Return of the 2022 Queensland Senate Election Writ

Today, Australian Electoral Officer and State Manager Queensland and Northern Territory, Australian Electoral Commission, Ms. Stephanie Attard, returned the completed Queensland Senate Election Writ to the Governor, with the names of the six elected Queensland Senators in the recent Federal Election.

Her Excellency received the Writ and signed the Certificate of Results, completing an important constitutional duty which marks the final step of the 2022 Queensland Senate Election process.

Having state Governors sign writs for the election of federal senators is one way of reinforcing that the Senate is, as it has been historically regarded, the 'State’s House' – a powerful Upper House of the bicameral federal parliament where each state of the Australian federation is ensured equal representation.  

In practice, once the Governor-General has accepted the advice of a Prime Minister in seeking an election, the Governor-General writes to each state Governor, inviting them to adopt a suggested date.

Governors are provided advice through Executive Council, which is a body comprised of the Premier and Ministers which gives legal authority to certain decisions, that the suggested date is agreeable, and upon that advice, the Governor signs the writ (see s 3 Senate Elections Act 1960 (legislation.qld.gov.au)).

Therefore, while in practice senate elections are ultimately under the control of each state, removing them from control of the federal government, they invariably take place at the same time as elections for the House of Representatives (the Lower House), the writs for which are issued by the Governor-General.