List of Australian Senate appointments

This is a list of appointments to the Australian Senate, which is the upper house of the Parliament of Australia, filling casual vacancies, from the Senate's creation in 1901 until the present day. There is a second list of invalid elections and appointments to the Senate.

## Appointment procedures

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Further information: Casual vacancies in the Australian Parliament § Senate

### States

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Section 15 of the Australian Constitution requires the parliament of the relevant state to choose a replacement. This is done in a joint sitting of the upper and lower house (except for Queensland, which has a unicameral parliament). In the event that the state parliament is not in session, the Governor of the state (acting on the advice of the state's executive council) may appoint a replacement senator, but such an appointment lapses if it is not confirmed by a joint sitting of the parliament within 14 days.

Prior to 29 July 1977, the filing of casual vacancies was complex. While senators were elected for a six-year term, people appointed to a casual vacancy only held office until the earlier of the next election for the House of Representatives or the Senate, at which the vacancy would be filled by the electors of the relevant state.[1] It was also an established convention that the state parliament choose (or the governor appoint) a replacement from the same political party as their predecessor, however this convention was not always followed.[n 1]

As a result of the 1977 referendum:[2]

* a state legislature must replace a senator with a member of the same political party, and
* the new senator's term continues until the end of the original senator's term.

### Territories

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Replacement senators for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) or the Northern Territory (NT) are chosen by the relevant territory legislature, under s.44 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. Where the legislature is not in session, the choice is made by the Administrator of the NT (acting on the advice of the territory's executive council) or the Chief Minister of the ACT. The procedure has been in use in the NT since 1980 and the ACT since 1989.

Between 1980 and 1989, replacement senators in the ACT were chosen by a joint sitting of both houses of the Federal Parliament, under s.9 of the Senate (Representation of Territories) Act 1973. Prior to 1980, replacement senators in the ACT or the NT were to be elected in a by-election, though this never occurred.

## List of appointments to the Senate

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47th Parliament (2022–2025)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Tasmania [n 2] | 27 May 2025  | Anne Urquhart |   | Labor | Josh Dolega |   | Labor | Resignation
South Australia | 6 February 2025  | Simon Birmingham |   | Liberal | Leah Blyth |   | Liberal | Resignation
Victoria | 29 May 2024  | Linda White |   | Labor | Lisa Darmanin |   | Labor | Death
Victoria | 1 May 2024  | Janet Rice |   | Greens | Steph Hodgins-May |   | Greens | Resignation
Western Australia | 1 February 2024  | Pat Dodson |   | Labor | Varun Ghosh |   | Labor | Resignation
New South Wales | 30 November 2023  | Marise Payne |   | Liberal | Dave Sharma |   | Liberal | Resignation
New South Wales | 31 May 2023  | Jim Molan |   | Liberal | Maria Kovacic |   | Liberal | Death

46th Parliament (2019–2022)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Western Australia | 18 May 2022  | Ben Small |   | Liberal | Ben Small |   | Liberal | Resignation [n 3]
Victoria | 6 April 2022  | Kimberley Kitching |   | Labor | Jana Stewart |   | Labor | Death
Victoria | 2 December 2021  | Scott Ryan |   | Liberal | Greg Mirabella |   | Liberal | Resignation
South Australia | 21 September 2021  | Alex Gallacher |   | Labor | Karen Grogan |   | Labor | Death
Western Australia | 14 September 2021  | Rachel Siewert |   | Greens | Dorinda Cox |   | Greens | Resignation
Western Australia | 25 November 2020  | Mathias Cormann |   | Liberal | Ben Small |   | Liberal | Resignation
Victoria | 4 September 2020  | Richard Di Natale |   | Greens | Lidia Thorpe |   | Greens | Resignation
South Australia | 6 February 2020  | Cory Bernardi |   | Independent [n 4] | Andrew McLachlan |   | Liberal | Resignation
New South Wales | 14 November 2019  | Arthur Sinodinos |   | Liberal | Jim Molan |   | Liberal | Resignation
Victoria | 11 September 2019  | Mitch Fifield |   | Liberal | Sarah Henderson |   | Liberal | Resignation

45th Parliament (2016–2019)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
New South Wales | 20 March 2019  | David Leyonhjelm |   | Liberal Democrats | Duncan Spender |   | Liberal Democrats | Resignation
Tasmania | 6 March 2019  | David Bushby |   | Liberal | Wendy Askew |   | Liberal | Resignation
Victoria | 6 March 2019  | Jacinta Collins |   | Labor | Raff Ciccone |   | Labor | Resignation
Queensland | 6 September 2018  | Andrew Bartlett |   | Greens | Larissa Waters |   | Greens | Resignation
New South Wales | 15 August 2018  | Lee Rhiannon |   | Greens | Mehreen Faruqi |   | Greens | Resignation
Queensland | 21 March 2018  | George Brandis |   | LNP | Amanda Stoker |   | LNP | Resignation
New South Wales | 14 February 2018  | Sam Dastyari |   | Labor | Kristina Keneally |   | Labor | Resignation
South Australia | 14 November 2017  | Nick Xenophon |   | Xenophon | Rex Patrick |   | Xenophon | Resignation
Western Australia | 16 August 2017  | Chris Back |   | Liberal | Slade Brockman |   | Liberal | Resignation
Victoria | 25 October 2016  | Stephen Conroy |   | Labor | Kimberley Kitching |   | Labor | Resignation

44th Parliament (2014–2016)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Western Australia | 2 May 2016  | Joe Bullock |   | Labor | Pat Dodson |   | Labor | Resignation
Victoria | 9 March 2016  | Michael Ronaldson |   | Liberal | James Paterson |   | Liberal | Resignation
South Australia | 22 September 2015  | Penny Wright |   | Greens | Robert Simms |   | Greens | Resignation
Tasmania | 19 August 2015  | Christine Milne |   | Greens | Nick McKim |   | Greens | Resignation
Queensland | 21 May 2015  | Brett Mason |   | LNP | Joanna Lindgren |   | LNP | Resignation
New South Wales | 6 May 2015  | John Faulkner |   | Labor | Jenny McAllister |   | Labor | Resignation
Australian Capital Territory | 25 March 2015  | Kate Lundy |   | Labor | Katy Gallagher |   | Labor | Resignation
New South Wales [n 5] | 2 July 2014  | Bob Carr |   | Labor | Deborah O'Neill |   | Labor | Resignation

43rd Parliament (2011–2014)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Queensland [n 2] | 11 February 2014  | Barnaby Joyce |   | LNP | Barry O'Sullivan |   | LNP | Resignation
New South Wales [n 5] | 13 November 2013  | Bob Carr |   | Labor | Deborah O'Neill |   | Labor | Resignation
Victoria | 21 August 2013  | David Feeney |   | Labor | Mehmet Tillem |   | Labor | Resignation
New South Wales | 21 August 2013  | Matt Thistlethwaite |   | Labor | Sam Dastyari |   | Labor | Resignation
Western Australia | 15 May 2013  | Chris Evans |   | Labor | Sue Lines |   | Labor | Resignation
South Australia | 5 September 2012  | Mary Jo Fisher |   | Liberal | Anne Ruston |   | Liberal | Resignation
Tasmania | 20 June 2012  | Bob Brown |   | Greens | Peter Whish-Wilson |   | Greens | Resignation
Tasmania | 20 June 2012  | Nick Sherry |   | Labor | Lin Thorp |   | Labor | Resignation
Western Australia | 2 May 2012  | Judith Adams |   | Liberal | Dean Smith |   | Liberal | Death
New South Wales | 6 March 2012  | Mark Arbib |   | Labor | Bob Carr |   | Labor | Resignation
New South Wales | 13 October 2011  | Helen Coonan |   | Liberal | Arthur Sinodinos |   | Liberal | Resignation

42nd Parliament (2008–2011)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Western Australia | 12 March 2009  | Chris Ellison |   | Liberal | Chris Back |   | Liberal | Resignation

41st Parliament (2005–2008)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Victoria [n 2] | 8 May 2008  | Robert Ray |   | Labor | Jacinta Collins |   | Labor | Resignation
Tasmania | 30 August 2007  | Paul Calvert |   | Liberal | David Bushby |   | Liberal | Resignation
Western Australia | 19 June 2007  | Ian Campbell |   | Liberal | Mathias Cormann |   | Liberal | Resignation
South Australia | 6 June 2007  | Amanda Vanstone |   | Liberal | Mary Jo Fisher |   | Liberal | Resignation
South Australia | 3 May 2007  | Jeannie Ferris |   | Liberal | Simon Birmingham |   | Liberal | Death
Queensland | 19 April 2007  | Santo Santoro |   | Liberal | Sue Boyce |   | Liberal | Resignation
South Australia | 4 May 2006  | Robert Hill |   | Liberal | Cory Bernardi |   | Liberal | Resignation
Tasmania | 25 August 2005  | Sue Mackay |   | Labor | Carol Brown |   | Labor | Resignation

40th Parliament (2002–2005)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
New South Wales [n 2] | 5 May 2005  | John Tierney |   | Liberal | Concetta Fierravanti-Wells |   | Liberal | Resignation
Victoria | 31 March 2004  | Richard Alston |   | Liberal | Mitch Fifield |   | Liberal | Resignation
Australian Capital Territory | 18 February 2003  | Margaret Reid |   | Liberal | Gary Humphries |   | Liberal | Resignation
Queensland | 29 October 2002  | John Herron |   | Liberal | Santo Santoro |   | Liberal | Resignation

39th Parliament (1999–2002)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Tasmania [n 2] | 26 February 2002  | Brian Gibson |   | Liberal | Guy Barnett |   | Liberal | Resignation
Tasmania [n 2] | 4 February 2002  | Jocelyn Newman |   | Liberal | Richard Colbeck |   | Liberal | Resignation
Queensland | 31 July 2001  | John Woodley |   | Democrats | John Cherry |   | Democrats | Resignation
South Australia | 14 September 2000  | John Quirke |   | Labor | Geoff Buckland |   | Labor | Resignation
Queensland | 16 May 2000  | Warwick Parer |   | Liberal | George Brandis |   | Liberal | Resignation
New South Wales | 4 May 2000  | David Brownhill |   | National | Sandy Macdonald |   | National | Resignation

38th Parliament (1996–1999)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
New South Wales | 14 October 1998  | Belinda Neal |   | Labor | Steve Hutchins |   | Labor | Resignation
Northern Territory | 16 June 1998  | Bob Collins |   | Labor | Trish Crossin |   | Labor | Resignation
Queensland | 30 October 1997  | Cheryl Kernot |   | Democrats | Andrew Bartlett |   | Democrats | Resignation
South Australia | 18 September 1997  | Dominic Foreman |   | Labor | John Quirke |   | Labor | Resignation
New South Wales | 17 September 1997  | Bruce Childs |   | Labor | George Campbell |   | Labor | Resignation
Western Australia | 19 May 1997  | John Panizza |   | Liberal | Ross Lightfoot |   | Liberal | Death
Victoria | 13 May 1997  | Jim Short |   | Liberal | Karen Synon |   | Liberal | Resignation
New South Wales | 9 April 1997  | Bob Woods |   | Liberal | Marise Payne |   | Liberal | Resignation
New South Wales | 18 September 1996  | Michael Baume |   | Liberal | Bill Heffernan |   | Liberal | Resignation
Tasmania | 5 September 1996  | John Coates |   | Labor | Kerry O'Brien |   | Labor | Resignation
South Australia | 24 July 1996  | Jeannie Ferris |   | Liberal | Jeannie Ferris |   | Liberal | Resignation (eligibility) [n 6]

37th Parliament (1993–1996)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Victoria [n 2] | 30 April 1996  | Gareth Evans |   | Labor | Stephen Conroy |   | Labor | Resignation
Tasmania [n 2] | 8 March 1996  | John Devereux |   | Labor/Independent [n 7] | Sue Mackay |   | Labor | Resignation
South Australia | 29 November 1995  | John Coulter |   | Democrats | Natasha Stott Despoja |   | Democrats | Resignation
New South Wales | 24 May 1995  | Stephen Loosley |   | Labor | Tom Wheelwright |   | Labor | Resignation
Victoria | 3 May 1995  | Olive Zakharov |   | Labor | Jacinta Collins |   | Labor | Death
New South Wales | 10 May 1994  | Graham Richardson |   | Labor | Michael Forshaw |   | Labor | Resignation
New South Wales | 8 March 1994  | Bronwyn Bishop |   | Liberal | Bob Woods |   | Liberal | Resignation
New South Wales | 8 March 1994  | Kerry Sibraa |   | Labor | Belinda Neal |   | Labor | Resignation
Tasmania | 22 February 1994  | Brian Archer |   | Liberal | Eric Abetz |   | Liberal | Resignation
Tasmania | 24 August 1993  | Michael Tate |   | Labor | Kay Denman |   | Labor | Resignation

36th Parliament (1990–1993)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Victoria [n 2] | 28 April 1993  | John Button |   | Labor | Kim Carr |   | Labor | Resignation
South Australia | 26 May 1992  | John Olsen |   | Liberal | Alan Ferguson |   | Liberal | Resignation
Western Australia | 12 March 1992  | Jo Vallentine |   | Greens WA | Christabel Chamarette |   | Greens WA | Resignation
New South Wales | 29 August 1991  | Paul McLean |   | Democrats | Karin Sowada |   | Democrats | Resignation
New South Wales | 11 February 1991  | Peter Baume |   | Liberal | John Tierney |   | Liberal | Resignation

35th Parliament (1987–1990)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Western Australia [n 2] | 16 May 1990  | Fred Chaney |   | Liberal | Ian Campbell |   | Liberal | Resignation
Queensland [n 2] | 8 May 1990  | John Stone |   | National | Bill O'Chee |   | National | Resignation
South Australia [n 2] | 7 May 1990  | Tony Messner |   | Liberal | John Olsen |   | Liberal | Resignation
South Australia [n 2] | 4 April 1990  | Janine Haines |   | Democrats | Meg Lees |   | Democrats | Resignation
Tasmania | 7 March 1990  | Norm Sanders |   | Democrats | Robert Bell |   | Democrats | Resignation
New South Wales | 4 April 1989  | Arthur Gietzelt |   | Labor | John Faulkner |   | Labor | Resignation
Australian Capital Territory | 16 February 1988  | Susan Ryan |   | Labor | Bob McMullan |   | Labor | Resignation

34th Parliament (1985–1987)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
New South Wales | 11 February 1987  | Doug McClelland |   | Labor | Sue West |   | Labor | Resignation
Victoria | 26 August 1986  | Don Chipp |   | Democrats | Janet Powell |   | Democrats | Resignation
Victoria | 7 May 1986  | Alan Missen |   | Liberal | Richard Alston |   | Liberal | Death
Tasmania | 13 March 1986  | Peter Rae |   | Liberal | Jocelyn Newman |   | Liberal | Resignation

33rd Parliament (1983–1985)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Queensland | 22 November 1984  | Kathy Martin |   | Liberal | Warwick Parer |   | Liberal | Resignation

32nd Parliament (1981–1983)

No appointments made

31st Parliament (1978–1981)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Australian Capital Territory [n 2] | 5 May 1981  | John Knight |   | Liberal | Margaret Reid |   | Liberal | Death
Queensland [n 2] | 12 March 1981  | Glen Sheil |   | NCP | Florence Bjelke-Petersen |   | NCP | Resignation
Western Australia [n 2] | 11 March 1981  | Allan Rocher |   | Liberal | John Martyr |   | Liberal | Resignation
Tasmania | 15 October 1980  | Ken Wriedt |   | Labor | Jean Hearn |   | Labor | Resignation
Victoria | 11 March 1980  | James Webster |   | NCP | Laurence Neal |   | NCP | Resignation
New South Wales | 9 August 1978  | Jim McClelland |   | Labor | Kerry Sibraa |   | Labor | Resignation
New South Wales | 26 July 1978  | Sir Robert Cotton |   | Liberal | Chris Puplick |   | Liberal | Resignation

30th Parliament (1975–1978)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
South Australia [n 2] | 14 December 1977  | Steele Hall |   | Liberal Movement/Liberal [n 8] | Janine Haines |   | Democrats [n 9] | Resignation
Victoria | 7 December 1976  | Ivor Greenwood |   | Liberal | Austin Lewis |   | Liberal | Death

29th Parliament (1974–1975)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Queensland | 3 September 1975  | Bertie Milliner |   | Labor | Albert Field |   | Independent | Death
New South Wales | 27 February 1975  | Lionel Murphy |   | Labor | Cleaver Bunton |   | Independent | Resignation

27th/28th Parliament (1971–1974)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Western Australia | 16 January 1974  | Edgar Prowse |   | Country | David Reid |   | Country | Resignation

26th Parliament (1968–1971)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Queensland [n 2] | 11 June 1971  | Dame Annabelle Rankin |   | Liberal | Neville Bonner [n 10] |   | Liberal | Resignation
New South Wales [n 2] | 16 March 1971  | James Ormonde |   | Labor | Jim McClelland |   | Labor | Death
New South Wales | 6 August 1970  | Colin McKellar |   | Country | Douglas Scott |   | Country | Death
Victoria | 19 November 1969  | Sam Cohen |   | Labor | Bill Brown |   | Labor | Death
South Australia | 23 May 1969  | Keith Laught |   | Liberal | Martin Cameron |   | Liberal | Death

25th Parliament (1965–1968)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Victoria [n 2] | 21 February 1968  | John Gorton |   | Liberal | Ivor Greenwood |   | Liberal | Resignation
South Australia | 2 November 1967  | Clive Hannaford |   | Liberal/Independent [n 11] | Condor Laucke |   | Liberal | Death
Victoria | 26 October 1966  | Charles Sandford |   | Labor | George Poyser |   | Labor | Death
Queensland | 14 April 1966  | Bob Sherrington |   | Liberal | Bill Heatley |   | Liberal | Death
Western Australia | 17 February 1966  | Sir Shane Paltridge |   | Liberal | Reg Withers |   | Liberal | Death
New South Wales | 4 August 1965  | Sir William Spooner |   | Liberal | Bob Cotton |   | Liberal | Resignation

24th Parliament (1962–1965)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Victoria [n 2] | 9 December 1964  | Harrie Wade |   | Country | James Webster |   | Country | Death
Western Australia | 26 November 1964  | Seddon Vincent |   | Liberal | Peter Sim |   | Liberal | Death
Queensland | 9 October 1962  | Max Poulter |   | Labor | George Whiteside |   | Labor | Death

23rd Parliament (1959–1962)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
South Australia [n 2] | 8 February 1962  | Nancy Buttfield |   | Liberal | Gordon Davidson |   | Liberal | Resignation [n 12]
South Australia | 28 September 1961  | Rex Pearson |   | Liberal | Gordon Davidson [n 12] |   | Liberal | Death

22nd Parliament (1956–1959)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Western Australia | 12 August 1958  | Harrie Seward |   | Country | Tom Drake-Brockman |   | Country | Death
New South Wales | 30 July 1958  | Bill Ashley |   | Labor | James Ormonde |   | Labor | Death
Victoria | 6 June 1957  | Jack Devlin |   | Labor | Charles Sandford |   | Labor | Death
Victoria | 28 August 1956  | John Spicer |   | Liberal | George Hannan |   | Liberal | Resignation

21st Parliament (1953–1956)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
South Australia | 11 October 1955  | George McLeay |   | Liberal | Nancy Buttfield |   | Liberal | Death

20th Parliament (1951–1953)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Tasmania | 3 March 1953  | Jack Chamberlain |   | Liberal | John Marriott |   | Liberal | Death
Western Australia | 30 September 1952  | Edmund Piesse |   | Country | Bill Robinson |   | Country | Death
Western Australia | 7 February 1952  | Richard Nash |   | Labor | Joe Cooke |   | Labor | Death

19th Parliament (1950–1951)

No appointments made

18th Parliament (1947–1950)

No appointments made

17th Parliament (1944–1947)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Victoria | 15 May 1946  | Richard Keane |   | Labor | Alexander Fraser |   | Country | Death
South Australia | 10 October 1944  | Oliver Uppill |   | United Australia | Ted Mattner |   | United Australia | Resignation

16th Parliament (1941–1944)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Western Australia | 8 October 1942  | Bertie Johnston |   | Country | Charles Latham |   | Country | Death

15th Parliament (1938–1941)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Victoria | 12 July 1938  | John Barnes |   | Labor | Jim Sheehan |   | Labor | Death

14th Parliament (1935–1938)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
South Australia | 21 October 1937  | Oliver Badman |   | Country | Philip McBride |   | UAP | Resignation
Queensland | 2 September 1937  | John MacDonald |   | Labor | Ben Courtice |   | Labor | Death
Western Australia | 19 August 1936  | William Carroll |   | Country | Thomas Marwick |   | Country | Death
New South Wales | 26 September 1935  | Lionel Courtenay |   | UAP | Guy Arkins |   | UAP | Death

13th Parliament (1932–1935)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Western Australia [n 2] | 5 March 1935  | Sir Walter Kingsmill |   | UAP | Allan MacDonald |   | UAP | Death
Western Australia | 6 April 1933  | Sir Hal Colebatch |   | UAP | Herbert Collett |   | UAP | Resignation

11th/12th Parliament (1929–1932)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Tasmania [n 2] | 3 March 1932  | James Ogden |   | UAP | Charles Grant |   | UAP | Death
New South Wales [n 2] | 23 December 1931  | Walter Duncan |   | UAP | Patrick Mooney |   | Labor (NSW) | Resignation
Victoria | 12 May 1931  | Harold Elliott |   | UAP | Tom Brennan |   | UAP | Death
South Australia | 1 April 1931  | John Chapman |   | Country | Harry Kneebone |   | Labor | Death

10th Parliament (1926–1929)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Victoria [n 2] | 18 December 1928  | David Andrew |   | Country | Richard Abbott |   | Country | Death
Queensland | 1 August 1928  | Thomas Givens |   | Nationalist | John MacDonald |   | Labor | Death
New South Wales | 5 June 1928  | John Grant |   | Labor | Albert Gardiner |   | Labor | Death
South Australia | 18 April 1928  | Sir Henry Barwell |   | Nationalist | Albert Robinson |   | Nationalist | Resignation
South Australia | 30 August 1927  | Charles McHugh |   | Labor | John Verran |   | Nationalist | Death

9th Parliament (1923–1926)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
South Australia [n 2] | 24 February 1926  | Benjamin Benny |   | Nationalist | Alexander McLachlan |   | Nationalist | Resignation
South Australia [n 2] | 18 December 1925  | James O'Loghlin |   | Labor | Sir Henry Barwell |   | Nationalist | Death
Victoria | 25 August 1925  | Edward Russell |   | Nationalist | William Plain |   | Nationalist | Death
Tasmania | 29 July 1925  | George Foster |   | Nationalist | Charles Grant |   | Nationalist | Resignation
New South Wales | 1 April 1925  | Jack Power |   | Labor | William Gibbs |   | Labor | Death
New South Wales | 20 November 1924  | Allan McDougall |   | Labor | Jack Power |   | Labor | Death
Victoria | 22 July 1924  | Stephen Barker |   | Labor | Joseph Hannan |   | Labor | Death
New South Wales | 17 October 1923  | Edward Millen |   | Nationalist | Walter Massy-Greene |   | Nationalist | Death
Tasmania | 12 September 1923  | Thomas Bakhap |   | Nationalist | John Hayes |   | Nationalist | Death

8th Parliament (1920–1923)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Queensland | 26 May 1922  | John Adamson |   | Nationalist | John MacDonald |   | Labor | Death
New South Wales | 15 December 1921  | Herbert Pratten |   | Nationalist | Henry Garling |   | Nationalist | Resignation
South Australia | 9 August 1921  | Edward Vardon |   | Nationalist | Edward Vardon |   | Nationalist | Lapsed [n 13]
South Australia | 16 February 1921  | Robert Guthrie |   | Nationalist | Edward Vardon |   | Nationalist | Death

7th Parliament (1917–1920)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
Tasmania | 15 January 1919  | James Long |   | Labor | Edward Mulcahy |   | Nationalist | Resignation

6th Parliament (1914–1917)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
South Australia [n 2] | 24 May 1917  | William Story |   | Nationalist | James Rowell |   | Nationalist | Resignation
Tasmania | 1 March 1917  | Rudolph Ready |   | Labor | John Earle |   | Nationalist | Resignation

5th Parliament (1913–1914)

No appointments made

4th Parliament (1910–1913)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
South Australia | 31 July 1912  | William Russell |   | Labor | John Shannon |   | Liberal | Death

3rd Parliament (1907–1910)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
South Australia | 11 July 1907  | Joseph Vardon |   | Anti-Socialist | James O'Loghlin |   | Labor | Election declared void [n 14]

2nd Parliament (1904–1906)

No appointments made

1st Parliament (1901–1903)

State | Date | Incumbent | Party | Appointee | Party | Cause
New South Wales | 8 October 1903  | Richard O'Connor |   | Protectionist | Charles Mackellar |   | Protectionist | Resignation
Western Australia | 20 May 1903  | Norman Ewing |   | Free Trade | Henry Saunders |   | Free Trade | Resignation
Victoria | 21 January 1903  | Sir Frederick Sargood |   | Free Trade | Robert Reid |   | Free Trade | Death

1. ^ Of the 66 appointments to 1977, 12 (18%) were from a different party, John Shannon (1912), John Earle (1917); Edward Mulcahy (1919), John MacDonald (1922), Sir Henry Barwell (1925), John Verran (1927), Harry Kneebone (1931), Patrick Mooney (1931), Philip McBride (1937), Alexander Fraser (1946), Cleaver Bunton (1975), and Albert Field, (1975).
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Occurred after an election but before the new Senate was sworn in.
3. ^ Small resigned from the Senate after he discovered that he held dual Australian-New Zealand dual citizenship. After renouncing his New Zealand citizenship, he was reappointed to the Senate casual vacancy caused by his own resignation.
4. ^ Bernardi was elected as a member of the Liberal Party before the start of the 45th Parliament, but resigned from the party and founded the Australian Conservatives during his term. Prior to the start of the 46th Parliament, the Australian Conservatives was dissolved and Bernardi became an Independent.
5. ^ a b Carr resigned one month after the 2013 federal election where he was re-elected for a new Senate term that was due to start on 1 July 2014. His resignation resulted in a vacancy in his current term expiring on 30 June 2014 and his new term due to start on 1 July 2014.[3] O'Neill was appointed to fill both casual vacancies in two separate joint sittings of the NSW Parliament on 13 November 2013 and 2 July 2014.
6. ^ In the period between the election and her term formally commencing, Ferris worked as a member of parliamentary staff. In order to avoid any argument that she was disqualified for holding "an office of profit under the crown", Ferris resigned and was re-appointed to the vacancy.
7. ^ Elected as a member of the ALP, but resigned from the party during his term.
8. ^ Elected as a member of the Liberal Movement, but joined the Liberal party on the break-up of the Liberal Movement.
9. ^ Haines had also been on the Liberal Movement ticket with Hall in 1974 however she had joined the Democrats on the break-up of the Liberal Movement.
10. ^ First Indigenous Australian to be a member of the Parliament of Australia
11. ^ Elected as a member of Liberal Party, but quit during his term to become an independent.
12. ^ a b Liberal Senator Rex Pearson died on 11 September 1961; Liberal member Gordon Davidson was appointed to fill the ensuing vacancy on 28 September. He did not stand at the 9 December 1961 election and his position was won by Liberal candidate Nancy Buttfield. In order to take up the seat with a term finishing on 30 June 1965, Buttfield resigned her pre-existing seat won at the 1955 election and scheduled to expire on 30 June 1962; Davidson was appointed to that position on 8 February 1962.[1]
13. ^ The appointment lapsed on 4 August due to lack of confirmation by the South Australian Parliament, but Vardon was reappointed.
14. ^ The election of Anti-Socialist senator Joseph Vardon was declared void on 31 May 1907;[4] on 11 July ALP member James O'Loghlin was appointed to replace him. This appointment was declared void on 20 December,[5] and a supplemental election was held in 1908.

## List of invalid elections and appointments to the Senate

[edit]

See also: Category:Australian court of disputed returns cases

This is a list of people who have been declared to have been elected or appointed to the Australian Senate that the High Court, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns, has subsequently declared to be ineligible. Some of these have actually sat in the Senate and participated in proceedings; however, the High Court has held that their presence did not invalidate the proceedings of the Senate.[5]

State | Date | Person | Party | Replacement | Party | Cause

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Australian Capital Territory | 23 May 2018  | Katy Gallagher |   | Labor | David Smith |   | Labor | Citizen of foreign power.[a]
South Australia | 16 February 2018  | Skye Kakoschke-Moore |   | Nick Xenophon Team | Tim Storer |   | Nick Xenophon Team/Independent[6] | Citizen of foreign power.[a]
Tasmania | 9 February 2018  | Stephen Parry |   | Liberal | Richard Colbeck |   | Liberal | Citizen of foreign power.[a]
Tasmania | 9 February 2018  | Jacqui Lambie |   | Jacqui Lambie Network | Steve Martin |   | Independent | Citizen of foreign power.[a]
New South Wales | 22 December 2017  | Fiona Nash |   | National | Jim Molan |   | Liberal | Citizen of foreign power.[a]
Queensland | 10 November 2017  | Malcolm Roberts |   | One Nation | Fraser Anning |   | One Nation/Independent | Citizen of foreign power.[a]
Queensland | 10 November 2017  | Larissa Waters |   | Greens | Andrew Bartlett |   | Greens | Citizen of foreign power.[a]
Western Australia | 10 November 2017  | Scott Ludlam |   | Greens | Jordon Steele-John |   | Greens | Citizen of foreign power.[a]
South Australia | 19 April 2017  | Bob Day |   | Family First | Lucy Gichuhi |   | Family First | Indirect pecuniary interest [b]
Western Australia | 27 March 2017  | Rod Culleton |   | One Nation/Independent [c] | Peter Georgiou |   | One Nation | Awaiting sentence on a criminal charge.[c]
Western Australia | 1 July 2014  | Wayne Dropulich [d] |   | Sports | Zhenya Wang |   | Palmer United Party | Entire election declared void.[e]
Queensland | 1 July 1999  | Heather Hill [d] |   | One Nation | Len Harris |   | One Nation | Citizen of foreign power.[f]
New South Wales | 21 July 1988  | Robert Wood |   | NDP | Irina Dunn |   | NDP/Independent [g] | Not Australian citizen.[g]
South Australia | 15 February 1908  | James O'Loghlin |   | Labour | Joseph Vardon |   | Anti-Socialist | Appointment declared void.[h]
South Australia | 11 July 1907  | Joseph Vardon |   | Anti-Socialist | James O'Loghlin |   | Labour | Election declared void.[h]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h On 27 October 2017 as part of the 2017 Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis, Scott Ludlam, Malcolm Roberts, Fiona Nash and Larissa Waters were held to be "incapable of being chosen" as senators as they were dual citizens.[7] Ludlam resigned on 14 July and Waters resigned on 18 July while Nash and Roberts continued to sit until the High Court decision. The date reflects when each was first elected. Three of the seats were filled by a recount, with the replacements appointed by the High Court on 10 November. Subsequently Jacqui Lambie, Stephen Parry and Skye Kakoschke-Moore were also found ineligible, and were replaced in February 2018. Katy Gallagher was later also found ineligible.
2. ^ South Australian Family First Senator Bob Day resigned on 1 November 2016. On 5 April 2017 the High Court held that Day was "incapable of being chosen" or sitting as a Senator since February 2016 as he had an indirect interest in an agreement with the Commonwealth. Day's seat was filled by Lucy Gichuhi in a recount.[8] Day sat in the Senate between February and 1 November 2016.
3. ^ a b Rod Culleton was elected as a member of One Nation, but announced his resignation from the party on 18 December 2016. The President of the Senate declared his seat vacant on 11 January 2017 due to his bankruptcy.[9] On 3 February the High Court declared that at the time of the 2016 election he was subject to being sentenced to imprisonment for up to two years and therefore he had never been validly elected.[10] Culleton sat in the Senate between 2 July and 23 December 2016.
4. ^ a b The election was declared void before the commencement of the Senate term
5. ^ The entire half-Senate election for WA was declared void by the High Court because 1,375 ballot papers were lost during an official recount.[11] Wayne Dropulich was the only candidate who was unsuccessful at the special election in 2014, the seat taken by Zhenya Wang.
6. ^ Heather Hill was a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Australia, and the High Court declared she was disqualified from election as the citizen of a "foreign power".[12]
7. ^ a b Robert Wood was a citizen of the United Kingdom, resident in Australia, however he had never obtained Australian citizenship. The High Court declared as he was not an Australian citizen Wood was disqualified from election.[13] Wood sat in the Senate between 1 July 1987 and 12 May 1988. Irina Dunn was declared elected on a recount and was expelled from the NDP because she did not resign to allow Wood to be re-appointed.
8. ^ a b The election of Anti-Socialist senator Joseph Vardon was declared void on 31 May 1907;[4] on 11 July ALP member James O'Loghlin was appointed to replace him. This appointment was declared void on 20 December,[5] and a supplemental election was held in 1908 which was won by Vardon.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Evans, H. "Filling Casual Vacancies before 1977, Volume 3" (PDF). The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
2. ^ Constitution Alteration (Senate Casual Vacancies) Act 1977 (Cth).
3. ^ "Advice – Filling of vacancies following the resignation of the Honourable Bob Carr" (PDF). Crown Solicitor New South Wales. 1 November 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
4. ^ a b Blundell v Vardon [1907] HCA 75, (1907) 4 CLR 1463.
5. ^ a b c Vardon v O'Loghlin [1907] HCA 69, (1907) 5 CLR 201.
6. ^ "Senator Tim Storer". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
7. ^ Re Canavan [2017] HCA 45. "Judgment summary" (PDF). High Court. 27 October 2017.
8. ^ Re Day (No 2) [2017] HCA 14, "Judgment summary" (PDF). High Court. 5 April 2017.
9. ^ Re Culleton [2017] HCA 3.
10. ^ Re Culleton (No 2) [2017] HCA 4.
11. ^ Australian Electoral Commission v Johnston [2014] HCA 5, (2014) 251 CLR 463.
12. ^ Sue v Hill [1999] HCA 30, (1999) 199 CLR 462.
13. ^ Re Wood [1999] HCA 30, (1999) 199 CLR 462.

* Parliament of Australia – Senate vacancies

## See also

[edit]

* Casual vacancies in the Australian Parliament

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