▁Pol ling ▁Day : ▁ 2 4 ▁November ▁ ▁Territ ory ▁sen ators ▁begin ▁their ▁terms : ▁ 2 4 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁ ▁Return ▁of ▁writ s : ▁ 2 1 ▁December ▁▁ ▁First ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 2 nd ▁Parliament : ▁ 1 2 ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁ ▁New ▁state ▁sen ators ▁begin ▁their ▁terms : ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁prov isions ▁of ▁the ▁Constitution , ▁the ▁current ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁may ▁continue ▁for ▁a ▁maximum ▁of ▁three ▁years ▁from ▁the ▁first ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁after ▁the ▁previous ▁federal ▁election . ▁The ▁first ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 1 st ▁Parliament ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁election ▁was ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁hence ▁the ▁parliament ▁would ▁have ▁exp ired ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁had ▁it ▁not ▁been ▁dissol ved ▁earlier . ▁There ▁must ▁be ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁ 3 3 ▁days ▁and ▁a ▁maximum ▁of ▁ 6 8 ▁days ▁between ▁the ▁dissol ution ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁and ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁election . ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Howard ▁opt ed ▁for ▁a ▁ 3 9 - day ▁campaign . ▁ ▁The ▁prime ▁minister ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁cho oses ▁the ▁election ▁date ▁and ▁requests ▁the ▁governor - general ▁to ▁dissol ve ▁the ▁House ▁and ▁issue ▁the ▁writ s ▁for ▁the ▁election . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁October , ▁John ▁Howard ▁gained ▁the