- FEDERAL
The next House of Representatives election is most likely to be held around October-December 2007. This would be three years since the last election on October 9, 2004.The House does not have a fixed term and could be dissolved at any time before this date.
The term of the House is defined in Section 28 of the Constitution as expiring three years from the first meeting of the House. Following the 2004 election, the House sat for the first time on November 16, 2004. This means that the next dissolution of the House of Representatives must take place by Thursday November 15, 2007.
If the maximum times permitted under the Constitution and the Electoral Act are exploited, the latest possible date for an election is Saturday January 19, 2008. In practice, an election would not be called in January because it would necessitate campaigning over the Christmas-New Year holiday period. No election has ever been held in January. The latest practical date, therefore, is Saturday December 15, 2007.
A half-Senate election must be held sometime between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. Theoretically, a separate Senate election could take place in 2008. The last practical date is Saturday May 24, 2008. In practice, the half-Senate election will take place simultaneously with the House of Representatives election.
- NEW SOUTH WALES
The NSW Legislative Assembly has a fixed 4-year term. Elections are held on the fourth Saturday in March every 4 years. The next election will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2011. - VICTORIA
The Victorian Parliament has fixed 4-year terms for both Houses. Elections are held on the last Saturday in November every 4 years. The next election will be held on Saturday, November 27, 2010. - QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s unicameral Parliament has a 3-year term. The election date is not fixed. The next election is due around September 2009. - SOUTH AUSTRALIA
South Australia’s Parliament has a fixed 4-year term. Elections are held on the third Saturday in March every 4 years. The next election will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010. - WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Western Australia’s Parliament has a 4-year term. The election date is not fixed. The next election is due around February 2009. - TASMANIA
Tasmania’s House of Assembly has a 4-year term. The election date is not fixed. The next election is due around March 2010. - NORTHERN TERRITORY
The unicameral Northern Territory Parliament has a 4-year term. The election date is not fixed but an election cannot be held within the first three years. The next election is due between June 2008 and June 2009. - AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
The unicameral ACT Parliament has a fixed 4-year term. Elections are held on the third Saturday in October every 4 years. The next election will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2008.
