Cost of elections and referendums

Updated: 27 October 2023
  • All election costs after 1984, except the 1988 referendum, include public funding payments.
  • Election Funding does not apply to referendums.
Year Event Cost
2023 2023 Referendum TBD
2023 By-election – Fadden TBD
2023 By-election – Aston TBD
2022 House of Representatives and half Senate elections $522,390,716
2020 By-election – Groom $2,712,450
By-election – Eden-Monaro $4,086,862
2019 House of Representatives and half Senate elections $372,473,022
2018 By-election – Batman $2,177,482
By-election – Fremantle $1,723,313
By-election – Perth $2,043,981
By-election – Mayo $2,338,927
By-election – Longman $1,845,995
By-election – Braddon $2,035,872
By-election – Wentworth $1,975,142
2017 By-election – New England $1,624,755
By-election – Bennelong $1,769,664
2016 Double Dissolution $286,605,622
2015 By-election – Canning $2,036,518
By-election – North Sydney $1,739,796
2014 By-election – Griffith $1,269,680
WA half-Senate election $21,916,932
2013 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $193,774,374
2010 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $161,342,861
2009 By-election – Bradfield $850,239
By-election – Higgins $710,489
2008 By-election – Gippsland $996,846
By-election – Lyne $657,092
By-election – Mayo $624,466
2007 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $163,076,106
2005 By-election – Werriwa $501,611
2004 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $117,264,871
2001 By-election – Ryan $405,246
By-election – Aston $509,263
House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $105,830,037
2000 By-election – Issacs $489,233
1999 Referendum $66,820,894
By-election – Holt $190,646
1998 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $96,709,059
1997 By-election – Fraser $295,720
1996 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $91,407,000
By-election – Blaxland $342,584
By-election – Lindsay $323,545
1995 By-election – Canberra $369,876
By-election – Wentworth $330,148
1994 By-election – Werriwa $389,440
By-election – Fremantle $370,745
By-election – Bonython $352,220
By-election – Mackellar $331,783
By-election – Warringah $341,091
By-election – Kooyong $286,503
1993 House of Representatives, half-Senate elections and supplementary election – Division of Dickson $64,049,500
1992 By-election – Wills $347,900
1991 By-election – Menzies $301,600
1990 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $55,478,000
1989 By-election – Gwydir $210,600
ACT Legislative Assembly election $693,1002
1988 Referendum $34,447,200
By-election – Adelaide $231,100
By-election – Groom $195,400
By-election – Oxley $199,000
By-election – Port Adelaide $197,600
1987 Double Dissolution $48,875,900
1986 By-election – Scullin $138,000
1984 House of Representatives, Senate and Referendums $38,430,000
By-election – Hughes $137,000
By-election – Richmond $146,000
By-election – Corangamite $138,000
1983 Double Dissolution $18,696,000
By-election – Wannon $103,000
By-election – Bruce $105,000
By-election – Moreton $103,000
1982 By-election – Lowe $82,000
By-election – Flinders $103,000
ACT House of Assembly election $157,000
1981 By-election – McPherson $127,000
By-election – Curtin $49,000
By-election – Boothby $67,000
By-election – Wentworth $71,000
1980 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $12,448,000
1979 ACT House of Assembly election $115,000
1977 House of Representatives and half-Senate elections $9,050,000
1975 Double Dissolution $6,167,000
1974 Double Dissolution and Referendum $3,166,0001
1973 Referendums $2,900,000
1972 House of Representatives $1,980,132
1970 Senate $1,735,122
1969 House of Representatives $1,425,075
1967 Senate $1,395,871
Referendums $1,041,0001
1966 House of Representatives $1,079,089
1964 Senate $1,042,947
1963 House of Representatives $942,497
1961 House of Representatives and Senate $866,439
1958 House of Representatives and Senate £315,263
1955 House of Representatives and Senate £300,456
1954 House of Representatives £239,525
1953 Senate Election £244,745
1951 Double Dissolution £209,063
Referendum £222,704
1949 House of Representatives and Senate £176,648
1948 Referendum £146,660
1946 House of Representatives, Senate and Referendums £154,848
1944 Referendum £102,771
1943 House of Representatives and Senate £107,968
1940 House of Representatives and Senate £104,881
1937 House of Representatives and Senate £101,628
Referendums £95,893
1934 House of Representatives and Senate £102,861
1931 House of Representatives and Senate £90,505
1929 House of Representatives £105,269
1928 House of Representatives, Senate and Referendum £118,844
1926 Referendums £105,365
1925 House of Representatives and Senate £105,010
1922 House of Representatives and Senate £89,808
1919 House of Representatives, Senate and Referendums £96,955
1917 House of Representatives and Senate £85,437
Referendum £83,755
1916 Referendum £81,113
1914 Double Dissolution £88,000
1913 House of Representatives, Senate and Referendums £91,438
1911 Referendums £51,774
1910 House of Representatives, Senate and Referendums £59,281
1906 House of Representatives, Senate and Referendum £48,177
1903 House of Representatives and Senate £46,119
1901 House of Representatives and Senate £56,331

GST exclusive