Australian federal election, 2013

Australian federal election, 2013
Commonwealth of Australia · CC BY 3.0 au · source
Election name	Australian federal election, 2013
Country	Australia
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	Australian federal election, 2010
Previous year	2010
Next election	Australian federal election, 2016
Next year	2016
Election date	7 September 2013
Turnout	93.2%
Leader1	Tony Abbott
Party1	Liberal Party of Australia
Leader2	Kevin Rudd
Party2	Australian Labor Party
Seats for election	All 150 seats of the Australian House of Representatives; half of the Australian Senate (40 of 76)

Australian federal election, 2013 The 2013 Australian federal election was held on 7 September 2013 to elect members of the House of Representatives and half of the Senate. The contest resulted in a change of government from the Australian Labor Party led by Kevin Rudd to a coalition led by the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia under Tony Abbott. The campaign followed leadership turmoil within the Labor Party and policy debates over fiscal management, carbon pricing, and immigration.

Background

The election followed a turbulent parliamentary term marked by leadership spills, beginning with the replacement of Kevin Rudd by Julia Gillard in 2010 and ending with Rudd's return in 2013. Key antecedents included the minority Gillard Government relying on confidence-and-supply agreements with independents such as Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott after the 2010 election, and negotiations with the Australian Greens led by Bob Brown and later Christine Milne. Fiscal pressures from the Global financial crisis aftereffects, debates over the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and later the Clean Energy Act 2011 (commonly described as the carbon tax), and the influence of the High Court of Australia in electoral matters framed the political context. External influences included relations with United States, China, and regional actors like Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Electoral system and dates

The Commonwealth of Australia uses preferential voting in single-member districts for the House of Representatives and proportional representation with the single transferable vote for the Senate. Compulsory voting under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 applied, and the Australian Electoral Commission administered the poll. The writ for the election was issued following the dissolution of the House, and the election date was set for 7 September 2013, with the senate terms and half-Senate election mechanics determining which senators faced re-election. Timelines involved candidate nominations, early voting, and postal ballots governed by the Electoral Act and scrutinized by the High Court of Australia in prior cases such as Roach v Electoral Commissioner that shaped voting rights.

Parties and candidates

Major parties included the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, and the National Party of Australia which formed the Coalition. The Australian Greens contested Senate and House seats under leaders Christine Milne and prominent parliamentarians like Adam Bandt in the House. Minor parties and independents such as Derryn Hinch, Clive Palmer of the Palmer United Party, Bob Katter of Katter's Australian Party, and longstanding independents influenced marginal seats. High-profile candidates included former ministers like Joe Hockey, Julie Bishop, Wayne Swan, Tanya Plibersek, and rising figures such as Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull. Indigenous representation involved candidates associated with Nicky Winmar–era advocacy groups and policy debates involving the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission legacy. Endorsements, funding, and campaign advertising drew scrutiny under rules overseen by the Australian Electoral Commission and media outlets including Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Nine Network, Seven Network, and The Australian.

Campaign and issues

Key campaign issues were taxation and fiscal policy, with debates over the carbon tax established by the Clean Energy Act 2011, the Minerals Resource Rent Tax, and proposed budget repair measures. Immigration and asylum-seeker policy, especially boat arrivals and offshore processing arrangements with Nauru and Papua New Guinea under agreements affected by ministers like Scott Morrison and discussions involving Tony Burke, featured prominently. Health and education funding, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme and school funding disputes referencing the Gonski review, were contested. Foreign policy and defense were discussed in relation to the Australian Defence Force, the Department of Defence, and alliances with United Kingdom and United States defense cooperation. Campaign tactics included televised debates hosted by Andrew O'Keefe and outlets such as the ABC, advertising by groups like GetUp!, and political advertising regulated under Australian electoral law.

Results

The Coalition won a decisive victory, securing a majority in the House of Representatives and picking up numerous marginal seats from Labor. The Liberals and Nationals increased their seat tally while the Labor Party suffered significant losses, particularly in western Sydney, Queensland and Victoria swing seats. The Australian Greens maintained Senate representation and increased its primary vote in some states, while minor parties such as the Palmer United Party won seats including a notable result in Queensland. The Two-party-preferred swing and primary vote percentages were widely reported by the Australian Electoral Commission, with the Coalition achieving a clear mandate for forming government. Senate composition required negotiation with crossbenchers like Nick Xenophon and senators from the Greens and minor parties.

Aftermath and government formation

Following the result, Tony Abbott was sworn in as Prime Minister of Australia and formed a ministry with Julie Bishop as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and senior Coalition ministers such as Joe Hockey as Treasurer and Scott Morrison in the Immigration portfolio. The transition involved administrative briefings with the Governor-General of Australia and the outgoing Governor-General's role in commissioning the new government. Labor leader Kevin Rudd resigned the leadership of the Australian Labor Party after the defeat, leading to leadership contests within Labor featuring figures such as Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese. In the Senate, negotiation and compromise with crossbenchers determined the passage of the Coalition's legislative agenda.

Analysis and impact

Scholars and commentators linked the outcome to leadership instability within Labor, including the Rudd–Gillard–Rudd leadership sequence, and to Coalition campaign messages emphasizing economic management. Political scientists referenced electoral behavior studies comparing results to prior elections like Australian federal election, 2010 and subsequent elections such as Australian federal election, 2016 to assess realignment in regions like Sunshine Coast, Werriwa, and Corangamite. Policy impacts included repeal efforts targeting the Clean Energy Act 2011 and changes to asylum-seeker arrangements involving Nauru and Manus Island. The election reshaped party dynamics, affected the trajectory of the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party of Australia, and influenced debates in institutions such as the Parliament of Australia, major media outlets like the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and think tanks including the Lowy Institute. Long-term effects were assessed in analyses by academics at institutions like Australian National University and commentators such as Paul Keating and John Howard in retrospectives.

Category:Federal elections in Australia