Parliament of Victoria - Membership and Elections

Membership and Elections

Today the Houses of Parliament consist of forty Members of the Legislative Council representing eight large multi-member electorates known as regions each of which returns five members; and eighty-eight Members of the Legislative Assembly representing small single-member electorates known as districts. Each electoral region contains eleven electoral districts.

All members of both houses are elected for fixed four year terms. General elections are held on the last Saturday in November every four years with the Parliament expiring on the Tuesday twenty-five days before the election.

Parliament can be dissolved, and a general election called, earlier by the Governor in two exceptional circumstances:

• the Legislative Assembly passes a motion of no confidence in the Government or its ministers, or
• the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly are deadlocked and cannot agree to pass a Bill.

Anyone enrolled to vote in Victoria can stand for election as a candidate or either House, except for:

• a judge of the Victorian Courts,
• a member of the Commonwealth Parliament,
• an undischarged bankrupt, or
• someone convicted of a serious criminal offence.

It is also not permitted to be a member of both houses nor a candidate for election to both houses of Parliament.

The last general election was held on 27 November 2010, the next general election is due on 29 November 2014.

Members of Parliament may be addressed by their name or by using their electorate, for example "The Member for Hawthorn" or "Member for Southern Metropolitan Region", and are entitled to the Post-nominals MLC if a Member of the Legislative Council, and MLA or MP if a Member of the Legislative Assembly. Ministers and former ministers are entitled to the style "The Honourable" (Abbreviated to The Hon.) although some choose not to use it.