3BMeaning of regulated period: general election

1. In this Act, regulated period, in relation to a general election, has the meaning given to it by—

2. subsections (2) and (3), if the Prime Minister gives public notice of the day that is to be polling day for the general election and that day is not subsequently changed to a later day; and
3. subsection (4), if the Prime Minister gives public notice of the day that is to be polling day for the general election and that day is subsequently changed to a later day.

4. If before the close of the default day the Prime Minister gives public notice of the day that is to be polling day for the election, the regulated period—

5. commences on the later of the following days:
   1. the day after the date on which the Prime Minister gives that public notice:
   2. the day that is 3 months before polling day; and
6. ends with the close of the day before polling day.

7. If at the close of the default day the Prime Minister has not given public notice of the day that is to be polling day for the election, the regulated period—

8. commences on the close of the default day; and
9. ends with the close of the day before polling day.

10. If at any time after giving public notice of the day that is to be polling day (day A) the Prime Minister gives public notice that day A is changed to a later day (day B), the regulated period is the shorter of the following periods:

11. the period—
    1. commencing on the day after the date on which the Prime Minister gives public notice of day B; and
    2. ending on the close of the day before day B; and
12. the period—
    1. commencing 3 months before day B; and
    2. ending on the close of the day before day B.

13. In this section,—

    default day means the day that is 2 years and 9 months after the polling day for the preceding general election

    give public notice means issue a media statement.