Functions of government

This set of vocabulary flashcards outlines the theoretical and practical applications of the legislative, debate, and responsibility functions within the Australian parliamentary system.

Legislative Function

The primary role of the legislature to make laws through a statutory process involving speeches, debates, and committees to ensure scrutiny and diversity of input.

Statutory Process

The detailed stages of law-making including the $2\text{nd}$ reading speech, $2\text{nd}$ reading debate, and committee stage which allow for in-depth analysis of proposed legislation.

Government Bills

Proposed legislation initiated by a member of the cabinet.

Private Members Bills (PMBs)

Legislation initiated by any MP who is not part of the executive; historically, only about $2100$ of these pass into law.

Executive Dominance

The control the government exerts over the House of Representatives ($\text{HOR}$) due to the Westminster style executive, preferential voting, and strong party discipline.

Floodgating

A strategy involving the introduction of a high volume of legislation into parliament to pass bills quickly with minimal scrutiny, often resulting in poor quality legislation.

Gag

A motion under Standing Orders passed to end further debate and speed up the passage of legislation by putting the bill immediately to a vote.

Guillotine

A motion passed in parliament to impose a specific time limit on a debate; when the time expires, the debate ends immediately.

Committee

A small cross-party group of members of parliament that inquires into specified matters and reports findings back to the parliament.

Senate Standing Committee for the Selection of Bills

A body that reviews all bills to determine whether they require detailed scrutiny and examination by specific committees.

Hung House

A situation, common in the Senate, where the government does not hold a majority, making manipulative tactics like the gag or guillotine less effective.

$\text{Section 18C}$ of the Racial Discrimination Act $1975$

A law prohibiting act reasonably likely to 'offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate' based on race; an attempt by the Turnbull Government to amend this was defeated in the Senate in $2017$.

Debate Function

The role of parliament as a forum for discussing national issues, allowing parliamentarians to express views and introduce information to the public.

Parliamentary Privilege

A legal immunity that protects debate and grants freedom of speech in parliament, exempting members from typical restrictions such as defamation laws.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the $\text{HOR}$ who acts as a referee, ensures order, and enforces Standing Orders.

Standing Orders

The requisite rules of process and procedure that regulate the operations and conduct of a house of parliament.

Dorothy Dixers

Questions asked by government backbenchers during Question Time that are designed to present the government in a positive light.

Collective Ministerial Responsibility (CMR)

The convention that the government only exists as long as it maintains the support of the lower house; it can be dismissed by a successful vote of no confidence.

Individual Ministerial Responsibility (IMR)

The convention that ensures the competence and conduct of individual ministers, suggesting they should resign for personal indiscretions or department failures.

Censure Motion

A parliamentary motion critical of a minister that can be used to call for their resignation; success in the $\text{HOR}$ is rare due to executive dominance.

Pork Barrelling

The practice of allocating government funds to specific projects, such as sporting clubs in marginal seats, to gain political advantage.

Questions Without Notice

Inquiries directed at Ministers during Question Time at around $2\text{pm}$ for which answers are not prepared in advance.