Number of Seats in House of Representatives Australia

About the Firm of Representatives

The House of Representatives is one of the 2 houses of the Australian Federal Parliament, the other being the Senate. Information technology is sometimes chosen the 'people's house' or the 'house of authorities'.

Composition

The House currently has 151 Members. Each Member represents an balloter partitioning. The boundaries of these electorates are adapted from time to time so that they all contain approximately equal numbers of electors—because of the distribution of Australia's population they vary greatly in expanse (from a few square kilometres to over two million square kilometres). Members are elected by a arrangement known every bit preferential voting, under which voters rank candidates in social club of preference.

Each House of Representatives may continue for upwards to three years, later on which general elections for a new Business firm must exist held. Elections are often held before the end of this period.

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

Run into also:

• Infosheet 8 – Elections for the Firm of Representatives

Functions

Makes laws—The House's key function and the 1 which takes up most of its fourth dimension is the consideration and passing of new laws and amendments or changes to existing laws. Any Fellow member tin introduce a proposed law (pecker) just about are introduced past the Regime. To go law, bills must exist passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They may starting time in either house but the majority of bills are introduced in the House of Representatives.

Determines the Government—After an election 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 Government minister and other Ministers are appointed from amid 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 authorities administration—Debate of legislation and ministerial policy statements, discussion of matters of public importance, committee investigations, asking questions of Ministers (during question time—at 2 pm—Members may inquire Ministers questions without notice on matters relating to their work and responsibilities; questions can also be asked on discover for written answer).

Represents the people—Members may present petitions from citizens and enhance citizens' concerns and grievances in debate. 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 police force through the passage of tax and appropriation bills. Expenditure is also examined by parliamentary committees.

See besides:

• Infosheet 19 – the House, Government and Opposition

Sittings

The normal sitting pattern for the Firm extends from February to March, May to June and August to December. During these periods the House normally meets in blocks of ii sitting weeks followed past 2 not-sitting weeks. Normally the House sits from Monday to Thursday each sitting week.

The order of business for each sitting is fix down by the rules of the House (the Firm of Representatives Standing and Sessional Orders). The largest proportion of fourth dimension is taken upwardly with debate on government concern—mainly the consideration of bills. On Monday, 'private Members' day', time is reserved for debating reports from parliamentary committees and business sponsored by both government and not-authorities backbenchers.

All proceedings are open up to the public.

See besides:

• Infosheet2 – A typical sitting twenty-four hours
• Sitting calendar

Committees

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

• investigative committees—These committees carry out inquiries on matters of public policy or government administration. They accept evidence from the public and report to the House with recommendations for authorities action. The system of general purpose standing committees parallels the functions of government, for example, Ancient and Torres Strait Islander Affairs; Economic science, Finance and Public Administration; Instruction and Vocational Training; and

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

In that location are several articulation committees on which both Members and Senators serve together, for example, the Public Accounts and Audit Committee.

See as well:

• Infosheet 4 – Committees

The Chamber

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

At the eye is the Speaker's Chair and the Table of the Business firm. The two Clerks at the Table advise the Chair and Members about procedure and record the formal minutes of proceedings. Hansard reporters sit at the pocket-sized central table to record the debates. Each Member has his or her own seat, with government Members to the right of the Speaker and opposition and other non-regime Members to the left. Ministers and senior opposition Members (the shadow ministry) sit on the facing front end benches and speak from the Table, other Members speak from their places.

With the exception of question time, Members are rarely all present in the Chamber at the same time, but are engaged in work elsewhere, including participating in committee meetings and debates in the Main Committee. Members can lookout what is happening in the Bedroom at all times from their offices through the Parliament House internal television system.

Behind the Speaker's Chair at first flooring level is the printing gallery, reserved for media representatives. On the other 3 sides of the Chamber are the public galleries, which are e'er open to visitors.

See also:

The Federation Chamber

The Federation Chamber provides an boosted forum for the 2d reading and consideration in detail stages of bills and contend of commission reports and papers presented to the Business firm. I of the House of Representatives committee rooms is dedicated to this function and fitted out equally a small-calibration Chamber. Its proceedings are also open to the public.

Encounter as well:

• Infosheet 16 – The Federation Sleeping accommodation

The Speaker

The beginning action of the House following an ballot is to elect one of its Members to exist Speaker. The Speaker presides over the sittings of the House and is responsible for its administration. The Deputy Speaker and 2d Deputy Speaker are besides elected. A console of other Members, appointed by the Speaker, provides assistance in presiding over the House and the Chief Commission. When in the Chair these Members are referred to as 'Deputy Speaker'.

Run across also:

• Infosheet iii – The Speaker

Inter-Parliamentary Relations

The International and Parliamentary Relations Function (IPRO) provides advice and back up relevant to the conduct of the Parliaments international and regional diplomacy. It provides general support for inter-parliamentary conferences and incoming and approachable parliamentary delegations; training support 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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