The purpose of a double dissolution in Australia is to break a deadlock between the House of Representatives and the Senate on the passage of legislation. If a bill is rejected by the Senate but is an important part of the government's agenda, the Prime Minister can request the Governor-General to dissolve both houses of the parliament. This leads to a general election being held for all seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The purpose is to provide an opportunity for the Australian public to resolve the deadlock by electing new representatives and potentially giving the government a majority in both houses.
