<section begin="National infobox" /><section end="National infobox" /> The **1946 Australian federal election** was held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the [House of Representatives](https://bliptext.com/articles/australian-house-of-representatives) and 19 of the 36 seats in the [Senate](https://bliptext.com/articles/australian-senate) were up for election. The incumbent [Labor Party](https://bliptext.com/articles/australian-labor-party) led by Prime Minister [Ben Chifley](https://bliptext.com/articles/ben-chifley) defeated the opposition [Liberal–Country coalition](https://bliptext.com/articles/liberal-party-of-australia), led by [Robert Menzies](https://bliptext.com/articles/robert-menzies). It was the [Liberal Party](https://bliptext.com/articles/liberal-party-of-australia)'s first federal election since its creation. This was the first time the Labor party had won a second consecutive election. This was also the last time the Labor party would win a federal election until the [1972 election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1972-australian-federal-election). The election was held in conjunction with [three referendum questions](https://bliptext.com/articles/1946-australian-referendum), one of which was carried.

Results

House of Representatives

[{{legend|#F00011|Labor: 43 seats}} {{legend|#00008B|Liberal: 18 seats}} {{legend|#008000|Country: 11 seats}} {{legend|#E2725B|Lang Labor: 1 seat}} {{legend|#707070|Independent: 1 seat|undefined | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Australian///Federal///Election%2C///1946.svg]

Senate

Seats changing hands