The Labor Party has been projected to strengthen its hand in the Senate following the 2025 Federal Election, as the Coalition faces the prospect of going backwards.
The Albanese government has retained 12 seats and won another 12, with four more likely to be secured as the count continues.
Labor’s leader in the Senate Penny Wong and deputy leader of the government in the Senate Don Farrell have both returned to lead in the upper house.
If the projections hold, Labor will have 28 senators in the upper house, up from 26 after the previous election.
“I have been surprised, to be honest with you, just how well our Senate vote has gone,” Senator Don Farrell told Sky News Sunday Agenda.
“I think you’ll see a higher representation for the Labor Party in the Senate… and I think that’s a good thing because it makes it much easier for us to pass our legislation.”
While the Albanese government will most likely short of an outright majority, the Coalition has been expected to slide backwards.
Fourteen Coalition Senators have kept their seats, six have won and six more have been projected to claim victory as of Sunday morning.
If projections hold, this leaves the Coalition with 26 members in the Senate, down from 32 in the 47th Parliament of Australia.
The Greens have been forecast to have 11, down from 12 after the 2022 election, while One Nation will continue with one seat.
In New South Wales, Tony Sheldon and Tim Ayres will likely return alongside the Greens’ Mehreen Faruqi.
Nationals deputy leader Perin Davey’s seat hangs in the balance, which would leave Labor, Legalise Cannabis and One Nation to fight it out.
In Victoria, Labor’s Raff Ciccone and Jess Walsh have tracked for re-election, alongside Liberal senators James Paterson and Jane Hume.
Labor and the Coalition have each secured two seats in Queensland with the Greens securing one, while One Nation’s Malcolm Roberts is well-placed to return.
In Western Australia, Labor will pick up two Senate seats, the Greens one, and the Liberals are expected to claim two.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young returns in South Australia, and the Liberals have been expected to win two seats.
Labor and the Greens both look strong in Tasmania, with two Labor senators and one Green set for re-election.
The Liberals are guaranteed one seat, and the final two spots are contested between Labor, Liberal, Jacqui Lambie and One Nation’s Lee Hanson.
Independent Senator David Pocock has retained his seat easily in the ACT, while Labor Finance Minister Katy Gallagher will return, albeit with a reduced primary vote.
In the Northern Territory, the status quo remained with Labor’s Malarndirri McCarthy and the CLP’s Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
