The Senate

1. Who are Senators elected to represent?

Senators are elected to represent the States and Territories of Australia.
1. Why is the Senate called the State’s house?
The Senate is called the State's House because it ensures that each State has equal representation,
regardless of population size. This protects the interests of the less populous states.
2. Influences on the Senate
a. The idea for equal representation in the Senate for each State comes from --US-----------
b. The colour Red and the ceremonial use of the Black rod are drawn from ---------UK-------

3. Label the following diagram to show

where the following sit.

a. The President of the Senate

b. Government
c. Opposition
d. Crossbench -independent and
minor party
4. It is unusual for the government to hold
a majority in the Senate.
Why then, is it important for the
government to work closely with the
crossbench?
The government needs to work closely with the crossbench because it is unusual for the
government to hold a majority in the Senate. This means the government needs the support of the
crossbench to pass legislation.
5. Suggest why Senators will consider bills being debated by parliament and then recommend
amendments to the bills before they are voted on to become laws.
Senators consider bills and recommend amendments because the Senate acts as a house of review,
scrutinizing legislation to ensure it is in the best interests of the states and territories and that it is
well-drafted.
6. Outline the role of Senate Committees.
Senate Committees investigate specific issues related to proposed laws,
government policies, or other matters of public interest. They gather evidence,
hear from experts and the public, and produce reports with recommendations.
7. The main role of the Senate is to scrutinise and question government decisions.
Why is this role important for a well-functioning democratic society?
Scrutinizing government decisions is important for a well-functioning democratic society because it
ensures accountability, transparency, and good governance. It prevents the government from abusing
its power and ensures that decisions are made in the best interests of the people.
8. Outline how the Senate scrutinises government decisions through……
a. Senate Estimates hearings b. . Question Time
This is a period during Senate sittings where
Senate Estimates hearings are when Senators Senators can ask ministers questions about their
examine how the government spends public money. portfolios and government policies.
9. Define ‘Accountability’.
The obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions.
The House of Representatives
1. How many electorates for the House of Reps are there in Australia? 151
2. People in Australia vote only within their region (electorate) to choose one
person to represent them in the House of Representatives. Outline the role
of the elected MP.
The role of the elected MP is to represent the views and interests of their electorate in
Parliament, participate in debates, propose and vote on legislation, and hold the
government to account.
3. Approx. How many voters are in each electorate? 108,000
4. The geographical size of Australian electorates
can vary enormously.
Largest - The electorate of Durack is over 54 per cent of the
landmass of Western Australia
Smallest -Division of Grayndler, 32 square kilometres (12 sq
mi),
located in the inner-southern Sydney metropolitan area.
a. The geographical sizes of electorates vary due to
population density. Sparsely populated rural areas
require larger electorates to ensure a similar number of
voters per representative.
B. City areas have smaller geographical electorates so there is more representation in
Parliament for city areas compared to outback and remote areas.
C. Having a Senate compensates for the imbalance of representation by providing
equal representation for each State, regardless of population. This ensures that the interests
of smaller states are not overlooked.
5. Why is the House of Representatives Green? British tradition
6. Label the following diagram to show
a. The Speaker
b. The Government
c. The Opposition
d. The Cross Bench
e. Draw in the Mace and the direction
points while Parliament sits
7. Most bills begin in the House of
Representatives. Suggest why?
Most bills begin in the House of
Representatives because the government,
which is formed in the House of
Representatives, is responsible for proposing most new laws.
8. Question Time
a. During Question Time, members of parliament, particularly those in the opposition, ask
questions of the Prime Minister and other ministers on matters related to government policy
and administration.
b. The purpose of Parliamentary Committees is to investigate specific issues, scrutinize
government activities, and make recommendations to Parliament.
9. Why are question time and Parliamentary
Committees important in a well-functioning
democracy?: because they promote transparency,
accountability, and informed decision-making. They
allow for scrutiny of the government and provide
opportunities for public input.
 What is government?: In
the Australian Parliament the
government is the political
party or coalition of parties
with the most members
elected to the House of
Representatives.
The government is
responsible for
1 setting policy,
2. proposing new laws and
3. putting new laws into
action for Australia.

What are the

consequences for
people who disobey the
rules of the
Constitution?

The Australian Constitution is the set of rules by which Australia is run. It describes the
composition, role and powers of the Australian Parliament. It also details the role of the
executive government and the High Court of Australia, and defines certain rights of Australian
citizens, such as the right to religious freedom.

If there is disagreement about the rules of the Constitution, the High Court can get involved to
make a final decision. The High Court interprets the Constitution and decides its meaning, as
well as settling disputes between the federal and state governments.

A new Parliament
The Election
1. Federal elections are held at least every 3 years.
Victorian State elections are fixed. They are held on the last Saturday of November,
Every 4 years.
2. How is a Federal election called?
called by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
3. Who votes in a Federal election? Is it compulsory to vote in a Federal election?
Australian citizens aged 18 years or older vote in a Federal election. It is compulsory to vote in a Federal
election.
Once votes are counted…….
4. How is government formed after a Federal election?
After a Federal election, the political party or coalition of parties that wins a majority of seats in the
House of Representatives forms the government.
5. How is the Prime Minister selected?
The Prime Minister is selected by the majority party or coalition within the House of Representatives.
6. A Senator is elected for 6 years. A member of the House of Representatives is elected
for 3 years.
Opening the new Parliament
The opening of our new parliament is scheduled for 26 July 2022.
7. The opening of a New Parliament occurs in the Senate. Why?
The opening of a New Parliament occurs in the Senate because it is seen as the upper house and a place of
formality and tradition.
8. Members of the House of Representatives and Senators are sworn into their roles. Why do you
think each member and senator is required to be sworn into a new parliament?
Members of the House of Representatives and Senators are sworn into their roles to pledge their allegiance
to the Crown and to uphold the Constitution.
9. The House of Representatives then elects a Speaker and the Senate elects a President.
a. The role of the Speaker is to preside over the House of Representatives, maintain order, and ensure that its
proceedings are conducted according to the rules. The President has a similar role in the Senate.
b. The Speaker and President are selected at the beginning of a new Parliament to ensure that each house has
a presiding officer to guide its proceedings.
11. Later in the same day, The Governor-General gives a speech in the Senate where the Members of
the House of Representatives are also present. The purpose of this speech is to outline the
government's legislative agenda for the new Parliament.
10. List the functions of Parliament.
Functions of Parliament:
a. Making laws
b. Representing the people
c. Scrutinizing the government
d. Providing a forum for debate
47th
Our Current Parliament (2022 – 2025) is the Parliament of
Australia since Federation.
11. The democratic election to form the current parliament of Australia occurred on Saturday May
21, 2022.
a. 151 Members were elected to the House of Representatives on May 21, 2022.
b. 76 people in the Senate represent the interests of the States and Territories but only 40 were selected on
election day. Terms are staggered, so not all Senate seats are up for election at the same time. Generally,
only half of the Senate seats are contested at each federal election, except in the case of a double dissolution.
12. Who are electors voting for?
Electors are voting for a candidate to represent their electorate in the House of Representatives, and
for Senators to represent their State or Territory in the Senate.
Explain why 76 Senators were not selected during this election.