Australia appears set for a double-dissolution federal election on July 2 after the governments bill to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission failed to pass the Senate - again.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull appears to have built his governments electoral strategy on contesting a double-dissolution election. Section 57 of the Constitution allows the governor-general to dissolve both the House of Representatives and the Senate and hold fresh elections if the Senate twice rejects a bill.
This, according to Westminster tradition, can only be done if the prime minister advises the governor-general to do so.
If the government is returned after winning the subsequent election (and the houses disagree again on the same bill), a joint sitting of both houses may be held to resolve the matter.
Unlike the House of Representatives, in which all seats are up for election, only half of the 12 senators from each state are up for election at a normal poll. At a double-dissolution election, however, all 12 senators are up for election from each state.
