This bill is currently before Parliament.
Government & democracy
The bill would replace the fixed two-senator representation for the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory with a formula giving each territory half the number of senators for a state, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Senator David Pocock introduced the bill because he argued the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory have too little protection in the Senate. The explanatory memorandum says the current two-senator model came from a 1975 political deal and does not provide sufficient democratic representation. Pocock's speech linked the proposal to federal interventions in territory self-government, including past limits on voluntary assisted dying and more recent attempts to override ACT drug-law decisions.
The bill sits in a long-running argument about how much representation and self-government protection the territories should have inside the federal Parliament. Pocock framed the proposal as a democratic safeguard for the ACT and Northern Territory, while collected public reporting shows that separate government and committee discussions were also considering larger parliamentary expansion models.
The collected bill record does not show substantive criticism of this private senator's bill itself. It contains the sponsor's explanatory memorandum and second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators debate the main purpose and principles of a bill. speech, no scrutiny entries, no proposed amendments, no recorded amendment outcomes and no divisions.
Senator David Pocock introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
567 days
Updated 10 June 2026.
Meaning
The bill would replace the fixed two-senator representation for the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory with a formula giving each territory half the number of senators for a state, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Under the bill, three senators from the Australian Capital Territory and three from the Northern Territory would be elected at each federal election.
Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory senators would serve six-year terms, with their terms and election timing aligned with the way state senators are handled under section 13 of the ConstitutionThe constitutional provision dealing with state senators' terms. The bill would apply it to ACT and Northern Territory senators as if references to a state included those territories..
The bill keeps the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory as single Senate electorates, with senators directly chosen by people in each territory.
The changes would start from the first Senate election after the bill commences. The bill would commence on Royal AssentThe final formal approval a bill needs before it can become an Act. and the explanatory memorandum says it would have no financial impact.
The current number of senators for the Territories is two... The number of senators for the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory are to be increased to half the number of senators for a State (rounded up or down to the nearest whole number and rounding up if the number ends in .5).Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fair Territory Representation) explanatory memorandum
Three senators from each of the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory will be elected at each federal election on six year terms.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fair Territory Representation) explanatory memorandum
Section 13 of the Constitution applies in relation to a senator for the Australian Capital Territory or the Northern Territory as if... a reference in that section to a State included a reference to the Territory.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fair Territory Representation) introduced bill text
The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory are each to be represented in the Senate by senators for the Territory directly chosen by the people of the Territory voting as one electorate.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fair Territory Representation) introduced bill text
The changes would apply from the first Senate election held after the commencement of the Schedule. FINANCIAL IMPACT The bill will have no financial impact.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fair Territory Representation) explanatory memorandum
Context
The bill sits in a long-running argument about how much representation and self-government protection the territories should have inside the federal Parliament. Pocock framed the proposal as a democratic safeguard for the ACT and Northern Territory, while collected public reporting shows that separate government and committee discussions were also considering larger parliamentary expansion models.
States receive equal Senate representation
The explanatory memorandum says the Senate was devised as the states' house, with original states guaranteed the same number of senators so smaller jurisdictions had their voices heard.
Explanatory memorandum ↗Territories get two senators each
The explanatory memorandum says the current two-senator representation for the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory was set in 1975 and argues it had no real democratic basis.
Explanatory memorandum ↗Committee debate revives territory-seat expansion
A collected Australian Financial Review report said Labor looked set to pursue electoral-law changes that included adding two new senators each for the ACT and Northern Territory.
Australian Financial Review ↗Government seeks deal on more territory senators
A collected Australian Financial Review report said Special Minister of State Don Farrell was seeking a deal to double the number of senators for each territory from two to four.
Australian Financial Review ↗Pocock proposes a half-state formula
Pocock introduced a private senator's bill that would give the ACT and Northern Territory half the number of senators for a state, rather than the separate four-senator model discussed in public reporting.
Parliament of Australia ↗Bill restored after parliamentary reset
After lapsing at the end of the previous Parliament on 21 July 2025, the bill was restored to the Senate Notice PaperParliament's official list of business that may be considered by a chamber. two days later.
Parliament of Australia ↗Legislative route
Senator David Pocock introduced the bill in the Senate.
Introduced and read a first time
The Senate moved into the stage where senators debate the bill's main purpose and principles.
Second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators debate the main purpose and principles of a bill. moved
The bill lapsed when the previous Parliament ended.
The bill was restored to the Senate Notice PaperParliament's official list of business that may be considered by a chamber. in the new Parliament.
Key criticism
The collected bill record does not show substantive criticism of this private senator's bill itself. It contains the sponsor's explanatory memorandum and second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators debate the main purpose and principles of a bill. speech, no scrutiny entries, no proposed amendments, no recorded amendment outcomes and no divisions.
This does not mean the idea of expanding territory representation is uncontested. It means the local bill corpus does not contain a clear criticism of this bill that can be fairly attributed and summarised.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
David Pocock supported the bill, arguing that two senators each for the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory is not enough to protect territory interests from federal intervention.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“This bill provides the ACT and the NT with half the number of senators as the states.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
Senator David Pocock introduced the bill in the Senate.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators debate the main purpose and principles of a bill. opened
The Senate moved into the stage where senators debate the bill's main purpose and principles.
Senate · Lapsed at end of Parliament
Lapsed at end of Parliament
The bill lapsed when the previous Parliament ended.
Senate · Restored to Notice Paper
Restored to Notice PaperParliament's official list of business that may be considered by a chamber.
The bill was restored to the Senate Notice PaperParliament's official list of business that may be considered by a chamber. in the new Parliament.
