If the Opposition won the majority in the Senate, would they sit on the right of the President?

A man in a suit stands at a table and is speaking in a red room. A woman and a man in dark suits also sit at the table.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.

Paul Furness/DPS Auspic

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.

A man in a suit stands at a table and is speaking in a red room. A woman and a man in dark suits also sit at the table.

Paul Furness/DPS Auspic

Description

This photo shows the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate speaking in the Senate. 

Permission should be sought from DPS AUSPIC for third-party or commercial uses of this image. To contact DPS AUSPIC email: auspic@aph.gov.au or phone: 02 6277 3342.

Thanks for your question.

As you know, at a federal election the party or coalition of parties with the support of the majority of members elected to the House of Representatives becomes the Australian Government. That team will sit to the right of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the right of the President of the Senate. So even if the opposition had a majority in the Senate they would still sit to the left of the President because they wouldn't be the government.