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PRIME MINISTER
8 May 2016
His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret'd)
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
Government House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Your Excellency
I am writing to advise you to exercise your power under section 57 of the Constitution to dissolve both Houses of Parliament simultaneously with effect from 9.00 am on Monday 9th May 2016 to enable an election for both Houses to take place on 2nd July 2016.
The constitutional preconditions for a double dissolution are set out in the paragraph of section 57 of the Constitution which provides:
- If the House of Representatives passes any proposed law, and the Senate rejects or fails to pass it, or passes it with amendments to which the House of Representatives will not agree, and if after an interval of three months the House of Representatives, in the same or the next session, again passes the proposed law with or without any amendments which have been made, suggested, or agreed to by the Senate, and the Senate rejects or fails to pass it, or passes it with amendments to which the House of Representatives will not agree, the Governor-General may dissolve the Senate and the House of Representatives simultaneously. But such dissolution shall not take place within six months before the date of the expiry of the House of Representatives by effluxion of time.
I am able to advise that all conditions for a double dissolution have been met with respect to two parcels of legislation: the Building and Construction Industry (improving Productivity) Bill 2013 and the Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013 ("ABCC Bills") and the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014 ("Registered Organisation Bill").
Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600
Telephone (02) 6277 7700
www.pm.gov.au
