Members of the Australian Senate, 1985–1987 explained

This is a list of members of the Australian Senate from 1985 to 1987.^[1] The number of senators was increased from ten to twelve senators for each of the six states of Australia. The representation of the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory remained at two senators each. This would give a total of 76 senators in the Senate.

30 state senators were elected at the 1983 double dissolution election and were allocated 6-year terms starting on 1 July 1982 and due to finish on 30 June 1988. The other 30 state senators elected were allocated 3-year terms starting on 1 July 1982 and due to finish on 30 June 1985, and were up for reelection in the 1984 election.

With 30 senators having terms due to finish in 1988, the other 42 state and 4 territory senators were elected at the 1984 election, rather than the normal case of only half of the state senators being elected. Therefore, each state would elect 7 senators instead of previous 5 in this election. With the increase of 12 state senators, some changes were made to the terms of senators elected in this election as per Representation Act 1983:^[2]

• The first two non-sitting state senators to be elected (total 12) were chosen for a term starting immediately (1 December 1984) instead of the usual 1 July 1985. This would immediately increase the number of senators to 76 following the election. Terms were due to end on 30 June 1991 unless the senator(s) was elected last (7th) in the state (see next point).
• The last (7th) state senators to be elected (total 6) were chosen for a term ending 30 June 1988. This would ensure that exactly half of the state senators (36 in total) would have their terms ending on 30 June 1988.

The changes affected 17 elected state senators, with David Vigor satisfying both criteria. All other state senators were elected as normal and had 6-year terms due to finish on 30 June 1991. The four territory senators elected had terms due to finish at the next dissolution of the House of Representatives as normal. However, the Senate was dissolved on 5 June 1987 for another double dissolution election on 11 July 1987.

Senator	Party		State	Term ending	Years in office
					1991	1986–2004
					1991	1975–1994
				Tasmania	1991	1984–1993
					1991	1985–1996
				New South Wales	1988	1974–1991
					1988	1980–1993
				Queensland	1991	1984–1990
					1991	1981–2005
				Queensland	1991	1983–2014
				New South Wales	1991	1984–2000
				Victoria	1988	1974–1993
				New South Wales	1988	1970–1987
					1988	1974–1990
				New South Wales	1991	1980–1997
				Victoria	1988	1977–1986
				Tasmania	1991	1980–1996
				Western Australia	1988	1974–1987
				Queensland	1988	1975–1987
				Queensland	1988	1975–1999
				Victoria	1991	1984–2002
				Western Australia	1991	1983–2005
				Western Australia	1991	1980–1996
				South Australia	1991	1983–2002
				Tasmania	1991	1984–1990
				Western Australia	1988	1970–1993
				South Australia	1988	1977–1987
				Victoria	1988	1977–1996
				South Australia	1988	1980–1997
				Queensland	1988	1967–1987
				New South Wales	1988	1970–1989
				Western Australia	1991	1980–1993
				Tasmania	1988	1974–1987
				Victoria	1988	1970–1987
				South Australia	1988	1977–1978, 1980–1990
				Victoria	1991	1977–1990
				Tasmania	1988	1975–2005
				South Australia	1988	1981–2006
				South Australia	1991	1970–1991
				Queensland	1991	1980–1996
					1987	1975–1987
				Western Australia	1991	1984–2005
				Victoria	1988	1976–1993
				Queensland	1991	1977–1999
				Queensland	1988	1980–1990
				South Australia	1991	1983–1993
				New South Wales	1988	1977–1987
				New South Wales	1988	1961–1987
				Western Australia	1988	1974–1987
				Western Australia	1991	1984–2002
				South Australia	1988	1975–1990
				Victoria	1991	1974–1986
				New South Wales	1991	1985–1990
				Tasmania	1988	1986–2002
				Queensland	1988	1984–2000
				Victoria	1988	1986–1993
				New South Wales	1991	1978–1980, 1984–1990
				Tasmania	1988	1967–1986
				Victoria	1991	1981–2008
					1987	1981–2003
				Queensland	1991	1983–1999
				New South Wales	1988	1983–1994
				Northern Territory	1987	1975–1987
				Australian Capital Territory	1987	1975–1988
				Tasmania	1988	1985–1990
				Queensland	1991	1974–1981, 1984–1990
				Victoria	1991	1984–1997
				New South Wales	1991	1975–1978, 1978–1994
				Victoria	1988	1980–1983, 1985–1987
				Tasmania	1988	1977–1993
				South Australia	1991	1977–1996
				Tasmania	1991	1970–1987
			NDP/Independent	Western Australia	1988	1985–1992
				South Australia	1991	1984–2007
				South Australia	1988	1984–1987
				Western Australia	1988	1974–1993
				Tasmania	1988	1975–1993
				Tasmania	1991	1978–2008
				New South Wales	1988	1987, 1990–2002
				Western Australia	1991	1966, 1967–1987
				Victoria	1991	1983–1995

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate 1985 . . 27 March 2017.
2. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2004A02826/626f8c59-34cd-4022-b295-db7d779bb024 Representation Act 1983 (Cth)