A federal election is scheduled to be held by 2028 to elect members of the House of Representatives and half of the Senate to the 49th Parliament of Australia.

The incumbent Labor government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, will to seek a third consecutive term in government, challenged by the Liberal–National Coalition led by Opposition Leader Angus Taylor. The Greens, One Nation, and other minor parties and independents will also contest the election.

Australia has compulsory voting, with preferential instant-runoff voting in single-member seats.

Background Previous election

Composition of Parliament

Pre-election standings

Parties are listed according to their vote share at the last federal election.

Affiliation House Senate Results of the2025 election As of25 June 2026 Change Results of the2025 election As of25 June 2026 Change Labor 94 94 0 28 30 2 Liberal 28 27 1 23 23 0 National 15 14 1 4 4 0 The Greens 1 1 0 11 10 1 One Nation 0 2 2 4 4 0 Lambie Network 0 0 0 1 1 0 Katter's Australian 1 1 0 0 0 0 Australia's Voice 0 0 0 1 1 0 Centre Alliance 1 1 0 0 0 0 United Australia 0 0 0 1 1 0 Community Strong Did not exist 2 2 Did not exist 0 0 Independents 10 8 2 3 2 1 Vacant 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total seats 150 76

Electoral system Members of the House of Representatives are elected by full preferential voting. Each electorate elects one member. Senators are elected by proportional representation using single transferable vote. In states, senators are elected from state-wide twelve-member districts (although in most cases only six seats are contested at a single election), and in territories from territory-wide two-member districts. Ballots are counted at least twice, at the polling place and, starting Monday night after election day, at counting centres.

Redistribution

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is required, one year after the first sitting day for a new House of Representatives, to determine the number of members to which each state and territory is entitled. If the number in any state changes, a redistribution would be required in those states. A redistribution would be postponed if it would begin within one year of the expiration of the House of Representatives.

Notwithstanding the above, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory need to undergo redistributions in 2025 and 2026 as seven years have elapsed since their last respective redistributions.

On 8 July 2026, the electoral commission announced minor changes to its redistribution of the Australian Capital Territory. Under the revised boundaries, all suburbs within the Woden Valley, previously located in the division of Canberra, were transferred to the division of Bean, while the suburbs of Hume and Symonston, previously in Bean, were moved into Canberra.

On 15 July, the electoral commission announced the final redistribution for Tasmania. Under the new boundaries, the Break O'Day Council area was transferred from the division of Lyons to the division of Bass, while the Glenorchy City Council area was moved from Bass to Lyons. Significant changes were also made to the division of Clark and the division of Franklin. Clark was expanded to incorporate the Huon Valley, previously in Franklin, as well as the remainder of the Kingborough Council area, of which it had previously covered only a portion. Franklin, in turn, was reconfigured from Australia's southernmost electorate into one centred on Tasmania's south-east coast. The commission also proposed renaming the electorate to Tongerlongeter, in honour of the prominent Aboriginal Tasmanian leader who resisted British colonisation during the early colonial period.

On 20 July, the electoral commission announced the final redistribution for South Australia. The redistribution largely adopted the boundaries proposed in March, with the division of Barker gaining part of the Alexandrina Council area and the localities of Callington and Kanmantoo from the division of Mayo. The division of Boothby gained the remainder of the City of Mitcham from Mayo, while the division of Makin gained part of the City of Salisbury south of the Little Para River from the division of Spence. The commission also confirmed that the division of Grey would be renamed to O'Donoghue, in honour of Lowitja O'Donoghue, a prominent Aboriginal Australian leader and advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and rights.

Voter registration Enrolment of eligible voters is compulsory. Voters must notify the AEC within eight weeks of a change of address or after turning 18. The electoral rolls are closed for new enrolments or update of details about a week after the issue of writs for election. Date of close of Rolls Enrolment is optional for 16 or 17-year-olds, but they cannot vote until they turn 18, Claims for age 16 enrolment and persons who have applied for Australian citizenship may also apply for provisional enrolment which takes effect on the granting of citizenship. Provisional claim for enrolment by applicant for citizenship

Election date

Guidelines of the election date

Date of this election Election typeEarliest dateLatest dateSimultaneous half-Senate and House of Representatives7 August 202720 May 2028 Half-Senate House of Representatives No earliest date 23 September 2028 Double dissolution(requires specific triggers) No earliest date 18 March 2028

The election of senators must take place within one year before the terms expire for half-Senate elections, Rotation of senators so the writs for a half-Senate election cannot be issued earlier than 1 July 2027. Since campaigns are for a minimum of 33days, Date of polling Date of nomination the earliest possible date for a simultaneous House and half-Senate election is Saturday, 7 August 2027. Given that the elections for the new senators must take place by 30 June 2028, the latest possible date for a half-Senate election is 20 May 2028.

The latest possible election for the House of Representatives will be subject to the conditions above, with the house scheduled to first meet on 22 July 2025. Based on this, the house will expire on 21 July 2028, 10 days after that is 31 July 2028 and 27 days after that is 27 August 2028, and 31 days after that is Wednesday 27 September 2028. Given the fixed Saturday polling day the latest possible date for a house only election is Saturday 23 September 2028.

A double dissolution (a deadlock-breaking provision to dissolve both houses of parliament) cannot be called within six months before the date of the expiry of the House of Representatives. That means that any double dissolution of the 48th Parliament would have to be granted by Friday 21 January 2028. Allowing for the same stages indicated above, the last possible date for a double dissolution election would be 18 March 2028. This can only occur if a bill that passes the House of Representatives is rejected by the Senate twice, at least three months apart.

Retiring members Greens Senator Barbara Pocock — announced retirement on 25 August 2026 Other Senator Ralph Babet (United Australia Party) — announced retirement on 13 May 2025

Opinion polling

Notes

References