Cannabis or Coal? The Topics Shaping Australia’s Election

The Greens are expected to keep their seats, while smaller parties like One Nation and Clive Palmer’s party are likely to win some seats as well.

A general view of the coal-fired Tarong Power Station in regional Queensland, Australia on Jan. 18, 2025. Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

Weed smokers, anti-wokers, and coal cokers could all have a seat at one of the nation’s top tables as the Senate serves up a menu of unpredictable combinations.

As pundits posit over who will form government in the lower house, battle lines in the upper house could ultimately determine which policies become a reality.