The Role of the Australian Parliament

The Role of the Australian Parliament

{

The Parliament makes laws

These are known as statute laws

AKA

Legislation or Acts of Parliament

These laws are the rules that govern our society

Examples:

Legal drinking ages Racial Discrimination Act

Traffic Law

The Constitution:

Document which sets out the roles for how a parliamentMust operate.

How does it affect the way laws are made?

Any law made by parliament must adhere to the constitution

Can the Constitution be changed?

Yes, but only through a referendum

How are statute laws made:

The Bill

House of Representatives (Lower House)

First reading

Second reading

Committee stage

Third reading

VOTE

YESSenate(Upper House)

First reading

Second reading

Committee stage

Third reading

VOTE

YES NO

Royal Assent The Governor-General

An Act of Parliament (LAW)

http://www.peo.gov.au/multimedia/videos.html

Boys go to www.peo.gov.au/students - Fact sheets - House of reps/senate one sentence on each4

The other role of The Government (apart from passing laws) is to make policies

Policy: A government plan of action in order to achieve a goal or possibly enforce a particular piece of legislation

Examples:

Withdraw troops from Vietnam Increase spending on schools

Immigration policy

Questions:

1. Why do you think it is so important for a bill to be debated so often?

2. Would you say the process by which laws are made in Australia is fair? Does it give full opportunity for the people, through their elected representatives, to have their say? Justify your answer.

Double Dissolution:

If Senate does not pass a bill it goes back to the House of Reps

The Government can then either drop it or accept Senate changes

If the Senate reject the Bill for a second time, section 57 of the constitution allows the PM to ask the governor-general for a double dissolution.

Governor-general then dissolves (closes) both houses of parliament and new elections are called

Read the web article about the repeal of the Carbon Tax Bill.

Describe the process this repeal bill had to go through in order to become an act of Parliament.

2. Explain how this story highlights the importance of smaller, independent parties in the process of governing Australia.

Double Dissolutions in History:

Up until 1974 only 2

1974 Whitlam Could not get bills past Senate (inc. medibank) WON Asked for a fair go from the public

1975 Whitlam Again, could not get bills through. Did not call for a DD he was DISMISSED

1983 Fraser Called for a DD, sighting 13 bills LOST

1987 Hawke Called for DD. WON in House of Reps but LOST Senate Bill did not go through