10. 2 Role of the Commonwealth Flashcards
Outline the Commonwealth Parliament.
- The King (represented by the Governor-General of Australia)
- The Senate
- The House of Representatives
What is the government?
The ruling authority with the power to govern is formed by the political party or parties that hold the majority in each parliament’s lower house.
What is the House of Representatives?
“The people’s house” reflects the majority opinion of the people at an election, because it determines which party/ parties should form the government
How many member are in the House of Representatives?
151 members
How long do members of the House of Representatives serve for?
3 years
What is a political party?
An organisation that represents a group of people with shared values and ideas, and aims to have its members elected to parliament
What is the opposition?
The political party that holds the second-largest number of seats in the lower house. The opposition questions the government about policy matters and is responsible for holding them to account
What is the roles of the House of Representatives in law-making?
- to initiate and make laws
- determine the government
- provide a responsible government
- represent the people
- act as a house of review
- control government expenditure
How does the House of Representatives initiate and make laws?
A bill must go through specific stages to become a statute. A majority vote of the members must be required for a bill to pass
How many members are in the Senate?
76 elected members (12 representatives form each state, and 2 from every territory)
How long do senators stay in the Senate?
each senator is elected for 6 years, with half being elected every 3 years. The changeover takes place on 1 July in the year following a general election
What are the roles of the Senate?
- act as a house of review
- act as a state’s house (equal representation)
- scrutinise bills through the committee
- initiate and pass bills
