Structure and function of parliament

+

Structure and Function

of Parliament

Victorian and Commonwealth

Senate

Legislative

Council

House of

Representatives

Legislative

Assembly

Governor-

general

Governor

+The Australian Parliamentary

System

Constitutional Monarchy

Monarch (Queen of UK)

Commonwealth Constitution (Commonwealth Constitutional Act 1900 (UK))

Representative democracy

Political government carried out by elected representatives of the people

Federation of states

The Commonwealth Parliament

Six state parliaments

Two territory parliamentsCommonwealth

+Bicameral system – two houses of

parliament

Bicameral System

Upper House

Lower House

Commonwealth and all state parliaments excluding QLD and the

territories operate on a bicameral system

+Structure of Commonwealth

Parliament

Commonwealth Parliament

Queens Representative

Governor-general

Upper House

Senate

Lower House

House of Representatives

+Structure of House of

Representatives (Lower House)

150 members of the House

Elected every 3 years

Each member represents a

division of Australia

Majority of the House forms

government

+Role of House of Representatives

(Lower House)

Initiates and makes laws

Determines the government (majority forms

government)

Provides responsible government

Represents the people (acts as a people’s

house)

Politicises and scrutinises government

administration

Controls government expenditure

+Structure of Senate (Upper House)

76 Senators

Elected every 6 years (half

elected every 3 years)

Each member represents a

state or territory

Each state has 12 Senators

Each territory has 2 Senators

+Role of the Senate (Upper House)

Initiates and passes Bills (other than

money Bills)

Represents the states (acts as a

states’ house)

Acts as a house of review

Scrutinises legislation (checks all Bills

and delegated legislation)

Operates as a check on government

+Role of the Crown (Governor-

general)

Gives or withholds royal assent to Bills

Appoints an executive council

Federal level: made up of prime minister and senior ministers

State level: premier and senior ministers

Can make delegated legislation

Has reserve powers

Power to appoint or dismiss a premier/prime minister or minister

Power to dissolve the lower house

+Structure of the Victorian Parliament

Victorian Parliament

Queen’s Representative

Governor

Upper House

Legislative Council

Lower House

Legislative Assembly

+Structure of Legislative Assembly

(Lower House)

88 members

Elected every 4 years

Each member represents a district of Victoria

Majority forms government

+Role of Legislative Assembly (Lower

House)

Initiates and makes laws

Determines the government

Represents the people of Victoria

Provides responsible

government

+Structure of Legislative Council

(Upper House)

40 members

Elected every 4 years

Each member represents a region of Victoria

8 regions in Victoria

5 members per region

+Role of Legislative Council (Upper

House

Initiates and passes Bills (other than money Bills)

Represents the regions of Victoria

Acts as a house of review

Scrutinises legislation

Operates as a check on government

+Role of the Crown (Governor)

Gives or withholds royal assent to Bills

Appoints an executive council

Federal level: made up of prime minister and

senior ministers

State level: premier and senior ministers

Can make delegated legislation

Has reserve powers

Power to appoint or dismiss a premier/prime

minister or minister

Power to dissolve the lower house