What a double dissolution means for you

EVENTS in Canberra today could see Australians going to the polls as soon as July 2. We step you through what it all means.

EVENTS today in Canberra might not mean much to many voters — but the upshot of this morning’s announcement by Prime Minister Turnbull could mean Australians will have to go to the polls as soon as July 2. We step you through what it all means.

What are the ABCC and Registered Organisation Bills and why are they important?

The Australian Building and Construction Commission Bill proposes the reintroduction of a building industry watchdog. The commission was abolished in 2012 under Julia Gillard’s Labor Government, when current Labor leader Bill Shorten was Workplace Relations Minister. The Government argues that the commission is needed for greater oversight of the building industry, in the wake of the findings critical of building and construction union practices in the Trade Union Royal Commission.

The Registered Organisations bill promises to increase accountability of registered organisations such as unions. It will create a Registered Organisations Commission to monitor registered organisations with investigation and information gathering powers. Registered organisations will also have more reporting requirements around their finances and the interests of officeholders.

Both bills strike to the heart of Labor’s powerbase in Australia and will burden their affiliated unions with transparency requirements and subject them to greater independent oversight, including the use of coercive questioning.

The ABCC bill remains the primary trigger because the Government believes those reforms will deliver significant economic benefits.

How many extra votes does the government need to get the ABCC bill through the Senate?

The government parties hold 33 of the 76 seats in the Senate. Labor (25 seats) and the Greens (10 seats) are strongly opposed to the ABCC bill.

That means the Government needs the support of at least six of the independent and micro-party senators to get the bill through.

At the moment, the only crossbench Senator it can count on is SA Family First member Bob Day.

The two possible outcomes

Like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel, more than one ending is possible

Scenario one: The Senate continues to block the Australian Building and Construction Commission and Registered Organisations Bills. A double dissolution election is held on July 2 for the House of Representatives and all the Senate seats. Under new voting laws, most crossbench senators are likely to lose their seats

Scenario two: The Senate has a change of heart and passes the Australian Building and Construction Commission and Registered Organisations Bills. A “normal’’ election for the House of Representatives and half the Senate will be held later in the year. The Senate crossbenchers elected to six-year terms in 2013 don’t have to face re-election until 2018 or 2019.

What is a double dissolution election?

In Australia, members of the House of Representatives and senators representing territories are elected to terms of up to three years. Senators representing states are elected to six-year terms. Most federal elections are for the House of Representatives and half the Senate.

If the Senate twice fails to pass a proposed law or Bill, which has been passed by the House, Section 5 of the Constitution states that a double dissolution election can be held for all House and Senate positions.

After the election, if the new Senate again refuses to pass the “trigger’’ Bills, a joint sitting of both Houses can be held to resolve the deadlock.

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Timeline to a double dissolution election

March 21 — Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visits Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and advises him to recall both Houses of Parliament for three weeks from April 18.

April 18 — Parliament resumes. Senate to debate Australian Building and Construction Commission and Registered Organisation Bills.

May 3 — Rescheduled Budget Day.

May 5 — Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s official reply to the Budget.

May 10 or 11 — Unless ABCC Bills and registered organisation Bills have been passed by the Senate, the Governor-General is advised to dissolve both Houses of Parliament. Writs issued for July 2 double dissolution election.

Previous double dissolutions

There have only been six double dissolutions since Australia federated in 1901.

1914 — Liberal Prime Minister Joseph Cook lost the election.

1951 — Sir Robert Menzies’ Liberal/Country Party Coalition Government was re-elected and won majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

1974 — Gough Whitlam’s Labor Government was re-elected. The Senate continued to block trigger Bills. A joint sitting of both Houses was held and the Bills were passed.

1975 — Australia was plunged into a constitutional crisis when Governor-General Sir John Kerr sacked the Whitlam after the Senate blocked the supply Bills the government relies on for funding.

Sir John installed Liberal Leader Malcolm Fraser as caretaker Prime Minister and a double dissolution election was called. Mr Fraser won the election and the trigger Bills used to justify the election were not proceeded with.

1983 — Malcolm Fraser’s Coalition government was defeated at the election.

1987 — Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke called a double dissolution after the Senate blocked a proposal for a national identity card, to be known as the Australia Card. Mr Hawke won the election but plans for the Australia Card were abandoned.