Parliament of Australia

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Parliament of Australia
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate House of Representatives
Leadership
Monarch	Charles III
Governor-General	David Hurley
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
President of the Senate	Sue Lines
Speaker of the House of Representatives	Milton Dick
Elections
Senate voting system	Single transferable vote
House of Representatives voting system	Instant-runoff voting
Last Senate election	21 May 2022
Last House of Representatives election	21 May 2022
Meeting place
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Parliament House, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

The Parliament of Australia is the supreme legislative body of Australia, consisting of three elements: the Monarch, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. It is a bicameral legislature, meaning it has two separate chambers.

Structure

The Parliament of Australia is composed of the following:

Monarch

The Monarch of Australia is the ceremonial head of state and is represented in Australia by the Governor-General. The current monarch is Charles III.

Senate

The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of Australia. It consists of 76 senators, with each of the six states represented by 12 senators and each of the two territories represented by 2 senators. Senators are elected using a single transferable vote system.

House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. It consists of 151 members, each representing an electoral division. Members are elected using an instant-runoff voting system.

Functions

The primary functions of the Parliament of Australia include:

• Making and amending laws
• Representing the people of Australia
• Overseeing the government
• Approving the budget

Legislative Process

The legislative process in the Parliament of Australia involves several stages:

1. **Introduction**: A bill is introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. 2. **First Reading**: The bill is read for the first time and copies are distributed. 3. **Second Reading**: Members debate the general principles of the bill. 4. **Committee Stage**: The bill is examined in detail by a committee. 5. **Third Reading**: The final version of the bill is debated and voted on. 6. **Other House**: The bill is sent to the other house, where it undergoes a similar process. 7. **Royal Assent**: If both houses pass the bill, it is sent to the Governor-General for royal assent and becomes law.

Related Pages

• Government of Australia
• Prime Minister of Australia
• Governor-General of Australia
• Australian Constitution
• Federalism in Australia
• Elections in Australia