Dual Mandate - Australia

Australia

Dual mandates are rare in Australia. It is illegal to be a member of any state parliament and the Australian parliament simultaneously. A member of a state parliament seeking federal office must resign before seeking election to the Federal Parliament. It is possible, but unusual, to be a member of a local government and another parliament.

Since 2004 Clover Moore has been both the independent member for Sydney in the NSW Parliament and the Lord Mayor of Sydney. The issue of Moore holding both positions has brought the issue to the forefront in Australia and has led the premier of New South Wales in 2012 to propose a new law, dubbed in the media as the "Get Clover bill", which would ban this dual office. If the law passes, it will force Moore and a number of other local Councillors who also hold state office to resign.

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