Information about the 44th Parliament

Federal Election – Saturday 7 September 2013

A general election for the House of Representatives and half of the Senate was held on Saturday, 7 September 2013. For information about the general election, visit the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website.

When will details of newly elected Members be available?

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has declared the result in all electorates except for Fairfax (Qld) where a recount is underway. Read more about the recount on the AEC website.

Information for all Members, including newly-elected Members, has now been updated on the Members pages.

When will details of newly elected Senators be available?

The Australian Electoral Commission has declared the result in all states and territories except for Western Australia which has been deferred. Read more about the declaration of the Western Australia Senate poll on the AEC website.

Senators for the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory will be sworn in on the first day of the 44th Parliament. Senators elected for the States will commence their term after 1 July 2014.

Parliamentary Committees

Upon dissolution of the House, House committees and joint committees established by Act or resolution cease to exist.

Upon prorogation, while the sittings of the Senate are terminated, Senate committees may still operate.

Caretaker government

After the House is dissolved, the government becomes a caretaker government and, by convention, does not make major decisions, except in consultation with the opposition.

For more information on government guidelines and procedures, including on the Caretaker conventions, visit the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet website.

When will the Parliament sit again?

When the results of a general election have been determined the Electoral Commissioner certifies on the writs (formal documents ordering the election) the name of the successful candidate for each electoral division and returns the writs to the Governor-General, who in turn forwards them to the Clerk of the House.

The time and date for the new Parliament to assemble is fixed by the Governor-General by proclamation (a form of legal instrument), acting on the advice of the Government. The Parliament may meet as soon as the writs have been returned and, under the Constitution, it must meet no later than 30 days after the last day appointed for the return of the writs.