1987 Australian Senate election

1987 Australian Senate elections
All 76 seats in the Australian Senate; 39 seats needed for a majority
	Senators elected in the 1987 federal election
Leader of the Senate before election; John Button; Labor	Elected Leader of the Senate ; John Button; Labor

The following tables show state-by-state results in the Australian Senate at the 1987 federal election. This election was a Double dissolution, which means that all 12 senators from each state were up for election. Senators total 29 coalition (27 Liberal, one coalition National, one CLP), 32 Labor, one Jo Vallentine Peace Group, four non-coalition National, seven Democrats, one Nuclear Disarmament and one Independent.^[1] Territory Senators served until the next federal election. State Senator terms were nominally three or six years, backdated from 1 July 1987. The Senate used the order-elected method to allocate three- and six-year seats, despite provisions for the AEC to conduct a special recount.

Australia

Senate (STV GV) — 1987–90 – Turnout 93.84% (CV) — Informal 3.54%
Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats won	Seats held	Change
		Liberal	1,965,180	20.97	+0.38	23	27
		Liberal–National joint ticket	1,289,888	13.76	+1.05	5	N/A	N/A
		National ^[a]	664,394	7.09	+1.16	6	6	1
		Country Liberal	19,970	0.21	−0.10	1	1
	Liberal/National Coalition		3,939,432	42.04	+2.50	34	34	1
	Labor		4,013,860	42.83	+0.66	32	32	2
	Democrats		794,107	8.47	+0.85	7	7
	Call to Australia		136,825	1.46	−0.36
	Nuclear Disarmament ^[b]		102,480	1.09	−6.14	1	1
	Democratic Labor		50,894	0.54	+0.17
	Greens ^[c]		40,615	0.43	+0.43
	Vallentine Peace Group ^[b]		40,048	0.43	+0.43	1	1	1
	Harradine Group		37,037	0.40	+0.14	1	1
	Unite Australia		24,704	0.26	+0.26
	Pensioner		17,265	0.18	–0.09
	Defence and Ex-Services		14,431	0.15	+0.15
	One Australia		13,063	0.14	+0.14
	Communist		2,456	0.03	+0.03
	Independent		144,463	1.54
Total			9,371,681			76	76

Invalid/blank votes			394,891	4.0	–2.8
Turnout			9,766,571	90.5
Registered voters			10,353,213
Source: Federal Election Results 1949-1993

As this was a double-dissolution election, all Senate seats were contested.

New South Wales

1987 Australian federal election: Senate, New South Wales
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			245,883
	Labor	1. Kerry Sibraa (elected 1) 2. Arthur Gietzelt (elected 4) 3. Graham Richardson (elected 6) 4. Bruce Childs (elected 8) 5. John Morris (elected 10) 6. Sue West 7. Michael Sexton	1,355,792	42.4	+0.8
	Coalition	1. Michael Baume (Lib) (elected 2) 2. Peter Baume (Lib) (elected 5) 3. David Brownhill (Nat) (elected 7) 4. Chris Puplick (Lib) (elected 9) 5. Bronwyn Bishop (Lib) (elected 11) 6. Ralph Schulze (Nat) 7. June McPhie (Lib)	1,289,888	40.4	+3.4
	Democrats	1. Paul McLean (elected 3) 2. Jenny Macleod 3. Richard Jones 4. Gary Chestnut	290,049	9.1	−0.6
	Call to Australia	1. Elaine Nile 2. Kevin Hume	107,859	3.4	−0.2
	Nuclear Disarmament	1. Robert Wood (elected 12) 2. Irina Dunn	48,998	1.5	−8.2
	Greens	1. Ian Cohen 2. Daphne Gollan	32,513	1.0	+1.0
	Group A	1. Ruth Phillips 2. Walter Brun	30,504	0.9	+0.9
	Defence and Ex-Services	1. Leslie Edwards 2. David Herd 3. William Tuohy 4. Rowley McMahon	14,431	0.4	+0.4
	Unite Australia	1. Alan Smith 2. Edna Fabb	5,458	0.2	+0.2
	Group I	1. Peter Consandine 2. Brian Buckley	4,519	0.1	+0.1
	Group F	1. Leon Bringolf 2. Habib Fares 3. Jim Donovan	4,238	0.1	+0.1
	Group M	1. John Higginbotham 2. Ian Murphy	3,795	0.1	+0.1
	Group B	1. Patricia Poulos 2. John Holley 3. John Beasley	3,749	0.1	+0.1
	Independent	Arthur Chesterfield-Evans	1,706	0.1	+0.1
	Independent	Bob Spanswick	968	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Ivor F	765	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Phil Murray	564	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Nick Jones	270	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Jame Smith-New	234	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Keith Larkings	88	0.0	0.0
	Independent	James Goody	86	0.0	0.0
Total formal votes			3,196,474	95.1	+0.7
Informal votes			164,001	4.9	−0.7
Turnout			3,360,475	94.5	+0.1

#	Senator	Party
1	Kerry Sibraa		Labor
2	Michael Baume		Liberal
3	Paul McLean		Democrat
4	Arthur Gietzelt		Labor
5	Peter Baume		Liberal
6	Graham Richardson		Labor
7	David Brownhill		National
8	Bruce Childs		Labor
9	Chris Puplick		Liberal
10	John Morris		Labor
11	Bronwyn Bishop		Liberal
12	Robert Wood		NDP

Victoria

1987 Australian federal election: Senate, Victoria
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			189,970
	Labor	1. John Button (elected 1) 2. Gareth Evans (elected 4) 3. Olive Zakharov (elected 6) 4. Robert Ray (elected 8) 5. Barney Cooney (elected 10) 6. John Halfpenny 7. Carole Taylor	1,086,513	44.0	−0.1
	Liberal	1. Austin Lewis (elected 2) 2. Jim Short (elected 5) 3. Richard Alston (elected 7) 4. David Hamer (elected 9) 5. Kay Patterson (elected 12) 6. John Wyld 7. John Goodfellow 8. John Riggall 9. Severn Clarke	878,899	35.6	+1.4
	Democrats	1. Janet Powell (elected 3) 2. Sid Spindler 3. Ken Peak 4. Harold Fraser 5. Peter Allen	211,043	8.5	+1.6
	National	1. Julian McGauran (elected 11) 2. Noel Maughan 3. Les Flintoff	140,143	5.7	+1.7
	Democratic Labor	1. John Mulholland 2. Gloria Brook	50,894	2.0	+0.6
	Call to Australia	1. Al Watson 2. Loretto Brennan 3. John Easton	28,966	1.2	−0.1
	Nuclear Disarmament	1. Aldo Penbrook 2. Nik Dow	28,352	1.1	−6.2
	Pensioner	1. Neil McKay 2. Rosamond Ewan	17,265	0.7	−0.1
	Unite Australia	1. John Siddons 2. Ian Price 3. Lisa Harris	11,213	0.5	+0.5
	Group B	1. Bill Hartley 2. Laurene Dietrich 3. David Kerin 4. Rola Haidar	4,243	0.2	+0.2
	Group L	1. Laurie Dunlop 2. Simon Hood	4,113	0.2	+0.2
	Group F	1. David Caccianiga 2. Bill Thiele	2,145	0.1	+0.1
	Group O	1. Dino de Marchi 2. Ineke Black	2,086	0.1	+0.1
	Group J	1. Lisa King 2. Kevin O'Connell	1,729	0.1	+0.1
	Group K	1. Alan Miller 2. Maria Bennett	1,320	0.1	+0.1
	Independent	Kym Roylance	510	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Abraham Abdalla	172	0.0	0.0
Total formal votes			2,469,606	96.0	+0.2
Informal votes			102,382	4.0	−0.2
Turnout			2,571,988	95.3	−0.1

#	Senator	Party
1	John Button		Labor
2	Austin Lewis		Liberal
3	Janet Powell		Democrat
4	Gareth Evans		Labor
5	Jim Short		Liberal
6	Olive Zakharov		Labor
7	Richard Alston		Liberal
8	Robert Ray		Labor
9	David Hamer		Liberal
10	Barney Cooney		Labor
11	Julian McGauran		National
12	Kay Patterson		Liberal

Queensland

1987 Australian federal election: Senate, Queensland
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			117,721
	Labor	1. Margaret Reynolds (elected 1) 2. Mal Colston (elected 4) 3. Gerry Jones (elected 7) 4. John Black (elected 9) 5. Bryant Burns (elected 10) 6. Jack Camp 7. Glenevie Jensen	643,094	42.0	+2.3
	National	1. Flo Bjelke-Petersen (elected 2) 2. John Stone (elected 5) 3. Ron Boswell (elected 8) 4. Glen Sheil (elected 12) 5. George Cowan 6. Vicky Kippin 7. Ann Garms 8. Bruce Laming	439,618	28.7	−0.2
	Liberal	1. David MacGibbon (elected 3) 2. Warwick Parer (elected 6) 3. Gary Neat 4. Cassie Solomon 5. Brian Taylor 6. Jane Williamson	275,085	18.0	+0.6
	Democrats	1. Michael Macklin (elected 11) 2. Cheryl Kernot 3. Norman Johnson 4. Anthony Walters	115,456	7.5	−1.7
	Independent	George Georges	26,795	1.8	+1.8
	Nuclear Disarmament	1. John Jones 2. Brian Dunsford	17,411	1.1	−3.3
	Group A	1. Barry Weedon 2. Kathleen Wacker	6,692	0.4	+0.4
	Independent	Ron Smith	3,410	0.2	+0.2
	Unite Australia	1. Ron Alford 2. Geoff Fawthrop	1,638	0.1	+0.1
	Group C	1. Ray Ferguson 2. Jake Haub	737	0.0	0.0
	Independent	John Bolt	424	0.0	0.0
Total formal votes			1,530,360	96.9	−0.1
Informal votes			49,609	3.1	+0.1
Turnout			1,579,969	92.5	−0.9

#	Senator	Party
1	Margaret Reynolds		Labor
2	Flo Bjelke-Petersen		National
3	David MacGibbon		Liberal
4	Mal Colston		Labor
5	John Stone		National
6	Warwick Parer		Liberal
7	Gerry Jones		Labor
8	Ron Boswell		National
9	John Black		Labor
10	Bryant Burns		Labor
11	Michael Macklin		Democrats
12	Glen Sheil		National

Western Australia

1987 Australian federal election: Senate, Western Australia
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			63,668
	Labor	1. Peter Walsh (elected 1) 2. Patricia Giles (elected 3) 3. Peter Cook (elected 5) 4. Jim McKiernan (elected 7) 5. Michael Beahan (elected 9) 6. Chris Evans 7. Ed Dermer	354,328	42.8	−0.5
	Liberal	1. Fred Chaney (elected 2) 2. Peter Durack (elected 4) 3. Sue Knowles (elected 6) 4. Noel Crichton-Browne (elected 8) 5. John Panizza (elected 10) 6. Alan Eggleston 7. Cam Tinley	324,028	39.1	−1.6
	Democrats	1. Jean Jenkins (elected 11) 2. Jack Evans	47,534	5.7	+1.1
	National	1. James MacDonald 2. Glenice Sanders 3. Ron Aitkenhead 4. Beverley Poor	45,787	5.5	+3.7
	Vallentine Peace Group	1. Jo Vallentine (elected 12) 2. Louise Duxbury	40,048	4.8	+4.8
	One Australia Movement	1. Cedric Jacobs 2. Don Jackson 3. Ed Robertson	13,063	1.6	+1.6
	Unite Australia	1. Allan McMullen 2. Norm Heslington	1,620	0.2	+0.2
	Independent	Frank Nesci	426	0.1	+0.1
	Independent	Mark Pallister	354	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Jack Flanigan	333	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Gordon McColl	162	0.0	0.0
Total formal votes			827,683	96.7	+1.4
Informal votes			28,284	3.3	−1.4
Turnout			855,976	94.4	+0.2

#	Senator	Party
1	Peter Walsh		Labor
2	Fred Chaney		Liberal
3	Patricia Giles		Labor
4	Peter Durack		Liberal
5	Peter Cook		Labor
6	Sue Knowles		Liberal
7	Jim McKiernan		Labor
8	Noel Crichton-Browne		Liberal
9	Michael Beahan		Labor
10	John Panizza		Liberal
11	Jean Jenkins		Democrats
12	Jo Vallentine		VPG

South Australia

1987 Australian federal election: Senate, South Australia
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			65,927
	Labor	1. Dominic Foreman (elected 1) 2. Nick Bolkus (elected 4) 3. Graham Maguire (elected 6) 4. Rosemary Crowley (elected 8) 5. Chris Schacht (elected 10) 6. Vic Heron 7. Rosalie McDonald	354,747	41.4	−0.3
	Liberal	1. Tony Messner (elected 2) 2. Amanda Vanstone (elected 5) 3. Robert Hill (elected 7) 4. Grant Chapman (elected 9) 5. Baden Teague (elected 11) 6. Michele Mercurio 7. Ivan Venning	328,039	38.3	+0.8
	Democrats	1. Janine Haines (elected 3) 2. John Coulter (elected 12) 3. Meg Lees 4. Ian McLiesh 5. Peter Vervoorn	95,831	11.2	0.0
	National	1. Bill Wright 2. Neville Agars 3. Mike Rogers 4. Jessie Taylor 5. Bob Brown 6. Clifford Boyd	29,954	3.5	+2.2
	Independent Liberal	Don Jessop	25,876	3.0	+3.0
	Greens	1. Ally Fricker 2. Jules Davison	8,102	0.9	+0.9
	Group A	1. Creston Magasdi 2. Reg McColl	5,715	0.7	+0.7
	Unite Australia	1. David Vigor 2. Nick Theologou 3. Patricia Prowse 4. Maxwell Elphick	4,775	0.6	+0.6
	Communist	1. John Wishart 2. Linda Gale	2,456	0.3	+0.3
	Group F	1. Tom Towle 2. Ellen Towle	788	0.1	+0.1
	Independent	Bill Forster	276	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Rob Robertson	199	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Robert Worth	145	0.0	0.0
	Independent	John Out	47	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Helen Launer	44	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Syd Plenty	29	0.0	0.0
	Independent	Stephen Bailey	19	0.0	0.0
Total formal votes			857,042	96.2	+1.6
Informal votes			33,514	3.8	−1.6
Turnout			890,556	94.5	−0.7

#	Senator	Party
1	Dominic Foreman		Labor
2	Tony Messner		Liberal
3	Janine Haines		Democrats
4	Nick Bolkus		Labor
5	Amanda Vanstone		Liberal
6	Graham Maguire		Labor
7	Robert Hill		Liberal
8	Rosemary Crowley		Labor
9	Grant Chapman		Liberal
10	Chris Schacht		Labor
11	Baden Teague		Liberal
12	John Coulter		Democrats

Tasmania

1987 Australian federal election: Senate, Tasmania
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			21,451
	Labor	1. Michael Tate (elected 1) 2. John Coates (elected 4) 3. Terry Aulich (elected 6) 4. Ray Devlin (elected 8) 5. John Devereux (elected 10) 6. Janet Cooper 7. John Green	113,638	40.8	−0.8
	Liberal	1. Brian Archer (elected 2) 2. Shirley Walters (elected 5) 3. John Watson (elected 7) 4. Jocelyn Newman (elected 9) 5. Paul Calvert (elected 11) 6. Vince Smith 7. Peter Aldridge	108,039	38.7	−2.0
	Harradine Group	1. Brian Harradine (elected 3) 2. Colin Sacco	37,037	13.3	+4.5
	Democrats	1. Norm Sanders (elected 12) 2. Nick Goldie 3. Isla Macgregor	18,841	6.8	+0.7
	Independent	Michael Mansell	1,102	0.4	+0.4
	Independent	Laurie Heathorn	203	0.1	+0.1
Total formal votes			278,860	96.2	+2.0
Informal votes			11,119	3.8	−2.0
Turnout			289,979	96.4	+0.6

#	Senator	Party
1	Michael Tate		Labor
2	Brian Archer		Liberal
3	Brian Harradine		Independent
4	John Coates		Labor
5	Shirley Walters		Liberal
6	Terry Aulich		Labor
7	John Watson		Liberal
8	Ray Devlin		Labor
9	Jocelyn Newman		Liberal
10	John Devereux		Labor
11	Paul Calvert		Liberal
12	Norm Sanders		Democrats

Australian Capital Territory

1987 Australian federal election: Senate, Australian Capital Territory
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			50,047
	Labor	1. Susan Ryan (elected 1) 2. Barry Reid	74,876	49.9	+5.5
	Liberal	1. Margaret Reid (elected 2) 2. Bill Stefaniak	51,090	34.0	+2.1
	Democrats	1. Andrew Freeman 2. Geoff Quayle	15,353	10.2	+1.0
	Nuclear Disarmament	1. Michael Denborough 2. Margaret Matthews	7,719	5.1	−5.2
	Independent	Leonard Munday	433	0.3	+0.3
	Independent	David Ash	433	0.3	+0.3
	Independent	John Murray	234	0.2	+0.2
Total formal votes			150,138	97.7	+1.1
Informal votes			3,672	2.3	−1.1
Turnout			153,810	94.5	+0.6

#	Senator	Party
1	Susan Ryan		Labor
2	Margaret Reid		Liberal

Northern Territory

1987 Australian federal election: Senate, Northern Territory
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			20,506
	Labor	1. Bob Collins (elected 1) 2. Lyn Reid	30,872	50.2	+4.5
	Country Liberal	1. Grant Tambling (elected 2) 2. Ian Towns	19,970	32.5	−16.6
	NT Nationals	1. Jim Petrich 2. Joan Small	8,892	14.5	+14.5
	Group C	1. Lyn Allen 2. Catherin Paul	1,632	2.7	+2.7
	Independent	Yuri Juriev	151	0.2	+0.2
Total formal votes			61,517	96.3	−0.5
Informal votes			2,374	3.7	+0.5
Turnout			63,891	79.9	−5.6

#	Senator	Party
1	Bob Collins		Labor
2	Grant Tambling		CLP

Notes

^ The National includes the NT Nationals, consistent with the Parliamentary Library results,^[1] however the totals in Psephos: Adam Carr's Electoral Archive do not include the NT Nationals.^[2]
^ ^a ^b Jo Vallentine had been elected in 1984 as a Nuclear Disarmament Party member, but resigned in 1985, serving out the remainder of her term as an independent.
^ There was no national greens party in 1987. The greens total includes Greens New South Wales (32,513) and Greens South Australia (8,102).

References

^ ^a ^b "Federal Election Results 1949-1993" (PDF). Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
^ "1987 Senate". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 26 June 2022.

[NT_Nationals-3] The National includes the NT Nationals, consistent with the Parliamentary Library results,^[1] however the totals in Psephos: Adam Carr's Electoral Archive do not include the NT Nationals.^[2]

[Valentine-4] Jo Vallentine had been elected in 1984 as a Nuclear Disarmament Party member, but resigned in 1985, serving out the remainder of her term as an independent.

[Greens_Senate-5] There was no national greens party in 1987. The greens total includes Greens New South Wales (32,513) and Greens South Australia (8,102).

[Results_49-93-1] "Federal Election Results 1949-1993" (PDF). Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2017.

[1987_Psephos_Senate-2] "1987 Senate". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 26 June 2022.

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