Talk:2016 Australian federal election/FullInfobox

The next Australian federal election will elect members of the 45th Parliament of Australia. The election will be called following the dissolution or expiry of the 44th Parliament. It must be held on or before 14 January 2017.

Australia has compulsory voting, uses full-preference instant-runoff voting in single member seats for the lower house, the Australian House of Representatives, and single transferable vote group voting tickets in the proportionally represented upper house, the Australian Senate.

Date
The last federal election was held on 7 September 2013, and the 44th Parliament of Australia opened on 12 November 2013. Although a House-only election can be called at any time during the parliamentary term, writs for a half-Senate election cannot be issued earlier than 1 July 2016. Since election campaigns run for a minimum of 33 days, the earliest date for a normal House and half-Senate election is 6 August 2016.

The last date on which the next election can be held is 14 January 2017, which is calculated under provisions of the Constitution of Australia and the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (CEA), as follows:


 * Section 12 of the Constitution says: "The Governor of any State may cause writs to be issued for the election of Senators for that State"
 * Section 13 of the Constitution  provides that the election of Senators shall be held in the period of twelve months before the places become vacant.
 * Section 28 of the Constitution says: "Every House of Representatives shall continue for three years from the first sitting of the House, and no longer, but may be sooner dissolved by the Governor-General." Since the 44th Parliament of Australia opened on 12 November 2013, it will expire on 11 November 2016.
 * Section 32 of the Constitution says: "The writs shall be issued within ten days from the expiry of a House of Representatives or from the proclamation of a dissolution thereof." Ten days after 11 November 2016 is 21 November 2016.
 * Section 156 (1) of the CEA says: "The date fixed for the nomination of the candidates shall not be less than 10 days nor more than 27 days after the date of the writ". Twenty-seven days after 21 November 2016 is 18 December 2016.
 * Section 157 of the CEA says: "The date fixed for the polling shall not be less than 23 days nor more than 31 days after the date of nomination". Thirty-one days after 18 December 2016 is 18 January 2017, a Wednesday.
 * Section 158 of the CEA says: "The day fixed for the polling shall be a Saturday". The Saturday before 18 January 2017 is 14 January 2017. This is therefore the latest possible date for the election. However, it is unlikely that the election would be held this late, as schools would be closed for summer holidays at this time.  Governments tend to avoid holding elections during school holidays, since schools are often used as polling places.

The last possible date for a double dissolution is 16 July 2016.

Background
The Coalition won the 2013 federal election with 90 of 150 lower house seats on a 17-seat 3.6-point two-party swing, defeating the six-year Labor government. Labor holds 55 seats while crossbenchers hold the remaining five.

The Abbott Government was sworn into office on 18 September 2013.

Kevin Rudd resigned as leader of the Australian Labor Party following the defeat of the party. Chris Bowen was the interim leader of the Labor Party in the lead-up to a leadership election. Two candidates, Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten, declared their candidacy for the Labor leadership, with Shorten declared the winner on 13 October 2013.

On 22 November 2013 Kevin Rudd resigned from parliament after 15 years, triggering a by-election in the seat of Griffith. Terri Butler retained the seat for Labor.

As a result of lost ballot papers, on 18 February 2014 the High Court of Australia, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns, ordered a new half-Senate election for Western Australia, which took place on Saturday 5 April 2014.

Senator John Madigan resigned from the DLP and became an independent Senator in September 2014, citing long-term internal party tensions.

On 13 November 2014, the Australian Electoral Commission announced that a redistribution of electoral boundaries in the states of New South Wales and Western Australia would be undertaken before the next election. A determination of the states' membership entitlements under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 means that Western Australia's entitlement will increase from 15 to 16 seats, and New South Wales' will decrease from 48 to 47 seats. A redistribution will also occur in the Australian Capital Territory, as seven years have elapsed since the last time the ACT's boundaries were reviewed.

Retiring MPs and senators
Members and senators who have chosen not to renominate are as follows:

Labor

 * Alan Griffin MP (Bruce, VIC) – announced retirement 10 February 2015
 * Bernie Ripoll MP (Oxley, QLD) – announced retirement 14 April 2015
 * Senator Joe Ludwig (Qld) – announced retirement 9 March 2015
 * Senator Jan McLucas (Qld) – announced retirement 5 April 2015

Graphical summary