Women in Federal Parliament
The 2010 Federal Election (21 August) was not a highlight for women in politics in Australia. Just 37 of the 150 (24.7%) House of Representatives members elected were women, of which 23 are members of the Australian Labor Party. The Liberal Party and its allies, the National Party and Liberal National Party, are doing poorly in relation to gender at just 14 women or less than 20 per cent.
The numbers in the Senate were more heartening with 30 of the 76 Senators (39.5%) being female (as of 1 July 2011). These numbers are helped by the Australian Greens, who have six female Senators (67%) and the Australian Labor Party at 45%.
House of Representatives
Click here for House of Representatives data
| Party |
Total Members |
Female Members | Percent Female |
| Labor | 72 | 23 | 31.9 |
| Liberal | 45 | 11 | 24.0 |
| Liberal National Party | 21 | 3 | 14.3 |
| Nationals | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Independents | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Total |
150 | 37 | 24.7 |
Senate
| Party | Total Members | Female Members | Percent Female |
| Labor | 31 | 14 | 45.2 |
| Liberal | 29 | 8 | 27.6 |
| Nationals | 5 | 2 | 40.0 |
| Greens | 9 | 6 | 66.7 |
| Independents | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| DLP | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 76 | 30 |
39.5 |
