[1] The incumbent Liberal–Country coalition led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies defeated the opposition Labor Party led by Ben Chifley with a modestly reduced majority,[2] and secured a majority in the Senate.

This was the sixth and last federal election prior to the death of George VI a year later.

Realizing this, Menzies sought to call a double dissolution at the first opportunity in hopes of gaining control of both houses.

With close opinion polls and no minor parties having a credible chance of winning a seat, it was feared and forecast that under the new system the Senate would finish deadlocked at 30–30, since the 54.55% majority that either major party required to win a sixth Senate seat from any single state was greater than polling margins,[5][6] and there were proposals for further amendments to Senate voting rules ahead of the election, none of which were passed.

[7] In the end, Queensland and Western Australia elected 6–4 Senator majorities to the Coalition; the other states were tied 5–5.