Senate Flicks Switch To "No" Meaning A July 2 Election

Please mark July 2 on your calendar.

Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has been given a so-called "trigger" to call a double dissolution election on July 2 after the senate again voted against its efforts to bring back the construction watchdog (The ABCC).

Stefan Postles / Getty Images

The Government needed six of the crossbench senators to support the bill... but managed to get only four. The bill went down 34 - 36.

Nick Xenophon, David Leyonhjelm, Bob Day and Dio Wang voted in favour, while Labor, the Greens, Glenn Lazarus, John Madigan, Jacqui Lambie and Ricky Muir voted against.

Malcolm Turnbull has previously said a defeat of the ABCC by the "hostile" and "feral" senate meant he'd dissolve both houses of parliament and hold a special election on July 2.

Nikki Short / AAPIMAGE

The PM now has until 11 May, a week after the budget, to use the "trigger" and call an early election.

Under a double dissolution, the full senate as well as the house of representatives is dissolved and every politician needs to be re-elected. (Normally, only half the Senate is up for election.)

Coalition MPs told BuzzFeed News the election will now "definitely" be on July 2, meaning we're at the beginning of a 75 day election campaign.

Christopher Pyne @cpyne

Positive shoppers while supermarketing at Marryatville, Erindale, and Wattle Park supermarkets this morning! #auspol

02:24 AM - 16 Apr 2016

Expect to see a lot more of this.