How Many Sit in the House of Representatives

About the House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is 1 of the two houses of the Australian Federal Parliament, the other beingness the Senate. It is sometimes chosen the 'people'south house' or the 'house of government'.

Composition

The Business firm currently has 151 Members. Each Member represents an balloter sectionalisation. The boundaries of these electorates are adjusted from time to time so that they all incorporate approximately equal numbers of electors—because of the distribution of Commonwealth of australia's population they vary greatly in area (from a few foursquare kilometres to over two million foursquare kilometres). Members are elected by a system known as preferential voting, nether which voters rank candidates in social club of preference.

Each House of Representatives may go along for upward to iii years, after which general elections for a new Firm must be held. Elections are often held before the end of this period.

The main political parties represented in the House are the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Political party of Australia and the National Party of Australia. In recent years there has also been a number of independent parties and Members.

See also:

• Infosheet 8 – Elections for the Business firm of Representatives

Functions

Makes laws—The House's fundamental function and the one which takes upwardly near of its time is the consideration and passing of new laws and amendments or changes to existing laws. Any Member tin introduce a proposed police force (bill) but nigh are introduced by the Government. To go constabulary, bills must be passed by both the Business firm of Representatives and the Senate. They may kickoff in either house but the majority of bills are introduced in the Firm of Representatives.

Determines the Regime—After an election the political party (or coalition of parties) which has the near Members in the Firm of Representatives becomes the governing political party. Its leader becomes Prime number Minister and other Ministers are appointed from among the political party's Members and Senators. To remain in role a Government must go along the back up of a majority of Members of the House.

Publicises and scrutinises government administration—Debate of legislation and ministerial policy statements, discussion of matters of public importance, committee investigations, asking questions of Ministers (during question time—at 2 pm—Members may ask Ministers questions without notice on matters relating to their piece of work and responsibilities; questions can likewise be asked on notice for written answer).

Represents the people—Members may present petitions from citizens and heighten citizens' concerns and grievances in debate. Members as well heighten bug of concern with Ministers and government departments.

Controls government expenditure—The Government cannot collect taxes or spend money unless allowed by law through the passage of taxation and appropriation bills. Expenditure is also examined by parliamentary committees.

See also:

• Infosheet 19 – the House, Government and Opposition

Sittings

The normal sitting pattern for the Business firm extends from February to March, May to June and Baronial to December. During these periods the House usually meets in blocks of two sitting weeks followed past two non-sitting weeks. Ordinarily the House sits from Monday to Thursday each sitting calendar week.

The club of business for each sitting is set down by the rules of the House (the House of Representatives Continuing and Sessional Orders). The largest proportion of time is taken up with argue on government business—mainly the consideration of bills. On Monday, 'private Members' day', time is reserved for debating reports from parliamentary committees and business concern sponsored by both authorities and non-authorities backbenchers.

All proceedings are open up to the public.

See too:

• Infosheet2 – A typical sitting day
• Sitting calendar

Committees

The Business firm has a comprehensive organization of standing committees. These include:

• investigative committees—These committees comport out inquiries on matters of public policy or government administration. They have evidence from the public and study to the Business firm with recommendations for government action. The system of general purpose standing committees parallels the functions of government, for example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs; Economics, Finance and Public Administration; Pedagogy and Vocational Grooming; and

• domestic or internal committees—These committees are concerned with the performance of the Firm, for example, Procedure, Privileges, Members' Interests.

At that place are several joint committees on which both Members and Senators serve together, for instance, the Public Accounts and Inspect Committee.

Meet also:

• Infosheet 4 – Committees

The Chamber

The photograph at left shows the Chamber of the House in action.

At the centre is the Speaker'due south Chair and the Tabular array of the House. The two Clerks at the Table propose the Chair and Members nearly process and tape the formal minutes of proceedings. Hansard reporters sit at the pocket-sized cardinal table to record the debates. Each Member has his or her own seat, with regime Members to the right of the Speaker and opposition and other not-authorities Members to the left. Ministers and senior opposition Members (the shadow ministry) sit on the facing front benches and speak from the Table, other Members speak from their places.

With the exception of question time, Members are rarely all nowadays in the Chamber at the same time, but are engaged in piece of work elsewhere, including participating in commission meetings and debates in the Main Committee. Members tin picket what is happening in the Chamber at all times from their offices through the Parliament House internal television arrangement.

Behind the Speaker's Chair at first floor level is the printing gallery, reserved for media representatives. On the other three sides of the Bedchamber are the public galleries, which are e'er open up to visitors.

Meet likewise:

The Federation Chamber

The Federation Chamber provides an additional forum for the second reading and consideration in detail stages of bills and debate of committee reports and papers presented to the House. One of the House of Representatives committee rooms is defended to this function and fitted out equally a small-scale Chamber. Its proceedings are also open to the public.

See also:

• Infosheet sixteen – The Federation Chamber

The Speaker

The first action of the House post-obit an election is to elect one of its Members to exist Speaker. The Speaker presides over the sittings of the House and is responsible for its assistants. The Deputy Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker are too elected. A panel of other Members, appointed by the Speaker, provides assistance in presiding over the House and the Primary Committee. When in the Chair these Members are referred to as 'Deputy Speaker'.

See likewise:

• Infosheet 3 – The Speaker

Inter-Parliamentary Relations

The International and Parliamentary Relations Office (IPRO) provides advice and support relevant to the conduct of the Parliaments international and regional affairs. It provides full general support for inter-parliamentary conferences and incoming and outgoing parliamentary delegations; preparation support for other parliaments, particularly the smaller parliaments in our region; and advice to the Presiding Officers and members on international parliamentary matters.

The IPROs objective is to back up external relations for the Parliament with a view to achieving productive and amicable international and regional relationships with other parliaments and parliamentary bodies and organisations.

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Source: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/About_the_House_of_Representatives

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