Australian House of Representatives

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The Australian House of Representatives is the lower house of the Parliament of Australia, the bicameral legislature of Australia. The upper house is the Australian Senate. The House of Representatives was established in 1901 and is located in Parliament House in Canberra.

Composition and Membership[edit | edit source]

The House of Representatives consists of 151 members, each representing an electoral division known as an electorate. Members are elected using the instant-runoff voting system, also known as preferential voting. Each member serves a term of up to three years, after which elections are held.

Functions[edit | edit source]

The primary function of the House of Representatives is to consider and pass legislation. It also plays a crucial role in the formation of the government. The party or coalition with the majority of seats in the House forms the government, and its leader becomes the Prime Minister.

Leadership[edit | edit source]

The House of Representatives is presided over by the Speaker, who is responsible for maintaining order and ensuring the rules of the House are followed. The current Speaker is Milton Dick of the Australian Labor Party, elected on 26 July 2022.

Other key leadership positions include the Leader of the House, currently Tony Burke, and the Manager of Opposition Business in the House, currently Paul Fletcher.

Legislative Process[edit | edit source]

Bills can be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, although most legislation is introduced in the House. A bill must pass through several stages, including three readings and a committee stage, before it can become law. If the House and the Senate disagree on a bill, it may be referred to a joint sitting of both houses.

Committees[edit | edit source]

The House of Representatives has several committees that examine specific issues, scrutinize government activities, and review proposed legislation. These committees can be standing, select, or joint with the Senate.