STATE-BY-STATE SENATE GUIDE
Forty seats in the Senate are up for grabs at the 2019 election.
--
NSW
Clive Palmer's only parliamentarian Brian Burston is among a crowded field of right-wing minor parties hoping to snare the fifth or sixth spots. One Nation's Kate McCulloch is also in the hunt, while Liberal Democrat Duncan Spender is trying to extend his very short time in the Senate. A below-the-line campaign to re-elect Liberal senator Jim Molan could throw a spanner in the works for Nationals' hopeful Perin Davey, who is one spot above him in third on the coalition ticket. Liberals Hollie Hughes and Andrew Bragg are likely to enter the Senate, along with union officials Tony Sheldon and Tim Ayres who are leading Labor's ticket. Mehreen Faruqi holds one of six Greens' seats up for grabs nationally.
--
VICTORIA
New Labor senator Raff Ciccone will keep his seat after replacing fellow SDA-aligned social conservative Jacinta Collins. On the other side of the factional divide, United Voice's Jess Walsh will represent the left in second place on the Labor ticket. Opposition senator Gavin Marshall will need the swing to be on towards Labor to continue his political career after being bumped to third on the ticket. Liberals Jane Hume and James Paterson are expected to be returned, but independent Derryn Hinch is up against it to be re-elected. The Greens' Janet Rice should fancy her chances of victory.
--
QUEENSLAND
Will Clive Palmer's $50 million advertising saturation pay off with him winning an upper house seat? Will Pauline Hanson be able to get Malcolm Roberts back in parliament despite being rocked by scandal over links to the US gun lobby in the lead-up to the election? Roberts is likely to be up against Palmer and the LNP's Gerrard Rennick, who has come under fire for controversial statements during the campaign. Labor's Nita Green will enter parliament after Claire Moore retired. On the coalition side, Paul Scarr will sit with the Liberals, while Susan McDonald will join the Nationals. The Greens Larissa Waters should have enough support to keep her seat. Controversial far-right senator Fraser Anning is unlikely to win.
--
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
One Nation's Peter Georgiou is in a tough battle to retain his seat, needing to increase the party's vote in the state despite scandal following them around like a bad smell. The major parties will each be aiming to win a third seat, with the Liberals' Matt O'Sullivan a chance to knock off Georgiou. Greens senator Jordon Steele-John, who led the charge for the disability royal commission, is a good chance of retaining his seat.
--
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Centre Alliance's Skye Kakoschke-Moore - another section 44 casualty - is looking to return and restore the minor party's Senate bloc to three. Independent Tim Storer's retirement could help her. Labor will be looking to win two spots, while the Greens' Sarah Hanson-Young faces a fight to stay in parliament. The Liberals' Alex Antic is in his party's third spot on the ticket, giving him an outside chance of victory.
--
TASMANIA
Popular Labor senator Lisa Singh was able to salvage a victory on the back of a below-the-line campaign at the last election, despite factional wrangling relegating her down the ticket. She's been dumped to fourth on the ticket, but is facing a much harder task this time around given it's not a double dissolution election. Singh is up against the Greens' Nick McKim and former independent Jacqui Lambie. Two spots are in play, with Nationals senator Steve Martin also gunning for re-election. Labor and the Liberals are set to carve up the first four seats.
--
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Katharine vet Sam McMahon is expected to replace Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion for the Country Liberals and sit with the Nationals, while Labor's Malarndirri McCarthy should be re-elected.
--
ACT
Labor's Katy Gallagher is set to return to federal parliament after she was disqualified for dual citizenship in the last term. Conservative Liberal Zed Seselja should stave off a challenge from independent Anthony Pesec who is running on a climate and anti-hard right platform.
