The federal election is, with campaigns underway from both Australian major parties.
With a term only lasting three years, incumbent governments have a short period to achieve their agenda before the next election.
So why does Australia have shorter parliamentary terms than other countries such as the United States and Germany?
Why does Australia have three-year terms?
In 1901, at federation, the constitution established the Australian parliament.
The view then was that three years was the optimal term to create consistency with the existing colonial parliaments of each jurisdiction.
While every state and territory now has four-year election cycles, the federal calendar remains unchanged.
How long is a term for prime minister?
Prime ministers generally serve the full length of their three-year term unless they lose the majority of the House or are replaced as the leader of their party. There is no fixed number of terms a person can serve as prime minister.
Sir Robert Menzies was the longest-serving prime minister of Australia and held office for 18 years — from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1966.
How long is a term for the Senate?
Senators have longer terms, and are up for election over six years, or two election cycles.
The difference in the terms of senators and members of House of Representatives reflects the distinctions between them.
Senators represent the whole of their state, a much larger number of people than members of the House of Representatives.
A six-year term gives them more time to work for the people they represent.
How long are terms in other countries?
Among 186 nations with active legislatures, just over half have five-year terms, and 40 per cent have four-year terms according to the Parliament of Australia website.
Only six have three-year terms including Australia, El Salvador and New Zealand.
Is there support for longer or shorter terms?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton have expressed support for changing Australia’s three-year parliamentary terms to four years.
However, voters appear ambivalent on the proposal, with a March Newspoll showing 51 per cent support for the idea with 37 per cent against.
If the government wanted to change the term length, it would require a referendum, which takes support from a majority of Australians in a majority of states to pass.
