Parliament of Australia

Parliament of Australia. The supreme legislative body of the Commonwealth of Australia, it is a bicameral institution comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate. Established by the Constitution of Australia at Federation in 1901, it convenes at Parliament House in the national capital, Canberra. The Parliament derives its authority from the Crown, represented by the Governor-General, and is central to the Westminster system of responsible government.

History

The first Parliament was opened on 9 May 1901 in Melbourne by the Duke of Cornwall and York, later George V. Its formation followed the passage of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Key historical developments include the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942, which affirmed legislative independence from Britain, and the Australia Act 1986, which severed remaining colonial ties. Significant events such as the 1975 constitutional crisis, involving Governor-General Sir John Kerr and Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, tested its conventions. The new Parliament House opened in 1988, replacing the provisional Old Parliament House.

Composition and electoral system

The House of Representatives, or lower house, has 151 members elected from single-member divisions using full preferential voting. The government is formed by the party or coalition commanding a majority in this chamber, with its leader becoming the Prime Minister. The Senate, or upper house, comprises 76 senators: twelve from each of the six states and two each from the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Senators are elected through proportional representation, typically for fixed six-year terms, with half the state senators facing election every three years. This system ensures robust representation for smaller states and territories.

Functions and powers

Its principal function is to make laws under the powers granted by the Constitution of Australia, including those relating to defence, taxation, social security, and trade and commerce. It holds the exclusive power to levy customs and excise duties. The Parliament also authorizes government expenditure through the annual appropriation bills, scrutinizes the executive through committees like the Senate Estimates, and serves as a forum for national debate on issues such as climate policy and international relations.

Procedure and operation

A parliamentary term lasts a maximum of three years from the first meeting after an election, though it is often dissolved earlier by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Legislation must be passed in identical form by both houses to become law, receiving Royal Assent from the Governor-General. The Senate possesses strong amending powers and can reject bills, leading to potential double dissolutions under Section 57 of the Constitution. Daily proceedings are governed by standing orders and overseen by the Speaker and the President.

Relationship with the Government

The executive government, led by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, is drawn from and responsible to the Parliament, particularly the House of Representatives. This is the core of the responsible government principle. Ministers are accountable through mechanisms like Question Time, ministerial statements, and investigations by bodies such as the Australian National Audit Office. The Australian Public Service administers policies enacted by the Parliament. A government that loses the confidence of the lower house must resign or advise a dissolution, as occurred during the 1975 crisis.

Parliament House

The permanent Parliament House, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1988, is an iconic building in the Parliamentary Triangle designed by the architectural firm Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp. Its distinctive design includes the Australian Parliament of Australia Canberra, Canberra|Parliament House, Canberra|Australia, Canberra, Canberra, Canberra, Canberra, Canberra|Parliament House of the Parliament House of the Parliament House of Representatives (Australia|House of the Parliament, Canberra, Canberra, Canberra, Parliament, Canberra, Canberra, Canberra|Parliament House of the Parliament House of Parliament House of the Parliament House of the Parliament House of the House of Representatives (Australia|House of the House of the House of the House of Representatives|Australia|Australia|Australia|House of the House of the House of Representatives|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia||Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australian|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|House of Representatives|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia|Australia