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1996 Australian federal election Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge

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Study Guide: The 1996 Australian Federal Election

Cheat Sheet:
The 1996 Australian Federal Election Study Guide

Election Overview and Outcome

The 1996 Australian federal election was held on March 2, 1995.

Answer: False

Explanation: The 1996 Australian federal election was held on March 2, 1996, not March 2, 1995. This election determined the composition of the 38th Parliament of Australia.

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The incumbent Australian Labor Party, led by John Howard, won the 1996 federal election.

Answer: False

Explanation: The incumbent Australian Labor Party was led by Paul Keating, not John Howard. The Liberal/National Coalition, led by John Howard, won the 1996 federal election.

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The 1996 election was the first time John Howard and Paul Keating, the major party leaders, were both born after World War II.

Answer: False

Explanation: John Howard and Paul Keating were both born before World War II. The 1996 election was the last in which both major party leaders were born after World War II.

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When was the 1996 Australian federal election held?

Answer: March 2, 1996

Explanation: The 1996 Australian federal election was held on March 2, 1996. This election determined the composition of the 38th Parliament of Australia.

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What was the overall outcome of the 1996 Australian federal election?

Answer: The Liberal/National Coalition defeated the Labor government in a landslide.

Explanation: The 1996 Australian federal election resulted in a landslide victory for the Liberal/National Coalition, led by John Howard, which defeated the incumbent Australian Labor Party government.

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The 1996 election marked the end of which government, which had been in power since 1983?

Answer: The Hawke-Keating Government

Explanation: The 1996 federal election marked the conclusion of the Hawke-Keating Government, which had been in power for 13 years, commencing in 1983.

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Coalition Leadership and Campaign Strategy

John Howard was sworn in as Prime Minister on March 2, 1996, the same day as the election.

Answer: False

Explanation: The 1996 Australian federal election was held on March 2, 1996. John Howard was sworn in as Prime Minister on March 11, 1996, after the election results were finalized.

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John Howard was the first Liberal leader to win a federal election from opposition since Robert Menzies in 1949.

Answer: True

Explanation: John Howard's victory in the 1996 federal election marked the first time a Liberal leader had won from opposition since Robert Menzies, who achieved this in 1949.

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John Howard had never previously led the Liberal Party before becoming Prime Minister in 1996.

Answer: False

Explanation: John Howard had previously served as the leader of the Liberal Party from 1985 to 1989 before returning to the leadership in January 1995 and subsequently winning the 1996 federal election.

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John Howard's primary campaign strategy involved detailing extensive new policy proposals to differentiate the Coalition from Labor.

Answer: False

Explanation: John Howard's primary campaign strategy was characterized as a 'small target' approach, focusing on the longevity and record of the incumbent Labor government rather than presenting extensive new policy proposals.

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The Liberal Party chose John Howard as leader in January 1995 because he was the only candidate available.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Liberal Party chose John Howard as leader in January 1995 after a period of internal party struggles and leadership changes, not because he was the only candidate available. He had previously led the party and returned to the leadership.

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Who led the Liberal/National Coalition in the 1996 Australian federal election?

Answer: John Howard

Explanation: The Liberal/National Coalition in the 1996 Australian federal election was led by John Howard, the leader of the Liberal Party, with Tim Fischer of the National Party serving as a coalition partner.

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John Howard was sworn in as Prime Minister on March 11, 1996. How long did his government subsequently last?

Answer: 11 years

Explanation: John Howard's government, sworn in on March 11, 1996, lasted for 11 years, concluding with the 2007 Australian federal election.

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John Howard's leadership victory in 1996 was significant because he was the first Liberal leader to win from opposition since which historical figure?

Answer: Robert Menzies

Explanation: John Howard's victory in 1996 was significant as he was the first Liberal leader to win a federal election from opposition since Robert Menzies, who achieved this in 1949.

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What was John Howard's primary campaign strategy in the lead-up to the 1996 election?

Answer: Focusing attacks on Labor's longevity and governing record.

Explanation: John Howard's primary campaign strategy was a 'small target' approach, emphasizing attacks on the longevity and governing record of the incumbent Labor Party rather than detailing extensive policy changes.

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How did John Howard manage to attract support during the 1996 campaign, according to the source?

Answer: By uniting middle-class suburban residents with blue-collar workers.

Explanation: John Howard attracted support by uniting middle-class suburban residents with traditionally Labor-voting blue-collar workers, appealing to a broad base of mainstream voters.

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Labor Party's Defeat and Leadership Transition

The 1996 election marked the end of the Liberal Party's 11-year term in government.

Answer: False

Explanation: The 1996 election marked the end of the Australian Labor Party's 13-year term in government, not the Liberal Party's. The Liberal/National Coalition subsequently formed government.

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The Australian Labor Party won 49 seats in the House of Representatives, a gain of 31 seats from the previous election.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Australian Labor Party won 49 seats in the House of Representatives, which represented a decrease of 31 seats from the previous election, not a gain.

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The Australian Labor Party gained four seats from the Liberal Party in Victoria during the 1996 election.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Australian Labor Party gained four seats from the Liberal Party in Victoria during the 1996 election. These seats were Isaacs and Bruce, along with two seats in the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra and Namadgi).

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The 1996 election resulted in the second-smallest defeat for a sitting government in Australian history.

Answer: False

Explanation: The 1996 election resulted in the second-largest defeat for a sitting government in Australian history, not the second-smallest.

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Three government ministers lost their seats in the 1996 election, including the Treasurer.

Answer: False

Explanation: While three government ministers lost their seats, the Treasurer was not among them. The Attorney-General was one of the ministers who lost their seat.

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Kim Beazley succeeded Paul Keating as leader of the Labor Party after the 1996 election.

Answer: True

Explanation: Following Paul Keating's resignation as leader of the Labor Party after the 1996 election, Kim Beazley was elected as his successor.

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The Australian Labor Party experienced a significant loss of seats in the 1996 election. How many seats did they win, and what was the change compared to the previous election?

Answer: Won 49 seats, a decrease of 31 seats.

Explanation: The Australian Labor Party won 49 seats in the House of Representatives in the 1996 election, which represented a significant decrease of 31 seats compared to the previous election.

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How did the 29-seat swing against Labor in the 1996 election rank in Australian history?

Answer: The second-largest defeat for a sitting government.

Explanation: The 29-seat swing against the Australian Labor Party in the 1996 election ranked as the second-largest defeat for a sitting government in Australian history.

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Electoral Performance Metrics

The Liberal/National Coalition secured a majority of 75 seats in the House of Representatives to form government in 1996.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Liberal/National Coalition secured exactly 75 seats in the House of Representatives, which constituted the required majority to form government following the 1996 federal election.

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The Liberal Party won a majority of seats in its own right in the 1996 election, meaning they did not need the support of the National Party.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Liberal Party secured 75 seats in the House of Representatives in the 1996 election, which was a majority in its own right, thus not requiring the formal support of the National Party to form government.

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The turnout for the 1996 Australian federal election was approximately 95.77%.

Answer: True

Explanation: The turnout for the 1996 Australian federal election was 95.77% of registered voters, indicating a high level of electoral participation.

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The Liberal/National Coalition received over 50% of the first preference vote in the 1996 election.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Liberal/National Coalition received 47.25% of the first preference vote in the 1996 election, which is less than 50%.

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The Australian Labor Party won the two-party-preferred vote with 53.63% in the 1996 election.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Liberal/National Coalition won the two-party-preferred vote with 53.63% in the 1996 election, while the Australian Labor Party received 46.37%.

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All 76 seats in the Australian Senate were contested in the 1996 election.

Answer: False

Explanation: Forty seats in the 76-seat Australian Senate were contested in the 1996 election, not all 76.

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The Liberal/National Coalition gained 29 seats directly from the Australian Labor Party in the 1996 election.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Liberal/National Coalition achieved a gain of 29 seats directly from the Australian Labor Party in the 1996 federal election.

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The Coalition won the 1996 election with the largest majority in Australian history.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Coalition won the 1996 election with a 45-seat majority, which was the second-largest majority in Australian history at that time, not the largest.

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The Liberal Party won its most seats ever at a federal election in 1996.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Liberal Party secured 75 seats in the House of Representatives in the 1996 federal election, which was the highest number of seats the party had ever won at a federal election.

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The Gallagher Index for the 1996 Australian federal election indicated a highly proportional electoral outcome.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Gallagher Index score for the 1996 Australian federal election was 11.14, which suggests a significant level of disproportionality in the electoral outcome.

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The Australian Labor Party experienced a swing of over 6% towards them in the first preference vote.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Australian Labor Party experienced a swing of -6.17% against them in the first preference vote during the 1996 election, not a swing towards them.

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The Liberal/National Coalition won the two-party-preferred vote with a margin of approximately 7.3%.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Liberal/National Coalition secured 53.63% of the two-party-preferred vote, resulting in a margin of approximately 7.3% over the Australian Labor Party.

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The percentage of informal votes in the House of Representatives election was higher than in the Senate election.

Answer: False

Explanation: The percentage of informal votes in the House of Representatives election was 3.78%, while in the Senate election it was 3.89%. Therefore, the Senate had a slightly higher percentage of informal votes.

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How many seats were required for a majority in the Australian House of Representatives for the 1996 election?

Answer: 75

Explanation: A majority in the Australian House of Representatives required 75 seats to form government following the 1996 federal election, out of a total of 148 seats.

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The Liberal/National Coalition won 94 seats in the House of Representatives in 1996. What was the significance of this number mentioned in the source?

Answer: It was the equal-largest number of seats won by a federal government at that time, tied with a future Labor win.

Explanation: The 94 seats won by the Liberal/National Coalition in the 1996 election represented the equal-largest number of seats won by a federal government at that time, a record later tied by a future Labor government.

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In the 1996 election, the Liberal Party achieved a significant milestone by winning:

Answer: 75 seats in its own right, forming a majority government without the Nationals.

Explanation: In the 1996 election, the Liberal Party won 75 seats in the House of Representatives, securing a majority government in its own right and achieving its highest seat count at a federal election.

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What was the turnout percentage for the 1996 Australian federal election?

Answer: 95.77%

Explanation: The turnout for the 1996 Australian federal election was 95.77% of registered voters, indicating a high level of participation.

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What were the first preference vote percentages for the main parties in the 1996 election?

Answer: Coalition 47.25%, Labor 38.75%

Explanation: In the 1996 Australian federal election, the Liberal/National Coalition received 47.25% of the first preference vote, while the Australian Labor Party received 38.75%.

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How many seats in the Australian Senate were contested during the 1996 election?

Answer: 40

Explanation: Forty seats in the 76-seat Australian Senate were contested during the 1996 federal election.

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Which political entity gained the most seats from the other in the 1996 federal election?

Answer: Liberal/National Coalition gained 29 seats from the Australian Labor Party.

Explanation: The Liberal/National Coalition gained the most seats in the 1996 federal election, securing 29 seats directly from the Australian Labor Party.

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What was the Gallagher Index score for the 1996 Australian federal election, and what does it suggest?

Answer: 11.14, indicating significant disproportionality.

Explanation: The Gallagher Index score for the 1996 Australian federal election was 11.14, which suggests a significant level of disproportionality in the electoral outcome.

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The Liberal/National Coalition won the two-party-preferred vote with a margin of approximately what percentage?

Answer: 7.3%

Explanation: The Liberal/National Coalition won the two-party-preferred vote in the 1996 election with a margin of approximately 7.3% over the Australian Labor Party.

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Key Campaign Issues and Events

The phrase 'The recession we had to have' was associated with Paul Keating's government and negatively impacted his campaign.

Answer: True

Explanation: The phrase 'The recession we had to have,' attributed to Paul Keating's government, resonated negatively with the electorate and contributed to dissatisfaction during the 1996 election campaign.

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Paul Keating's focus on issues like republicanism and reconciliation alienated mainstream Australian voters, leading to his defeat.

Answer: False

Explanation: While Keating's focus on issues such as republicanism and reconciliation was significant, the defeat was more broadly attributed to a combination of factors including voter fatigue with the incumbent government and the Coalition's successful campaign strategy.

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John Howard promised to abolish Medicare during his 1996 campaign.

Answer: False

Explanation: John Howard promised to retain Medicare, the universal health insurance scheme, during his 1996 campaign. He also committed to holding a constitutional convention on the republic.

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The 'Ralph Willis letter' incident involved accusations that John Howard had engaged in illegal financial dealings.

Answer: False

Explanation: The 'Ralph Willis letter' incident involved accusations of secret correspondence between John Howard and a Victorian Premier, which Howard denounced as a forgery. The incident was characterized by accusations of political skulduggery rather than illegal financial dealings by Howard.

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The phrase 'The recession we had to have,' associated with Paul Keating's government, had what effect during the 1996 campaign?

Answer: It resonated negatively with the electorate, contributing to dissatisfaction.

Explanation: The phrase 'The recession we had to have,' associated with Paul Keating's government, resonated negatively with the electorate during the 1996 campaign, contributing to voter dissatisfaction.

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Which of the following was a key promise made by John Howard during the 1996 campaign?

Answer: To retain Medicare and hold a constitutional convention on the republic.

Explanation: A key promise made by John Howard during the 1996 campaign was to retain Medicare and to hold a constitutional convention to discuss the future of Australia as a republic.

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Parliamentary Representation and Key Figures

Future Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Brendan Nelson were unsuccessful candidates in the 1996 election.

Answer: False

Explanation: Future Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Brendan Nelson were successful candidates who entered Parliament at the 1996 Australian federal election.

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After the 1996 election, the Australian Democrats held more Senate seats than the Australian Greens.

Answer: True

Explanation: Following the 1996 election, the Australian Democrats held 7 Senate seats, while the Australian Greens held 2 Senate seats, meaning the Democrats held more seats.

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Labor regained the seats of Canberra and Namadgi in the ACT due to concerns among public servants about potential Liberal government cuts.

Answer: True

Explanation: Labor regained the seats of Canberra and Namadgi in the Australian Capital Territory due to concerns among public servants regarding potential cuts from a future Liberal government.

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Exit polling showed the Coalition performed worse among blue-collar voters in 1996 compared to previous elections.

Answer: False

Explanation: Exit polling indicated the Coalition performed better among blue-collar voters in 1996 compared to previous elections, securing 47% of the vote against Labor's 39%.

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Pauline Hanson won the seat of Oxley as a Liberal Party candidate in the 1996 election.

Answer: False

Explanation: Pauline Hanson won the seat of Oxley as an Independent candidate in the 1996 election. She had been disendorsed by the Liberal Party prior to the election.

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Brian Harradine was the only Independent senator elected in 1996.

Answer: True

Explanation: Brian Harradine was the sole Independent senator holding a seat in the Australian Senate following the 1996 election.

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The Coalition gained a significant number of seats in Queensland, taking almost all of Labor's representation in that state.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Coalition achieved substantial gains in Queensland during the 1996 election, winning all but two of Labor's previous 13 seats in that state.

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Five Independent candidates were elected to the House of Representatives in the 1996 election.

Answer: True

Explanation: Five Independent candidates successfully won seats in the Australian House of Representatives during the 1996 federal election.

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Joe Hockey won the Division of North Sydney from a long-serving Labor member.

Answer: False

Explanation: Joe Hockey won the Division of North Sydney, but he won it from Ted Mack, who was an Independent, not a long-serving Labor member.

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The seat of Murray in Victoria shifted from the National Party to the Liberal Party in the 1996 election.

Answer: True

Explanation: The seat of Murray in Victoria did shift representation in the 1996 election, but it shifted from the National Party to the Liberal Party, indicating an internal Coalition adjustment rather than a gain for an external party.

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Which of the following future Prime Ministers entered Parliament for the first time at the 1996 election?

Answer: Anthony Albanese

Explanation: Future Prime Minister Anthony Albanese entered Parliament for the first time at the 1996 Australian federal election. Tony Abbott had entered Parliament earlier via a by-election in 1994.

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Who were the unsuccessful candidates for future Prime Minister in the 1996 election, according to the source?

Answer: Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard

Explanation: Future Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard were unsuccessful candidates in the 1996 Australian federal election. They were subsequently elected to Parliament in 1998.

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The seats of Isaacs and Bruce in Victoria fell to Labor in 1996 primarily due to what reason?

Answer: Demographic changes resulting from electoral boundary redistribution.

Explanation: The seats of Isaacs and Bruce in Victoria fell to the Australian Labor Party in 1996 primarily due to demographic shifts resulting from electoral boundary redistributions, which altered the voting landscape in those electorates.

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According to exit polling, how did the Coalition perform among Catholic voters in the 1996 election compared to Labor?

Answer: The Coalition secured 48% of the Catholic vote, Labor 37%.

Explanation: According to exit polling from the 1996 election, the Coalition secured 48% of the Catholic vote, while Labor received 37%, indicating a notable shift in support among this demographic.

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Pauline Hanson won the seat of Oxley in 1996 under which circumstances?

Answer: As an Independent after being disendorsed by the Liberal Party.

Explanation: Pauline Hanson won the seat of Oxley in 1996 as an Independent candidate. She had been disendorsed by the Liberal Party prior to the election due to her controversial views.

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