4Ron DaviesLabor Griffith, Qld LaborWilfred Coutts1.31.40.1Arthur ChresbyLiberal Herbert, Qld LaborBill Edmonds6.68.11.5John MurrayLiberal Indi, Vic LiberalWilliam BostockN/A28.66.5Mac HoltenCountry Kalgoorlie, WA LaborHerbert JohnsonN/A11.40.3Peter BrowneLiberal Moore, WA CountryHugh Leslie100.052.92.9Hugh HalbertLiberal St George, NSW LiberalBill Graham2.42.50.1Lionel ClayLabor Stirling, WA LaborHarry Webb2.83.00.2Doug CashLiberal Wimmera, Vic LiberalWilliam LawrenceN/A22.75.9Robert KingCountry  Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

See also Candidates of the 1958 Australian federal election Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1958–1961 Members of the Australian Senate, 1959–1962

Notes

References University of WA election results in Australia since 1890 AEC 2PP vote Adam Carr's Election Archive - Senate 1958