Election Day in Australia

[Aliantha]

So I guess the idea is that if Howard were to miss out on his electorate, someone could step aside from the upper house ticket and he could slide in on that.

That's exactly the way it would work and it is legal, but I agree and don't think he'd bother doing it as the coalition is definitely finished this time round. Had they won overall but Howard lost his seat, I think it would have been possible.