U4 AO2 1a lesson 2: vic parliament + lawmaking Flashcards
(11 cards)
structure of vic parliament
governor
legislative assembly
legislative council
governor
The Governor is the Crown’s representative in Victorian parliament.
They are appointed by the King on the advice of the Victorian Premier of the day.
role of governor in lawmaking: Granting royal assent
The Governor will sign off on bills on behalf of the Crown after it has been approved by both Houses. The Governor can also choose to withhold royal assent; however, this is very rare.
role of governor in law making : Chair Executive Councils
The Governor acts on the advice of the Executive Council and often meets with these Ministers of the Victorian government to discuss any legislative matters that comes before the Governor’s office.
legislative assembly
consisting of 88 members
one member elected from each of 88 district
role of legislative assembly in lawmaking: Initiate new legislation:
Most legislation is introduced by ministers, who are usually members of the Legislative Assembly: As a result, most new laws and proposed changes to laws begin the Legislative Assembly.
role of legislative assembly in lawmaking: Represent the people in lawmaking:
Members of the LA are directly chosen by voters in their district and will often receive letters, emails/correspondence from those living within their community.
As representatives of that community, they should act in a way that reflect the opinions and perspectives of the majority of those living within their district when introducing, debating or suggesting amendments to legislations. If they fail to do so, they risk being voted out of the next election.
role of legislative assembly in lawmaking: Review legislation and propose amendments:
As society changes, existing Acts may need to change to reflect the needs of the people. The Legislative Assembly is comprised of members of parliament who directly represent and understand the issues affecting their district and can therefore propose meaningful amendments.
legislative council
5 members voted from each of 8 regions
role of legislative council in lawmaking: Initiate legislation:
Legislation can originate from the Legislative Council. However, most legislation is introduced in the Lower House. Bills regarding the expenditure of Victorian public money cannot be introduced in the Legislative Council
role of legislative council in lawmaking: Scrutinise legislation
The main role of the legislative council is to debate and scrutinise bills introduced by the legislative assembly. As the Legislative Council more common includes independents and members from smaller parties, this allows for a wider range of perspectives to be considered when debating new bills or amendments to legislations.
