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Section Five: The Return of the Writs - Part One

Narration:

Once results are known the Divisional Returning Officer, the senior AEC person in each electorate, declares the poll for their electorate.

When all of the results have been declared, the Electoral Commissioner returns the now completed writs to the Governor General and the process of electing a government for the next three years is over.

However, for the AEC, the job is not yet finished. Funding entitlements must be distributed to parties and candidates, the entire election event analysed and a detailed report given to the Federal Parliament. Meanwhile the complex business of planning for the next election will already be under way.

Questions:

This is the final stage of the election process. Can the students give a summary of the stages of the election?

Whilst the Commonwealth Parliamentary term must be not more than three years long, it is not a fixed term, which means that there are circumstances where the Prime Minister can call an early election. What might these be? What it means for the AEC is that it must always be in a state of readiness.

Monies paid to the elected candidates after the election runs into the millions.

Why do taxpayers provide funds for election campaigns?