Terms of Members of Parliament / Council

  Parliaments and Local Councils Terms of Members of Parliament / Council
Commonwealth

Head of State
Governor-general
Leader of Government
Prime Minister
Senate State Senators: 6 years;half retire every 3 years. Territory Senators: Same as House of Representatives i.e., up to 3 years.
House of Representatives Up to 3 years
New South Wales

Head of State
Governor
Leader of Government
Premier
Legislative Council Members elected for the duration of 2 Parliaments with 21 members retiring at elections held at the same time as general elections for the Legislative Assembly.
Legislative Assembly 4-year. Fixed March
Local Councils 4-years (fixed September)
Victoria

Head of State
Governor
Leader of Government
Premier
Legislative Council 2 terms of the Legislative Assembly, (half the members of the legislative Council retire at each Legislative Assembly election on a rotating basis).
Legislative Assembly Minimum 3 years, maximum 4 years.
Local Councils 3 years
Queensland

Head of State
Governor
Leader of Government
Premier
(Legislative Council abolished 1922)
Legislative Assembly
Up to 3 years.
Local Councils 3 years (fixed March).
Western Australia

Head of State
Governor
Leader of Government
Premier
Legislative Council 4 year fixed term
Legislative Assembly Up to 4 years.
Local Councils Half the Councillors of each Council are elected every 2 years for 4 year terms.
South Australia

Head of State
Governor
Leader of Government
Premier
Legislative Council 6 to 8 years.
House of Assembly Minimum 3 years, maximum 4 years.
Local Councils Elections held every 3 years. Voting closes on first business day after the second Saturday in May.
Tasmania

Head of State
Governor
Leader of Government
Premier
Legislative Council 6 years with 3 or 2 Members elected in alternate years, i.e. a periodical cycle of elections.
Elections are held on the 1st Saturday in May each year.
House of Assembly Up to 4 years.
Local Councils Half the Councillors of each Council are elected every 2 years for 4 year terms.
Northern Territory

Head of State
Administrator
Leader of Government
Chief Minister
Legislative Assembly 4 years.
Municipal Councils Municipal elections are held on the last Saturday in May every 4 years (each leap year, including the year 2000).
Local Councils 1 to 4 years. Provisions are listed in each Community Government Scheme.
Australian Capital Territory

Head of State
Governor-general (the Governor-general has certain reserve powers and can disallow legislation, recommend amendments to legislation and under extreme circumstance dissolve the Assembly.)
Leader of Government
Chief Minister (The Chief Minister is elected by the Assembly and exercises a number of powers normally exercised by a Governor
including appointment of Ministers and
signing law into effect.)
Legislative Assembly 3-year fixed term. Elections held on 3rd Saturday in October. Next Election due 20 October 2001.

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