The case for a four-year federal parliamentary term
Our three-year terms keep leaders stuck in campaign mode. It’s time to give governments a full four years to govern.
In a recent speech to the UK Labour Party conference, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that Australia will head to the polls twice during the first term of his British counterpart, Keir Starmer.
Perhaps said with a touch of professional envy, the remark highlighted a serious problem: Australia’s federal election cycle is too short.
Australia is one of only eight countries with a parliamentary term of three years or less. Our prime minister also decides when elections are held, rather than having a fixed date. In practice, this means a federal election campaign every two years and eight months on average.
Our short and unfixed terms keep governments in near-permanent campaign mode. Ministers turn over too quickly for policies to stick, and long-term reforms are often abandoned in the lead-up to elections. Economic growth declines in election years as businesses and the public service delay investments amid speculation over timing.
