Dissolution of parliament

In parliamentary and some semi-presidential systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.

Usually a legislature in such a system must be dissolved on the expiration of a constitutionally specified term. Early dissolutions are allowed in many jurisdictions.

The House of Representatives, but not the Senate, can be dissolved at any time by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister. The term of the House expires 3 years after its first meeting if not dissolved earlier. The Governor-General can dissolve the Senate only when the double dissolution provisions are invoked, in which case the House of Representatives is also dissolved at the same time. There is a convention that the Governor-General only orders a dissolution on the advice of the Prime Minister. This convention was broken in 1975, resulting in a very serious constitutional crisis in Australia, when the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, controversially exercised his reserve powers and dismissed the Federal majority government of Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.

Unlike the Commonwealth Parliament, the Premier and Governor of Victoria have very little discretion in dissolving the Victorian Parliament. Both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council are dissolved automatically twenty-five days before the last Saturday in November every four years. However, the Governor can dissolve the Legislative Assembly if a motion of no confidence in the Premier and the other Ministers of State is passed and no motion of confidence is passed within the next week. Finally, the Premier can advise the Governor to dissolve both houses in the case of a deadlocked bill.

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