If you work in government relations or advocacy, missing a key political date isn't just an inconvenience - it's a strategic risk. Submission windows close quietly. Senate estimates rounds sneak up. Budget season compresses your timeline to weeks. This calendar is built for GR professionals, in-house government affairs teams, and advocacy organisations who need to see the full picture of Australian political activity at a glance - federal and state, all year round.
Use the filter above to explore by category:
🏛 Parliament sitting weeks Federal parliament sitting dates for both the House of Representatives and the Senate, plus sitting schedules for all state and territory legislatures. Know exactly when decision-makers are in Canberra or at your state parliament — and plan your engagement windows accordingly.
💰 Budget dates The federal budget, MYEFO, and state budget dates for every jurisdiction. Pre-budget submission deadlines, budget estimates hearings, and supplementary estimates rounds are all included so you never miss a window to influence fiscal policy.
📋 Committee hearings and estimates Senate estimates rounds — Additional Estimates, Budget Estimates, and Supplementary Budget Estimates — plus key committee hearings and inquiry deadlines. If you're tracking a policy issue, these are the dates that matter most.
🗳 Elections Federal, state, territory, and by-elections across all Australian jurisdictions. Essential context for understanding the political environment your organisation is operating in.
The Australian political year has a rhythm. Parliament sits in fortnights. Senate estimates follow the budget cycle. State budgets cluster in May and June. By-elections reshape numbers in the crossbench.
For organisations trying to influence policy, this rhythm is the operating environment. The professionals who navigate it most effectively are the ones who can see the full calendar — not just the federal sitting schedule, but the full mosaic of sitting weeks, estimates rounds, budget submissions, and electoral events across all jurisdictions simultaneously.Advoc8 builds tools for exactly this kind of work.
Our platform helps government relations and advocacy teams monitor political activity, manage stakeholder relationships, and demonstrate the impact of their engagement — all in one place.
Parliament sitting weeks The federal parliament sits in scheduled fortnights across the year, typically from February through December with breaks around school holidays. The sitting calendar is set by the Prime Minister's office and published by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. When parliament is sitting, ministers and shadow ministers are in Canberra — making it the optimal time for briefings, meetings, and representations to electorate offices.
Senate estimates Senate estimates hearings are one of the most important accountability mechanisms in the Australian parliament. Held three times a year — Additional Estimates (February), Budget Estimates (May–June), and Supplementary Budget Estimates (October) — they allow senators to question public servants and ministers about government spending and policy. For GR professionals, estimates rounds are critical monitoring windows: agencies are required to answer questions on notice (QoNs), and the transcripts (Hansard) provide a rich source of intelligence on government priorities and program delivery.
The federal budget Traditionally delivered on the second Tuesday in May, the federal budget sets government spending and revenue priorities for the coming financial year. For advocacy organisations, the most important window is the pre-budget submissions process, which typically opens in late January and closes in late January or early February. State and territory budgets follow their own schedules, mostly between May and September.
MYEFO The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) is delivered by the Treasurer in December each year and provides a mid-year update on the budget position. It can include new spending measures and program changes, making it a secondary but significant policy moment.
When does federal parliament sit in 2026? The federal parliament resumes in February 2026 and sits across scheduled fortnights through to December. The sitting calendar is set by the Prime Minister and published on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website. You can track all federal sitting weeks using the calendar above — filter by "Parliament" to see sitting weeks only.
When are Senate estimates in 2026? Senate estimates are held three times in the 2026 parliamentary year: Additional Estimates in February, Budget Estimates in late May and early June (aligned with the federal budget), and Supplementary Budget Estimates in October. Each round runs for approximately one week and covers all Senate legislation committees.
When is the 2026 federal budget? The 2026–27 federal budget is scheduled for May 2026. Pre-budget submissions typically close in late January. The calendar above includes the budget date, pre-budget submissions deadline, and budget estimates hearings so you can plan your engagement across the full budget cycle.
Does this calendar include state parliament sitting dates?Yes — the Advoc8 Political Calendar includes sitting schedules for all Australian state and territory parliaments: NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, and NT. You can see all jurisdictions together or filter to a specific event type.
What is the difference between Budget Estimates and Supplementary Budget Estimates?Budget Estimates hearings (May–June) follow the federal budget and cover the coming financial year's spending. Supplementary Budget Estimates (October–November) allow senators to follow up on matters arising since the budget, including any new spending announced in MYEFO. Both rounds produce questions on notice (QoNs) and Hansard transcripts that are valuable intelligence sources for GR professionals.
