Following the 2016 election the total number of women in Parliament has risen slightly from 69 (31 per cent) to 73 (32 per cent).
The number of women in the House of Representatives has risen to 43 (29 per cent), up from 40 (27 per cent) at the end of the 44th Parliament. The number of women in the Senate has increased by one since the end of the 44th Parliament to 30 senators (39 per cent).
As is the case in many parliaments around the world, women remain significantly under-represented in the Australian parliament. The Australian figures are similar to those of comparable countries such as Canada, where women make up 29 percent of the parliament, and New Zealand, where women make up 31 per cent of the parliament.
The Parliamentary Library will soon publish a Quick Guide on the composition of all Australian parliaments by party and gender which will include updated Commonwealth and state figures. A further update will be published following the Australian Capital Territory election on 15 October 2016.
Composition of the 45th Parliament by party and gender
House of Representatives
Senate
Total Parliament
Party
M
F
%F
Australian Labor Party
41
28
12
14
54
53
42
44
Liberal Party
48
20
18
6
25
66
21
Nationals
15
1
3
2
40
Country Liberal Party
0
Australian Greens
4
5
56
50
Derryn Hinch's Justice Party
Family First Party
Jacqui Lambie Network
100
Katter’s Australian Party
Liberal Democratic Party
Nick Xenophon Team
33
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
Independents
Total
107
43
29
46
30
39
153
73
32
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