Page "1975 Australian constitutional crisis" Paragraph 21

On 10 October, the High Court ruled that the act passed at the joint sitting that gave the Australian Capital Territory ( ACT ) and the Northern Territory two senators each was valid.

A half-Senate election needed to be held by June 1976 ; most senators-elect would take their seats on 1 July but the territorial senators, and those filling Field's and Bunton's seats would take their places at once.

The ruling meant that it was possible for the ALP to gain a temporary majority in the Senate, at least until 1 July 1976.

To do so, the ALP would have to win Field's and Bunton's seats, and one seat in each territory, and have the second ACT seat fall to either a Labor candidate or an independent, former Liberal Prime Minister John Gorton, now estranged from his party.

If this happened, Labor would have an effective 33 – 31 margin, would be able to pass supply if that was still an issue, and also could pass electoral redistribution laws ( which had been passed by the House, though twice defeated by the Senate ) that would give it an advantage at the next election.