Australia should follow New Zealand and have six months’ notice of election date

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced that New Zealand’s next general election will be held on 7 November 2026.

Mr Luxon said he is setting the date with more than nine months notice “to give New Zealanders certainty”.

Marty Gray from 4 Year Terms Australia said Australian Prime Ministers should follow New Zealand’s lead and set the election date with at least six months notice.

“Australian Prime Ministers usually announce election dates with the bare minimum notice required of around five weeks,” Mr Gray said. “That leaves voters, businesses, public servants and candidates scrambling, and is one of the reasons Australia’s GDP falls during election years.”

“Setting the election date early provides certainty, allows better planning, and makes elections fairer and cheaper to run.”

“Australia has a long tradition of taking popular things from New Zealand and pretending they are ours. Phar Lap, Crowded House and Lamingtons to name a few. Setting the election date early should be the next thing we copy from the Kiwis.”

The Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, featuring Jerome Laxale, Monique Ryan, Richard Colbeck and Steph Hodgins-May, is running an inquiry looking into parliamentary term lengths and fixed election dates.

“As a first step, this Committee could to recommend that future federal election dates be announced at least six months in advance.”

More information  can be found on a shameless plug of 4 Year Terms Australia’s recent appearance on The Dispatch Box Podcast by Amplieo.