Malcolm Rivera
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, also known as the Federal Parliament, is the federal legislature of Australia. It was established at the Federation on 1 January 1901 and is made up of three elements: the monarch/king of Australia (represented by the governor-general), the Senate (the upper house), and the House of Representatives (the lower house). The principal function of the Parliament is to pass laws, or legislation, and it also performs other functions like discussing matters of public importance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of components | 3 (the monarch/king, the Senate, and the House of Representatives) |
| Monarch's role | Shares law-making powers of the Commonwealth with the Senate and House of Representatives |
| Royal Assent | Required for a bill to become an act and part of the law |
| Number of senators | 76 |
| Number of members in the House of Representatives | 150 |
| Legislative power | Limited to that granted in the Constitution; powers not specified are considered "residual powers" and remain the domain of the states |
| Powers of the Commonwealth | Taxation, external affairs, defence, and marriage |
| Additional functions | Discussing urgency motions or matters of public importance, providing a forum for debates on public policy matters, scrutinising the work of the government |
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What You'll Learn
The monarch, Senate and House of Representatives
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Federal Parliament or the Parliament of the Commonwealth, is made up of three elements: the monarch, the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
The monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III, is one of the three components of the Commonwealth Parliament. However, the monarch's constitutional functions are exercised by the governor-general, whom the King appoints as his federal representative in Australia on the advice of the prime minister. The governor-general's role is significant, as their royal assent is required for a bill to become an act and part of the law. While this is usually a formality, it is an essential step in the law-making process.
The Senate is the upper house of the Australian Parliament and consists of 76 members, including 12 senators from each state and two senators from each of the self-governing territories. Senators are elected using a proportional representation system, ensuring diverse representation. The Senate has significant legislative powers, sharing co-equally with the House of Representatives in making laws. It can initiate bills, except for money bills, which must be introduced in the House of Representatives. The Senate also plays a crucial role in scrutinising the work of the government through committees, hearings, and Question Time.
The House of Representatives, as the lower house, is crucial in forming the Australian government. The party or coalition of parties with the majority support in the House becomes the governing party. It consists of 150 members, each representing one of the 150 electorates in Australia. The House has the power to introduce money bills, which involve taxation, expenditure, or levying taxes. Additionally, it works alongside the Senate in considering and passing bills, with both houses needing to agree to a majority vote for a bill to become law.
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The role of the Governor-General
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Parliament of the Commonwealth or the Federal Parliament, is the federal legislature of Australia. It is composed of three elements: the monarch of Australia (represented by the governor-general), the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
The Governor-General is the King's representative in Australia and is appointed by the King on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. They are appointed at "the King's pleasure", meaning there is no fixed term, although governors-general are usually appointed for a five-year term. The Governor-General's powers are derived from the Australian Constitution, which grants them an important role in ensuring that Australia is governed according to the rules set out in the Constitution. They are part of both the Parliament and the government, carrying out tasks on behalf of the King.
One of the key roles of the Governor-General is to provide royal assent for bills to become acts of Parliament and thus part of the law. While the government does not formally advise the governor-general to grant assent, it is expected that they will do so in accordance with the democratically elected houses of Parliament. In practice, assent has never been refused.
Additionally, the Governor-General engages with the Australian community in various ways. This includes visiting places affected by natural disasters, attending national and international meetings and conferences, and participating in exhibitions, sporting events, and functions as an official patron of organisations.
The Governor-General's role is thus both constitutional and ceremonial, ensuring the proper functioning of the Australian government and representing the King in various official capacities.
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Legislative powers
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Parliament of the Commonwealth or the Federal Parliament, is the federal legislature of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch/king of Australia (represented by the governor-general), the Senate (the upper house), and the House of Representatives (the lower house).
The principal function of the Parliament is to pass laws, or legislation. Any parliamentarian may introduce a proposed law (a bill), except for a money bill (a bill proposing an expenditure or levying a tax), which must be introduced in the House of Representatives. Bills introduced by ministers are known as government bills, while those introduced by other members are called private members' bills.
The Senate and the House of Representatives share equal legislative powers. All bills must be passed by both houses and assented to by the governor-general to become law. This means that the governor-general provides royal assent, which is required for a bill to become an act and part of the law. The Senate, however, cannot amend or introduce money bills; it can only pass or reject them.
The Australian Constitution grants specific powers to the Commonwealth, including taxation, external affairs, defence, and marriage. It also allows state parliaments to refer matters to the Commonwealth for legislation. Additionally, the Commonwealth Parliament has the power to grant money to any state on its own terms, allowing it to influence state policy matters through "tied grants."
The Parliament also performs functions beyond legislation, such as discussing urgency motions or matters of public importance, providing a forum for debates on public policy matters, and scrutinising the work of the government.
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Commonwealth powers
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Federal Parliament or the Parliament of the Commonwealth, is the federal legislature of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch of Australia (represented by the governor-general), the Senate (the upper house), and the House of Representatives (the lower house).
The Commonwealth legislative power is limited to that granted in the Constitution. Powers not specified are considered "residual powers", and remain the domain of the states. Section 51 of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act grants the Commonwealth power over areas such as taxation, external affairs, defence, and marriage. It also allows state parliaments to refer matters to the Commonwealth for legislation.
The Commonwealth Constitution sets out the responsibilities of the Commonwealth and State Governments. The Commonwealth is directly responsible for Commonwealth land, the management of Australia's external territories, and the coastal seas outside the State three-mile limit, within the 200km "exclusive economic zone".
In some areas, Commonwealth and State powers and operations overlap, resulting in both State and Commonwealth legislation on the same subject matter. In such cases, the Commonwealth laws prevail. For example, whilst the States may have primary responsibility for the environment, the Commonwealth has significant powers to make laws about the environment, especially concerning international treaties.
The principal function of the Parliament is to pass laws, or legislation. All bills must be passed by both houses and assented to by the governor-general to become law. The enacting formula for acts of Parliament since 1990 is "The Parliament of Australia enacts".
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The structure and power of the Parliament
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Parliament of the Commonwealth or the Federal Parliament, is the federal legislature of Australia. It was established at the Federation on 1 January 1901 and is based in Parliament House, Canberra. The structure and power of the Parliament are set out in the Australian Constitution.
The Parliament of Australia consists of three elements: the monarch of Australia (represented by the governor-general), the Senate (the upper house), and the House of Representatives (the lower house). The monarch of Australia, currently King Charles, shares law-making powers with the Senate and the House of Representatives. The royal assent, expressed by the governor-general, is required for a bill to become an act and thus part of the law. The governor-general is appointed by the King as his federal representative in Australia on the advice of the prime minister.
The Senate, the upper house, consists of 76 members: twelve from each state and two from each of the self-governing territories. Senators are elected using the proportional representation system. The Senate has the same legislative powers as the House of Representatives, except that it cannot amend or introduce money bills, only pass or reject them.
The House of Representatives, also known as the lower house, has 150 members, each representing one of the 150 electorates in Australia. The government is formed in the House of Representatives and is the party or coalition of parties that has the support of the majority of members in the House.
The principal function of the Parliament is to pass laws, or legislation. Any parliamentarian may introduce a proposed law (a bill), except for a money bill, which must be introduced in the House of Representatives. Bills are considered and debated by Senators and Members of the House of Representatives, and to become law, they must be passed by both houses and assented to by the governor-general.
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Frequently asked questions
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, also known as the Federal Parliament, is the federal legislature of Australia.
The Parliament of Australia consists of three elements: the monarch/king of Australia (represented by the governor-general), the Senate (the upper house), and the House of Representatives (the lower house).
The principal function of the Parliament is to pass laws, or legislation. It can also discuss urgency motions or matters of public importance, providing a forum for debates on public policy matters.
The governor-general represents the monarch of Australia and has the power to assent to bills, turning them into acts and thus part of the law.
