The House of Representatives
Australia is divided up into areas called electorates. For each electorate there is one seat in the House of Representatives. Each electorate has about the same number of people living in it. At an election, the people who live in each electorate vote for a person to go to Parliament to speak for them. That elected person becomes the Member of the House of Representatives for that seat.

Most people who stand for election are members of different groups or parties. The party that has most members elected to the House of Representatives becomes the Government, and its leader becomes the Prime Minister of Australia.

The party that wins the next highest number of seats in the House of Representatives is called the Opposition and its leader is called the Leader of the Opposition.

There is a big room called a chamber in Parliament House where the House of Representatives meets. The room is decorated in green.

The Government Members sit on the left of the picture, and the Opposition face them. In the curved part the Members of small parties sit, as well as the Members who do not belong to a Party. They are called Independents. In the seats up high, called the Gallery, people can sit to watch Parliament but they may not speak. Some of the people in the Gallery are reporters for newspapers, radio or television. In the big wooden chair in the middle, the Speaker sits. The Speaker is in charge of the meeting and makes sure people get a turn to speak.

The Senate
The other House of Parliament is called the Senate. People of each state and the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory elect 12 people to be their Senators. No matter how big or small a state or territory is, they have the same number of Senators.

The chamber in Parliament House where the Senate meets is decorated in red.

Like the other chamber, the Government members sit in the seats at the left of the picture, and the Opposition sit opposite them. The seats in the curved part are for members of small parties and Independents. In the main chair in the middle, the President of the Senate sits. The President of the Senate is in charge of the meeting.

Making Laws
The main business of parliament is to make laws. When a law is first suggested, it is called a Bill. Bills are usually suggested in the House of Representatives. First the Bill is explained, then all Members discuss it. Changes may be made. Then all Members vote for or against the Bill. If it passes the vote, it goes to the other House of Parliament and the same thing happens. Sometimes the Bill is sent back to be changed some more, and sometimes it passes another vote. Then the Bill is called an Act of Parliament. The Governor-General signs it and it becomes a law that Australians obey.
Glossary

Parliament in the States and Territories

If you use any of this information in your own work acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
Government in Australia (2003). [Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au

Updated February 2003