What is the length of a federal parliament's term between elections?

• A. Two years
• B. Four years
• C. Three years
• D. Five years

Answer: (C)

Three years. The Australian Constitution sets the maximum time between general elections for the House of Representatives at three years from when Parliament first sits after an election. Governments can shorten that by advising a dissolution and calling an earlier election, so the actual period is typically up to three years, not longer. The Senate has its own six-year terms with half elected every three years, but the period most often referenced for the term between federal elections is three years for the lower house, which is what determines how often Australians vote for the federal government.