Download - 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