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3 April 1907 | 29 July 1977

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Commonwealth documents
Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act
Amendment to Section 13, page 5


Amendments
After the Referendum on 12 December 1906, the Constitution Alteration (Senate Elections) Act 1906 (enacted on 3 April 1907) made the following alterations to the provision for the rotation of Senators:


13. As soon as may be after the Senate first meets, and after each first meeting of the Senate following a dissolution thereof, the Senate shall divide the senators chosen for each State into two classes, as nearly equal in number as practicable; and the places of the senators of the first class shall become vacant at the expiration of the third year three years, and the places of those of the second class at the expiration of the sixth year six years, from the beginning of their term of service; and afterwards the places of senators shall become vacant at the expiration of six years from the beginning of their term of service.

The election to fill vacant places shall be made in the year at the expiration of which within one year before the places are to become vacant.

For the purposes of this section the term of service of a senator shall be taken to begin on the first day of January July following the day of his election, except in the cases of the first election and of the election next after any dissolution of the Senate, when it shall be taken to begin on the first day of January July preceding the day of his election.


(Section 15 on this page was amended in 1977)

Source: Constitution Alteration (Senate Elections) Act 1906 (No. 1 of 1907). (NAA: A1559/1, 1/1907)
Effect
The minor changes to the wording of Section 13 adjust the timing of Senate elections and the date on which Senators commence their terms of office.

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