This is a list of members of the Australian Senate from 1985 to 1987. 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:Representation Act 1983 (Cth) 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 Victoria 1991 1986–2004 Tasmania 1991 1975–1994 Tasmania 1991 1984–1993 New South Wales 1991 1985–1996 New South Wales 1988 1974–1991 Queensland 1988 1980–1993 Queensland 1991 1984–1990 South Australia 1991 1981–2005 Queensland 1991 1983–2014 New South Wales 1991 1984–2000 Victoria 1988 1974–1993 New South Wales 1988 1970–1987 Western Australia 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 Northern Territory 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 Australian Capital Territory 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 Democrats/Unite Australia 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 Democrats/Unite Australia 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
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