1958 Australian federal election

In spite of a major global downturn in early 1958, the Coalition was returned to power and there was an even swing against the Labor Party. This was due largely to support for the breakaway Democratic Labor Party. This was the first Australian election campaign to be fought using television as a medium for communicating with voters. Menzies was interviewed on television, while opposition figures H. V. Evatt and Arthur Calwell took part in debates with ministers Harold Holt and William McMahon. Somewhat surprisingly Menzies emerged as a confident and effective television performer.^{[citation needed]} This may have contributed to the better than expected result for the government.^{[citation needed]}

House of Reps (IRV) — 1958–61—Turnout 95.48% (CV) — Informal 2.87%

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Liberal–Country coalition		2,298,512	46.55	–1.12	77	+2
		Liberal	1,859,180	37.23	−2.53	58	+1
		Country	465,320	9.32	+1.41	19	+1
	Labor		2,137,890	42.81	−1.84	47[b]	−2
	Democratic Labor		389,688	7.80	+2.63	0	0
	Queensland Labor		80,035	1.60	+1.60	0	0
	Communist		26,337	0.53	–0.63	0	0
	Nationalist		3,577	0.07	+0.07	0	0
	Independent		31,466	0.63	–0.74	0	0
	Total		4,993,493			122
Two-party-preferred (estimated)
	Liberal–Country coalition		Win	54.10	−0.10	77	+2
	Labor			45.90	+0.10	45	−2

Senate (STV) — 1958–61—Turnout 95.48% (CV) — Informal 10.29%

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats won	Seats held	Change
	Liberal–Country coalition		2,084,193	45.19	–3.49	16	32	+2
		Liberal–Country joint ticket	1,077,586	23.36	–16.02	9	N/A	N/A
		Liberal	953,856	20.68	+12.02	6	25	+1
		Country	52,751	1.14	+0.51	1	7	+1
	Labor		1,973,027	42.78	+2.17	15	26	–2
	Democratic Labor		314,755	6.82	+0.72	1	2	0
	Communist		134,263	2.91	−0.73	0	0	0
	Queensland Labor		73,037	1.66	+1.66	0	0	0
	Loyalist		4,459	0.10	+0.10	0	0	0
	True Democrat		4,337	0.09	+0.09	0	0	0
	Republican		3,715	0.08	+0.08	0	0	0
	Independents		20,273	0.44	–0.46	0	0	0
	Total		4,612,059			32	60

Notes

• The Democratic Labor Party was the renamed "Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)" from the 1955 election.

• Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

• Candidates of the 1958 Australian federal election
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1958–1961
• Members of the Australian Senate, 1959–1962

• University of WA Archived 18 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine election results in Australia since 1890
• AEC 2PP vote
• Prior to 1984 the AEC did not undertake a full distribution of preferences for statistical purposes. The stored ballot papers for the 1983 election were put through this process prior to their destruction. Therefore, the figures from 1983 onwards show the actual result based on full distribution of preferences.