August 7 election (1 Viewer)

B

Bambul

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[Basic info - skip to important bit if you want]

Just a little bit of info for those not 100% on parliment proceedings. The House of Reps and Senate sit for 4 days a week (Mon-Thu) on sitting weeks. It usually starts at about 10:00AM or 12:00PM and goes on until 6:00PM or 8:00PM. Sometimes on the Thursday it goes on for a few extra hours in order to squeeze in a few extra things if they are not comming back the next week (as it sits for 2 weeks and then not for 2 weeks, sits for 2 weeks, etc). If it is before a holiday then they might stay until Friday morning, and this is quite common.

[Important bit]
But the House and Senate are still sitting as I write this (10:00AM Saturday morning). That is the Thursday session that has continued through Thursday night, through Friday, through Friday night and is still there. This has only ever happened 4 times.

Why is this significant? It would only be done if the governent wants to pass as much legislation as possible. Before they take a break.

And why is that significant? The earliest date an election can be held is August 7. If it is held on that date parliment will not sit until after the election, which will be a Labor government if the Liberals lose. This would be very unlikely to happen if there was not going to be an election in 6 weeks.

There has been a lot of hints and suggestions towards an August 7 election. But this is the best evidence so far.

So sometime between this comming Thursday and the Monday after it is very probable that an election will be called (my guess in Sunday afternoon).
 
G

Generator

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Hmmm...

Bah, I was looking forward to watching question time over the break. I really should read into how the system operates. Thanks for the insights.
 
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Josie

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Nooooooooooooooooooooooo must vote! Argh, dammit, no early election.
 
B

Blackalicious

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Originally posted by Josie
Nooooooooooooooooooooooo must vote! Argh, dammit, no early election.
Click to expand...
I know, damn them for calling an early election. I want to Vote!
 
lengstar

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ffs why does it have to be on my birthday?
 
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Well that was just too long!!!

I want them to have it later in the year, so I can vote!!
 
B

Bambul

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The parliment sits for 3 whole days, but each house takes breaks to sleep. So the House will sit, then they will send their bills to the senate and take a break. After the senate has finished debating, amending and passing bills they clock off and the house of reps comes back.

Originally posted by TheBirdMustFly
kool thanks for the info where did u find this?
U can also John Howard has begun campaigning coz he gave that 600 per child to families.
Click to expand...
Ross Gittins wrote an interesting article on this. His argument goes that there have been a lot of payments because that way they fall into the 2003/04 year and don't reduce the bottom line on the 2004/05 budget. The same was done in 2001 and the election was held as late as possible (the last or second last week an election could be called).

Of course, the situation was different in 2001 and we can't go back and see what would have happened if events had occured differently, nor do we know 100% what will happen this year.
 
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