the role of the crown and houses of parliament in law making

overview of the law making process

• bills are drafted

• bills are introduced unusually into the lower house, but also the senate house

• bills are read, debated and possible amended then voted on. If bills is sent to the other house and the same process occurs

• If the bill passes through the other house it gets sent to the governor general for royal assent

• The bill is now considered and act of parliament, but may not come into affect immediately

overview of the house of representatives

• reflects the majority opinion of the people

• Where government is formed

• 151 members, each represents and electorate in Australia

• party that receives majority of votes of 76

overview of the legislative assembly

• 88 members, each mp represents an electorate from victoria

• forms victorian parliament

roles of the lower house

• initate and make laws

• determine the government

• act as the people house

• act as a house of review

• control government expentidure

• provide responsible government

role of the lower house - initate and make laws

• the main role of the lower house.

• any memebr of the house may introduce a proposed law and must be passed through both houses.

• As government is formed in the lower house it is the most appropirate place to form law.

role of the lower house - determine the government

• the party with the majority of votes in the lower house forms government. Can be a majority or minority government

• the party with the next highest votes becomes the opposition

role of the lower house - act as the peoples house

• the lower house are the “peoples house”, the house represents the views and values of the majority of the community. Mps are elected to represent the people

role of the lower house - act as a house of review

• bills can also be introduced in the upper house. If this occurs the lower house will review the bill before royal assent.

role of the lower house - control government expenditure

• bills on taxation and government spending can only be introduced and amended in the lower house. However, they must pass through bases house before government can impose tax or spend money

role of the lower house - provide responsible government

• ministers are responsible to governemnt and therefore the people. They are scrutinised/examined by oppostion members about their ideas for law reform

overview of the senate

• 76 elected members - each state elects 12 representatives and 2 from each territory

• half the senators face re election every 3 years

• territoy senators face election every term of the lower house

overview of the legislative council

• 40 members each region of victoria elects member of the legislative council

roles of the upper house

• law making

• acts as a house of review

• acts as a state house

• scrutinise bills through committee process

role of the upper house - law making

• main role of the upper house is to make and amend laws

role of the upper house - acts as a house of review

• majority of bills are introduced in the lower house, the upper house has a main role in reviewing these bills and ensure they aren’t inappropirate and not passed through parliament

role of the upper house - acts as a states house

• due to the composition of the senate, it ensures equal representation from each state allowing to represent the states best interest.

role of the upper house - scrutinise bills through the comitee process

• the upper house scrutinises legislation by checking all bills and ensure they are within public interest.

roles of the crown in law making

• provide royal assent

• act as the head of executive government

• reserve powers

role of the crown - provide royal assent

• the signing approval of a bill that has passed through parliament on a federal level, royal assent is done by the govenor general, on a state level their is a state govenor. The crowns representative has power to withold royal assent

role of the crown - act as the head of executive government

• the executive is made up of the prime minster and other senior minsiters. The crown acts as the head and performs multiple roles including working with ministers

role of the crown - reserve powers

• the power to dissolve the house of representative

• the power to dissolve parliament on the occasion of a dead luck

• the power to appoint or dismiss minister