4 key differences with Australia’s new Parliament
The new Parliament is shaping up to look very different to the last one.
There has been much commentary about the historic election outcome and big changes ahead.
In this article we break down some of the key differences that we will see in the 48th Parliament.
1. The Labor Government’s majority is huge
The Labor party is looking to hold 93 seats in the House of Representatives. This is a huge gain from the 77 seats they held in the previous Parliament. This is the largest number of seats held by a Labor Government.
To put this into perspective, When Hawke formed government in 1984 and 1987, he held 82 and 86 seats respectively. The Keating Government elected in 1993 held 80 seats.
2. The Liberal and National parties have broken up (for now)
The Liberal and National parties would usually come together to form a coalition and in the new Parliament – the opposition. But the Nationals have decided not to enter into an agreement with the Liberal party, which means they won’t form part of the shadow cabinet.
The parties have come together as a Coalition for 102 years. They have split briefly twice before in 1972 and 1987.
3. The Liberal Party has a woman as leader for the first time
Ms Sussan Ley from the country New South Wales electorate of Farrer is the first woman to lead the Liberal Party in its 80-year history. The Liberal party was founded in 1944 and has had 16 party leaders.
4. The government has the greatest representation of women
Of the 93 Members that the Labor party has in the House of Representative, 50 are women. Women also outnumber men in cabinet, 12 to 11.
What does this all mean?
There are many questions now about what this all means. How will the Labor party choose to govern in the next Parliament? What will they prioritise? Will they take greater risks?
How the Labor party chooses to govern will have significant implications for people and organisations that are advocating for changes to advance equity and fairness in Australia.
We’re holding a workshop on the 48th Parliament in June. You can find out more and register here.
21 May 2025
