This is a list of members of the Australian Senate from 1975 to 1978. The 13 December 1975 election was a double dissolution of both houses, with all 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate up for election. Malcolm Fraser had been commissioned as prime minister following the dismissal of Gough Whitlam's Labor government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, on 11 November 1975. The same day, Fraser advised the calling of the election, in accordance with Kerr's stipulated conditions. Thus the Liberal Party of Australia, led by Fraser, with Coalition partner the National Country Party, led by Doug Anthony, went to the election as a caretaker government. The election resulted in the Coalition securing government with a 30-seat swing away from Labor in the House of Representatives.
In accordance with section 13 of the Constitution, following a double dissolution of Parliament, the terms for state senators commence on 1 July preceding the election, i.e., on 1 July 1975. The first five senators elected in each State were allocated full six-year terms ending on 30 June 1981 while the other half were allocated three-year terms ending on 30 June 1978.
There were two significant changes that affected the composition of the Senate. The Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory were to be represented in the Senate for the first time.Senate (Representation of Territories) Act 1973 (Cth). The terms of senators representing the territories commenced on the date of the election and ended at the dissolution of the House of Representatives, in this case the December 1977 election. A person appointed to a casual vacancy must be from the same political party as the original senator and is appointed until the end of the original term.
Austin Lewis had been appointed under the former system, however his term was extended to the end of the original term of 30 June 1981 as a result of the 1977 referendum. The first vacancy occurring under the new process was caused by the resignation of Steele Hall, who had been a member of the Liberal Movement but had joined the Liberal party in 1976 on the break-up of the Liberal Movement. Janine Haines was appointed to replace Hall, having been third on the Liberal Movement ticket in 1975, however she was no longer a member of the Liberal Movement, having joined the .
Senator Party State Term ending Years in office Tasmania 1978 1975–1994 New South Wales 1978 1974–1991 South Australia 1981 1961–1981 Queensland 1981 1971–1983 Victoria 1978 1969–1970, 1971–1978 Victoria 1978 1974–1993 South Australia 1978 1969–1978 New South Wales 1981 1970–1987 South Australia 1981 1961–1981 Western Australia 1978 1974–1990 Western Australia 1978 1974–1987 Queensland 1978 1975–1987 Queensland 1978 1975–1999 Victoria 1978 1951–1953, 1962–1978 New South Wales 1981 1965–1978 South Australia 1981 1961, 1962, 1965–1981 Tasmania 1978 1965–1978 Western Australia 1978 1958, 1959–1978 Western Australia 1981 1970–1993 Queensland 1978 1967–1987 New South Wales 1978 1970–1989 Victoria 1981 1968–1976 Tasmania 1978 1974–1987 Victoria 1981 1970–1987 South Australia 1978 1977–1978, 1980–1990 Liberal Movement/ South Australia 1978 1974–1977 Tasmania 1981 1975–2005 South Australia 1981 1970–1991 Queensland 1981 1964–1983 Northern Territory 1977, 1980 1975–1987 Australian Capital Territory 1977, 1980 1975–1981 New South Wales 1978 1975–1985 South Australia 1981 1967–1981 Victoria 1977, 1981 1976–1993 Queensland 1978 1974–1984 Queensland 1981 1967–1981 Queensland 1981 1970–1981 New South Wales 1981 1961–1987 New South Wales 1981 1970–1978 Western Australia 1981 1974–1987 South Australia 1978 1970–1983 Victoria 1981 1974–1981 South Australia 1978 1975–1990 Victoria 1978 1974–1986 New South Wales 1978 1964–1983 Tasmania 1981 1947–1981 Victoria 1981 1971–1985 Tasmania 1981 1967–1986 Northern Territory 1977, 1980 1975–1987 Australian Capital Territory 1977, 1980 1975–1988 New South Wales 1981 1970, 1974–1985 Queensland 1981 1974–1981 New South Wales 1978 1975–1978, 1978–1994 Western Australia 1981 1964–1981 Victoria 1978 1975–1978 Western Australia 1978 1975–1983 Tasmania 1981 1970–1987 Western Australia 1978 1974–1993 Tasmania 1978 1975–1993 Victoria 1981 1964–1981 Western Australia 1981 1964–1981 Rt Western Australia 1981 1966, 1967–1987 Queensland 1978 1950–1978 Tasmania 1981 1964–1980 Tasmania 1978 1950–1978 South Australia 1978 1968–1981
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