Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2013Q00005:body:0:p11
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2013Q00005
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 25476–28599

Australia...............................       six;
Tasmania.........................................    five;

  Provided that if Western Australia is an Original State, the numbers shall be as follows:—

New South Wales...........................           twenty-six;
Victoria...........................................  twenty-three;
Queensland.....................................      nine;
South Australia...............................       seven;
Western Australia...........................         five;
Tasmania.........................................    five.

27.  Alteration of number of members.

  Subject to this Constitution, the Parliament may make laws for increasing or diminishing the number of the members of the House of Representatives.

28.  Duration of House of Representatives.

  Every House of Representatives shall continue for three years from the first meeting of the House, and no longer, but may be sooner dissolved by the Governor-General.

29.  Electoral divisions.

  Until the Parliament of the Commonwealth otherwise provides, the Parliament of any State may make laws for determining the divisions in each State for which members of the House of Representatives may be chosen, and the number of members to be chosen for each division.  A division shall not be formed out of parts of different States.

  In the absence of other provision, each State shall be one electorate.

30.  Qualification of electors.

  Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the qualification of electors of members of the House of Representatives shall be in each State that which is prescribed by the law of the State as the qualification of electors of the more numerous House of Parliament of the State; but in the choosing of members each elector shall vote only once.

31.  Application of State laws.

  Until the Parliament otherwise provides, but subject to this Constitution, the laws in force in each State for the time being relating to elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State shall, as nearly as practicable, apply to elections in the State of members of the House of Representatives.

32.  Writs for general election.

  The Governor-General in Council may cause writs to be issued for general elections of members of the House of Representatives.

  After the first general election, the writs shall be issued within ten days from the expiry of a House of Representatives or from the proclamation of a dissolution thereof.

33.  Writs for vacancies.

  Whenever a vacancy happens in the House of Representatives, the Speaker shall issue his writ for the election of a new member, or if there is no Speaker or if he is absent from the Commonwealth the Governor-General in Council may issue the writ.

34.  Qualifications of members.

  Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the qualifications of a member of the House of Representatives shall be as follows:—
 (i.) He must be of the full age of twenty-one years, and must be an elector entitled to vote at the election of members of the house of Representatives, or a person qualified to become such