The New Senate
The Senate consists of 76 Senators, twelve from each of the six states and two from each of the mainland territories.
The Senate will sit next from Tuesday 26 August to Thursday 4 September 2008.
(Note the Senate does not sit on Friday, 29 August)
| Party | Continuing | New | Total |
| Liberal Party of Australia | 29 | 3 | 32 |
| The Nationals | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Country Liberal Party | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Australian Labor Party | 25 | 7 (8)* | 32 |
| The Greens | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Family First | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Independent | 0 | 1 | 1 |
*Victorian Senator Jacinta Collins replaced retiring Senator Robert Ray on 8 May 2008. Senator Collins then commenced a 6 year term in the Senate on 1 July 2008.
The Senate’s most significant members are now those who share the balance of power –the sole independent, Nick Xenophon, the five Greens and Steve Fielding of Family First.
Note –In order for a motion to be passed in the Senate, a 50 per cent plus 1 majority must be achieved (i.e. 39 votes). A motion can be defeated if the votes are equally divided (i.e. 50 per cent/38 votes).
List of Senators by Party (in alphabetical order):
Australian Greens
- Brown, Bob – Senator for Tasmania Portfolio includes Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury, Finance and Administration , Foreign Affairs, Trade and Aid, Health and Aged Care, Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, Finance and Administration, Customs, Communications, Information, Technology and the Arts, Environment – Forests and wildlife, Global Greens and Gambling.
- Hanson-Young, Sarah – Senator for South Australia (NEW)
- Ludlam, Scott – Senator for Western Australia (NEW)
- Milne, Christine – Senator for Tasmania Portfolio includes the new economy and small business, Climate change, Energy, Regional services, Transport, Tourism, Corporate ethics, Asia-Pacific Region, Local government, Science, Environment – World heritage & Bio-security and invasive species.
- Siewert, Rachel – Senator for Western Australia Portfolio includes Employment and workplace relations, Welfare, Indigenous affairs, Natural resource management, Sustainable agriculture , Marine environment ,Family and community services, Disabilities, Housing, Uranium mining in WA, Genetically Modified Organisms, Environment – Fisheries & Animals.
Australian Labor Party
- Arbib, Mark – Senator for New South Wales (NEW)
- Bilyk, Catryna – Senator for Tasmania (NEW)
- Bishop, Mark – Senator for Western Australia
- Brown, Carol – Senator for Tasmania
- Cameron, Doug – Senator for New South Wales (NEW)
- Carr, the Hon Kim – Senator for Victoria Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
- Collins, Jacinta – Senator for Victoria (NEW, appointed 8 May 2008)
- Conroy, the Hon Stephen – Senator for Victoria Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
- Crossin, Trish – Senator for Northern Territory
- Evans, the Hon Christopher – Senator for Western Australia Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
- Farrell, Don – Senator for South Australia (NEW)
- Faulkner, the Hon John – Senator for New South Wales Special Minister of State, Cabinet Secretary, Vice President of the Executive Council
- Feeney, David – Senator for Victoria (NEW)
- Forshaw, Michael – Senator for New South Wales
- Furner, Mark – Senator for Queensland (NEW)
- Hogg, John – Senator for Queensland Deputy President and Chair of Committees in the Senate (Labor’s nominee for President of the Senate)
- Hurley, Annette – Senator for South Australia
- Hutchins, Steve – Senator for New South Wales
- Ludwig, the Hon Joe – Senator for Queensland Minister for Human Services, Manager of Government Business in the Senate
- Lundy, Kate – Senator for Australian Capital Territory
- McEwen, Anne – Senator for South Australia
- McLucas, the Hon Jan – Senator for Queensland Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing
- Marshall, Gavin – Senator for Victoria
- Moore, Claire – Senator for Queensland
- O’Brien, Kerry – Senator for Tasmania
- Polley, Helen – Senator for Tasmania
- Pratt, Louise – Senator for Western Australia (NEW)
- Sherry, the Hon Nick – Senator for Tasmania Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law
- Stephens, the Hon Ursula – Senator for New South Wales Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector; , Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Prime Minister for Social Inclusion
- Sterle, Glenn – Senator for Western Australia
- Wong, the Hon Penny – Senator for South Australia Minister for Climate Change and Water
- Wortley, Dana – Senator for South Australia
Country Liberal Party
- Scullion, the Hon Nigel – Senator for Northern Territory Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Family First Party
Independent
Liberal Party of Australia
- Abetz, the Hon Eric – Senator for Tasmania Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
- Adams, Judith – Senator for Western Australia
- Barnett, Guy – Senator for Tasmania
- Bernardi, Cory – Senator for South Australia
- Birmingham, Simon – Senator for South Australia
- Boyce, Sue – Senator for Queensland
- Brandis, the Hon George – Senator for Queensland Shadow Attorney General
- Bushby, David – Senator for Tasmania
- Cash, Michaelia – Senator for Western Australia (NEW)
- Colbeck, the Hon Richard – Senator for Tasmania
- Coonan, the Hon Helen – Senator for New South Wales Shadow Minister for Human Services
- Cormann, Mathias – Senator for Western Australia
- Eggleston, Alan – Senator for Western Australia
- Ellison, the Hon Christopher – Senator for Western Australia Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate
- Ferguson, the Hon Alan – Senator for South Australia
- Fierravanti-Wells, Concetta – Senator for New South Wales
- Fifield, Mitch – Senator for Victoria
- Fisher, Mary Jo – Senator for South Australia
- Heffernan, the Hon Bill – Senator for New South Wales
- Humphries, Gary – Senator for Australian Capital Territory
- Johnston, the Hon David – Senator for Western Australia Shadow Minister for Resources and Energy, Tourism
- Kroger, Helen – Senator for Victoria (NEW)
- Macdonald, the Hon Ian – Senator for Queensland
- McGauran, Julian – Senator for Victoria
- Mason, the Hon Brett – Senator for Queensland
- Minchin, the Hon Nick – Senator for South Australia Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Defence
- Parry, Stephen – Senator for Tasmania
- Payne, Marise – Senator for New South Wales
- Ronaldson, the Hon Michael – Senator for Victoria Shadow Special Minister of State
- Ryan, Scott – Senator for Victoria (NEW)
- Troeth, the Hon Judith – Senator for Victoria
- Trood, Russell – Senator for Queensland
The Nationals
- Boswell, the Hon Ronald – Senator for Queensland
- Joyce, Barnaby – Senator for Queensland
- Nash, Fiona – Senator for New South Wales
- Williams, John – Senator for New South Wales (NEW)
New Senators (Terms of Service commenced 1 July 2008)
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Senator for NSW, ALP
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Senator for TAS, ALP
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Senator for NSW, ALP
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Senator for WA, Liberal Party
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Senator for SA, ALP
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Senator for VIC,
ALP |
Senator for QLD, ALP
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Senator for SA, Greens
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Senator for VIC, Liberal Party
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Senator for WA, Greens
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Senator for WA, ALP
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Senator for VIC,
Liberal Party |
Senator for NSW,
Nationals |
Senator for SA, Independent
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Senator for VIC, ALP
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Dynamic Red
The Dynamic Red website provides information on the proceedings of the Senate which is updated during the course of the sitting day. It shows the progress of legislation and the results of motions moved and other business conducted in the Senate and, where possible, contains links to source documents such as those relating to committee memberships and amendments to legislation. The website is accessible here.