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House of Representatives                                Ch 2                                                 p 58

Caretaker convention

By convention, Governments ensure that important decisions are not made during the period immediately prior to a general election which would bind an incoming Government. The convention requires a Government to avoid implementing major policy initiatives, making appointments of significance or entering into major contracts or undertakings during the caretaker period, and also to avoid involving departmental employees in election activities. Ministry, Cabinet or Cabinet committees may meet, if necessary, for the normal business of Government, but the matters considered are constrained by the convention. Normally efforts are made to clear necessary business prior to the caretaker period. The ‘caretaker’ period applies formally from the dissolution of the House until the election results are clear, or in the event of a change of Government, until the new Government is appointed. However, it is also accepted that care should be exercised in the period between the announcement of the election and dissolution. ¹

Cabinet handbook , 5th edn, Canberra, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2000, pp. 37-8.