Australians - Whats the deal with the Senate?

Question

Forgive me here but I live in Whoop whoop with no TV and ABC news isn't helping a great deal.

Has labor also secured a majority in the Senate?

And to the victory in the house, cheers to all of you!

sweet thanks for the info - I am also ignorant of our process as a recent pommie import.

Answer 1

Cheers to you, too, Twilight! What a relief it is!

As for the Senate, I think it takes longer to calculate the outcome, because of the different voting system: think of those table-cloth-sized Senate ballots ~ they have to work out all those complicated preferences from all the little parties that get a go at a Senate seat.

I heard that the Coalition has definitely lost their dominance, and that the Greens will probably have the balance of power, but it is too soon to say precisely.

Answer 2

Last I heard, the make up of the Senate, after July 1, will be 36 seats each to Labor and the Coalition and the remainder will be split between Independents and Greens. The Democrat Party is no more! Blown out the Political window!

Answer 3

It looks like the coalition has lost control of the Senate and it is likely that the Greens will hold the balance of power. But the new Senate does not sit until July so the Labor Party will have to contend with a hostile Senate until that time.

Answer 4

No-one has claimed a victory in the Senate because the votes there haven't been tallied yet. They use a special formula to work out the preferences so it will be a few days before we know the result in the Senate.

Answer 5

Well all the States are now Labor as well as the Federal Government and eventually the Senate as well.In American terms it is sort of 'leftie' but dont worry we will never sign Kyoto,the politics of envy and greed are universal.