Who Is in Charge of the House of Representatives

Almost the House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Australian Federal Parliament, the other being the Senate. It is sometimes called the 'people's firm' or the 'house of government'.

Composition

The Business firm currently has 151 Members. Each Member represents an electoral division. The boundaries of these electorates are adjusted from fourth dimension to fourth dimension so that they all contain approximately equal numbers of electors—because of the distribution of Commonwealth of australia's population they vary greatly in area (from a few square kilometres to over 2 million foursquare kilometres). Members are elected by a system known as preferential voting, under which voters rank candidates in lodge of preference.

Each House of Representatives may continue for up to three years, after which general elections for a new Firm must be held. Elections are often held before the terminate of this catamenia.

The chief political parties represented in the Firm are the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Commonwealth of australia and the National Party of Australia. In recent years there has also been a number of independent parties and Members.

See also:

• Infosheet 8 – Elections for the House of Representatives

Functions

Makes laws—The House'south central function and the one which takes up most of its time is the consideration and passing of new laws and amendments or changes to existing laws. Any Member tin introduce a proposed law (bill) just well-nigh are introduced by the Authorities. To become law, bills must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They may commencement in either house just the majority of bills are introduced in the House of Representatives.

Determines the Government—After an ballot the political party (or coalition of parties) which has the most Members in the House of Representatives becomes the governing party. Its leader becomes Prime Minister and other Ministers are appointed from among the party's Members and Senators. To remain in office a Government must keep the support of a bulk of Members of the House.

Publicises and scrutinises government administration—Debate of legislation and ministerial policy statements, give-and-take of matters of public importance, committee investigations, asking questions of Ministers (during question time—at two pm—Members may ask Ministers questions without notice on matters relating to their work and responsibilities; questions tin can also be asked on notice for written reply).

Represents the people—Members may present petitions from citizens and raise citizens' concerns and grievances in fence. Members also raise issues of concern with Ministers and government departments.

Controls government expenditure—The Government cannot collect taxes or spend money unless allowed by law through the passage of taxation and appropriation bills. Expenditure is also examined by parliamentary committees.

Meet as well:

• Infosheet xix – the House, Government and Opposition

Sittings

The normal sitting pattern for the Firm extends from Feb to March, May to June and Baronial to Dec. During these periods the House usually meets in blocks of two sitting weeks followed by ii non-sitting weeks. Ordinarily the House sits from Monday to Thursday each sitting calendar week.

The lodge of business organization for each sitting is gear up down past the rules of the Business firm (the Firm of Representatives Standing and Sessional Orders). The largest proportion of time is taken up with argue on government business concern—mainly the consideration of bills. On Monday, 'private Members' twenty-four hours', time is reserved for debating reports from parliamentary committees and business sponsored by both regime and non-government backbenchers.

All proceedings are open up to the public.

Encounter likewise:

• Infosheet2 – A typical sitting day
• Sitting calendar

Committees

The House has a comprehensive organization of standing committees. These include:

• investigative committees—These committees deport out inquiries on matters of public policy or regime administration. They have evidence from the public and report to the Firm with recommendations for authorities action. The organisation of general purpose standing committees parallels the functions of government, for case, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs; Economics, Finance and Public Administration; Educational activity and Vocational Training; and

• domestic or internal committees—These committees are concerned with the operation of the House, for example, Procedure, Privileges, Members' Interests.

There are several joint committees on which both Members and Senators serve together, for case, the Public Accounts and Audit Committee.

Come across also:

• Infosheet iv – Committees

The Chamber

The photograph at left shows the Chamber of the Firm in action.

At the centre is the Speaker's Chair and the Table of the Business firm. The two Clerks at the Table advise the Chair and Members about process and record the formal minutes of proceedings. Hansard reporters sit at the small central table to record the debates. Each Fellow member has his or her ain seat, with authorities Members to the right of the Speaker and opposition and other non-government Members to the left. Ministers and senior opposition Members (the shadow ministry) sit on the facing front end benches and speak from the Tabular array, other Members speak from their places.

With the exception of question time, Members are rarely all present in the Chamber at the aforementioned time, merely are engaged in work elsewhere, including participating in committee meetings and debates in the Chief Commission. Members can watch what is happening in the Chamber at all times from their offices through the Parliament House internal boob tube organization.

Backside the Speaker's Chair at first floor level is the printing gallery, reserved for media representatives. On the other three sides of the Sleeping accommodation are the public galleries, which are ever open up to visitors.

See also:

The Federation Bedroom

The Federation Chamber provides an additional forum for the second reading and consideration in particular stages of bills and debate of committee reports and papers presented to the House. 1 of the House of Representatives committee rooms is dedicated to this role and fitted out as a small-scale Sleeping room. Its proceedings are as well open to the public.

Meet also:

• Infosheet 16 – The Federation Sleeping room

The Speaker

The first action of the House post-obit an election is to elect one of its Members to exist Speaker. The Speaker presides over the sittings of the Firm and is responsible for its administration. The Deputy Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker are besides elected. A panel of other Members, appointed by the Speaker, provides assistance in presiding over the House and the Primary Committee. When in the Chair these Members are referred to as 'Deputy Speaker'.

Come across too:

• Infosheet 3 – The Speaker

Inter-Parliamentary Relations

The International and Parliamentary Relations Office (IPRO) provides advice and support relevant to the conduct of the Parliaments international and regional affairs. It provides full general support for inter-parliamentary conferences and incoming and outgoing parliamentary delegations; training back up for other parliaments, particularly the smaller parliaments in our region; and advice to the Presiding Officers and members on international parliamentary matters.

The IPROs objective is to support external relations for the Parliament with a view to achieving productive and amicable international and regional relationships with other parliaments and parliamentary bodies and organisations.

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Source: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/About_the_House_of_Representatives

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