One Nation’s performance in the South Australian election has been rightly identified as a significant moment in Australian politics. Since the end of the second world war, the Labor and the coalition between the Liberal and National parties have dominated national and state parliaments.

Last weekend’s result indicates the major political forces, especially the Coalition, have a lot of work to do to convince voters to support them in forthcoming electoral contests.

But while Australian electoral appetites and political conditions have changed, there’s no doubt the parties have too.

Minor party success: a long time coming

There have been signs Australians have been tempted to support non-major parties over recent decades. In the Senate, the emergence of the Australian Democrats in the aftermath of the Whitlam dismissal signalled that the domination of the major parties was under threat. Since then, parties including the Australian Greens, One Nation and the Jacqui Lambie Network have held seats in the chamber.

While their victories have been aided by the voting system used in the Senate, the voting patterns of Australians has been clear. In 1993, 86.5% of Australians voted for a major party in the Senate. In 2025 it was just 64.8%.

The number of Australians voting for a non-major party candidate has also been growing in the House of Representatives, a chamber in which minor........

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