Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced that a double dissolution election will be held on July 2. This decision officially begins the eight-week long election campaign, after Governor General Peter Cosgrove accepted his request. 

Both houses of the Parliament will be dissolved and all of the 150 House of Representatives seats and 76 Senate seats are up for grabs. Turnbull has said he took the move because the Senate has refused to pass legislation.  

The bills relate to the accountability of unions and employer organizations, and to re-establishing the Building and Construction Commission.