Parliament of Australia: Find

Glossary

A Glossary of Parliamentary Words

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Aa

absolute majority
More than half the total votes of all those eligible to vote; in a house of Parliament, one more than half the votes of the total number of members of the house, whether they are present or not, as opposed to a simple majority

accountable
able to be called on to explain ones actions. Ministers are accountable to Parliament for actions they take while in office

Act (of Parliament)
a law made by Parliament; a bill which has passed all three readings in each house and has received the royal assent

Acts Interpretation Act
an Act of Parliament which gives guidance as to the meaning of expressions used in other acts and which gives details of procedures to be followed under other acts [Acts Interpretation Act 1901]

address (to the Governor-General or the Queen)
a formal message to the Governor-General or the Queen by a house of Parliament stating the view of the house or making a request; the message is often in answer to the Governor-Generals speech on the opening of a session of Parliament (address-in-reply), but may also be a message of congratulations, sympathy or farewell, or a request that the Governor-General, as a constituent part of the Parliament, perform a particular action

address-in-reply
the formal answer of each house to the speech made by the Queen, or the Governor-General as her representative, at the opening of each session of the Parliament

adjourn
to put off, postpone or defer

adjournment debate
a debate usually at the end of each sitting day of a house when members make speeches about any subject on the motion to end the sitting

administrative arrangements orders
(AAOs) specify firstly, the subject matters, and secondly, the legislation dealt with by particular government departments. AAOs are published in the Commonwealth Gazette, which currently means either the regular Government Notices Gazette or a Special Gazette.

affirmation of allegiance
see oath or affirmation of allegiance

another place
a term sometimes used in one chamber of a two-chamber Parliament to refer to the other chamber

appropriation bill
a bill which, when passed by Parliament, will allow the government to spend money it has gathered from the community through taxes and charges

Australian Democrats (A.D.)
a political party formed in 1977

Australian Labor Party (A.L.P.)
the oldest political party in Australia, formed nationally in 1902 and given its present name in 1918

Australian Loan Council
an organisation made up of the Prime Minister and the state premiers which decides how much money each government may borrow in the financial year ahead

ayes
the collective vote of members in a house of Parliament who support a proposal

Bb

backbench/er

those members of Parliament who are not ministers, shadow ministers or presiding officers
the seats where such members sit

bar (of the Senate, of the House of Representatives)
a barrier inside the main entrance to each chamber and across the space between benches leading to the floor of the Senate and House of Representatives. Members and senators can speak to their respective chambers only from within the area defined by the bar, and no one who is not a member of that house may enter that area during a sitting except by invitation

bicameral
having two chambers or houses, especially of a law-making body

bill
a proposal for a new law which has been presented to Parliament

Black Rod (see Usher of the Black Rod)

blue-ribbon (electorate)
an electorate where a majority of voters usually vote for the same member or party, so making it a safe seat for that member or party

bring down the budget
to place a plan before Parliament each year showing what money the government expects to receive (revenue) and how the government wants to spend it (expenditure)

budget bills
proposals for new laws to allow the government to spend money; there are usually two main bills - Appropriation Bill (No. 1) and Appropriation Bill (No. 2) - which are placed before the Parliament in August each year

by leave
with the permission of every member present in the chamber

by-election
a special election held to fill the seat of a Member of the House of Representatives who has died or resigned

Cc

cabinet
the group of senior ministers in a government

cabinet government
a system of government in which the most important decisions are made by cabinet ministers, who are members of Parliament and who are supported by a majority in the lower house

cabinet solidarity
a commitment by individual cabinet ministers to the position adopted by the majority of cabinet

casting vote
a vote exercised by the Speaker or certain committee chairs only when the votes for and against a proposal are equal

casual vacancy
a vacancy in the Senate that is caused when a Senator dies or resigns before his or her term has expired

caucus

the meeting of the parliamentary members of a political party
the members of Parliament belonging to a particular political party, used particularly in relation to the Australian Labor Party

censure motion
a motion moved in either house which is very critical of, and which seeks to attach blame to, a minister, another member, or the government

Chair

the seat in which the presiding officer sits in the chamber
the member presiding in the chamber or in a committee

Chair of Committees
a Senator who is in charge of the committee of the whole in the Senate, and who is also the Deputy President of the Senate, the full title being Deputy President and Chair of Committees

chamber

the meeting room of a house of Parliament
a law-making body

clause
a numbered provision in a bill. Once a bill becomes an Act, a clause is known as a section

Clerk
the senior permanent official of a house of a Parliament who advises on procedure and records the decisions of the house, and is the administrative head of the houses support services

Clerks certificate
the statement signed by the Clerk of a house to state that a bill has passed that house, with or without amendments; every bill must have a final Clerks certificate before it is sent to the Governor-General for the royal assent

closure (and see gag)
a way of ending a debate and causing a vote to be taken straight away on the matter being discussed, even though some members may still wish to speak

coalition
the joining together of two or more groups or parties, usually to form a government or opposition

coalition government
a government formed from more than one political party

cognate debate
a debate in which two or more related matters are discussed at the same time

committee of the whole
a committee consisting of all the members of the Senate usually formed to consider a bill in detail. (The House of Representatives considers bills in detail without entering into a committee of the whole)

committee, parliamentary (see parliamentary committee)

committee, party (see party committee)

common law
law based on custom or court decisions, as distinct from statute law

Commonwealth

the people of a nation or state
a group of countries or peoples united by a common interest

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
an association of parliaments of countries that make up the Commonwealth of Nations, such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Papua New Guinea and India

Compact of 1965
an agreement made in 1965 between the Senate and the government as to what proposals for expenditure contained in appropriation bills would not be considered part of the ordinary annual services of government, and thus amendable by the Senate

concurrent power (of the Constitution)
power which, under the Constitution, may be exercised by both the Commonwealth and the states

conference
a meeting of representatives of both houses of Parliament to discuss an issue on which the houses do not agree

confidence
the support of more than half the members of the House of Representatives for the government, which may be shown by voting on a particular major issue

Congress (USA)
the national law-making body of the United States of America, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives

conscience vote (see free vote)

constituency
the electoral division or area, or the people in it, which a member of Parliament represents

constituent
someone who votes, or lives, in an electoral division or area which a member of Parliament represents

Constitution
the set of basic rules by which a country or state is governed; Australias constitution is set out in the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act

constitutional

having the power of, or existing because of, the laws set out in the Constitution
in agreement with, or depending on, the laws set out in the Constitution

constitutional convention

an unwritten rule or practice, or an established custom, relating to the operation of a constitution
a meeting called to consider or draw up a constitution

constitutional monarchy
a country which has a monarch, whose powers are limited by a constitution

contempt (of the Senate or the House of Representatives)
disobedience to the authority or orders of the houses, or interference with or obstruction of their work or the work of Senators or Members

count-out
an adjournment for lack of a quorum

crossbench
one of a set of seats for members of Parliament who belong to neither the government nor the opposition parties; seats for minor parties and independents

cross the floor
to vote with a party other than that for which a member was elected

Crown privilege
a special exemption claimed by ministers which may allow some important papers to be kept secret (now usually called public interest immunity)

cut-off
a deadline for the introduction of government bills into the Senate, imposed by the Senate in an attempt to avoid a rush of bills at the end of sittings; in order to be considered in a period of sittings a bill must be first introduced in either house in the previous period of sittings, and be received by the Senate before two-thirds of the current sitting period has expired

Dd

Daily Program
a program or agenda, less formal than the Notice Paper, which shows the items of business with which the House of Representatives is expected to deal on a particular day, often called the Blue

deadlock
a situation where the Senate fails for a second time, within a specified time-frame, to pass a bill as agreed to by the House of Representatives

debate
a formal discussion in a house on a bill or other topic in which different views are put to arrive at a decision

declaration of poll
an announcement of the results of voting at an election

delegated legislation
law made by the executive government under an Act of Parliament, which does not require parliamentary enactment; examples are regulations, orders, determinations and rules

deliberative vote
a vote in Parliament which has as much value as any other vote, as opposed to a casting vote, held by the Speaker and some committee chairs

democracy

a way of governing a country in which the people elect representatives to form a government on their behalf
a country with such a government
the idea that everyone in a country has equal rights

despatch boxes
two ornamental boxes which lie upon opposite sides of the Table of the House of Representatives and which once were a storage place for papers; ministers and shadow ministers usually speak from a position next to the despatch box on their side of the Table

determination
authoritative decision, rule or arrangement

dissolve the House
to bring to an end the life of the House of Representatives and make a new election necessary

disallowance
the vetoing of delegated legislation by either house of the Parliament, which has the effect of repealing it

division

the separation of the members of a house of Parliament into two groups, for and against a proposal, so that their votes can be counted
one of the parts that a country or state is divided into for the purpose of holding elections, specifically an electoral division
a self-contained section or part of an Act

division of powers
the constitutional allocation of powers and functions between a national Parliament and government and state parliaments and governments, which forms the basis of a federal system of government

donkey vote
a vote where a voter appears to make no choice among the candidates, but numbers preferences for candidates in the order in which they are listed on the ballot-paper

Dorothy Dix question
a pre-arranged question asked of a minister in Parliament, usually by a member of the minister's own party, which allows the minister to give a prepared reply

double dissolution
the dissolution by the Governor-General of the Senate and the House of Representatives simultaneously, resulting in the termination of all business before them, and the calling of an election to return members for all seats in both houses; this may occur only in circumstances of deadlock between the houses prescribed in section 57 of the Constitution

Ee

enabling (of an Act, or bill)
allowing something to be done which would otherwise not be permissible

estimates
the sums of money which the government proposes it will need to provide works and services during a financial year

estimates committee
an informal, shorthand term commonly used to describe a legislation committee of the Senate when considering estimates

exclusive power (of the Constitution)
the sole right, given by the Constitution, of the federal Parliament, as opposed to state parliaments, to legislate on certain subjects; for example, the power to make laws for the whole country on customs and excise duties

executive

the branch of government which carries out or administers the laws
ministers from the governing party who make policy and control government departments, and who are answerable to Parliament for the way they run the government

Executive Council (see Federal Executive Council)

exective power
the power to administer the law, and one of the three powers under the Constitution, the others being the legislative power (exercised by Parliament) and the judicial power (exercised by the High Court and other courts)

explanatory memorandum
a paper which explains the purpose and details of bills or regulations, usually in a simple and non-technical way

Ff

federal
having to do with the national Parliament or government rather that state parliaments or governments

Federal Executive Council
the council of ministers which advises the Governor-General and gives legal form to cabinet decisions

federalism
a system of government in which powers and responsibilities are divided between a national government and provincial or state governments

federation
the forming of a nation by the union of a number of states, each of which retains some power to govern itself, while ceding some powers to a national government. In Australia, the creation of a single nation in 1901 by the joining together of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania

filibuster
the use of long speeches or other tactics in Parliament to delay deliberately a vote or decision

financial initiative (of the Crown)
the rule that only the government can begin the process of setting or increasing taxes or of making an appropriation that draws on public funds

financial power (of the Parliament)
the power of the Parliament to approve all expenditure proposals by the government

financial year
a 12-month period, usually 1 July to 30 June, at the end of which a government or company balances its accounts and reports on them

first chamber
a name for the lower and usually larger house of a legislature; in Australia, the House of Representatives

first-past-the-post
a way of voting where the candidate who gets the largest number of votes wins, even if it is less than half the votes cast

first reading
the first stage in the progress through a house of a bill (also called its initiation), marked by the reading by the Clerk out loud for the first time of the long title of a bill, usually straight after it is presented to the house

first speech (formerly maiden speech)
the first speech in Parliament by a newly-elected member, when the member is traditionally heard without interjection or interruption

fixed term
a term of office with a defined beginning and end

floor of the Senate/House of Representatives
the area containing Senators and Members seats and the area in between, in the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives

formal business

business before the Senate on which Senators agree unanimously to make a decision without debate
business which concerns the arrangements of a house, and not major issues

freedom of information
the principle that citizens should have a right to see most government papers and reports, particularly those which relate to their personal affairs

free vote
a vote in Parliament in which members are free to vote according to their own judgment or belief, and not necessarily according to the guidelines, policies or decisions of their political party

frontbench/er

those members of Parliament who are ministers or shadow ministers
the seats where such members sit

Gg

gag (and see closure)
a procedure for closing a discussion in a house when some members still wish to speak

Gazette (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette)
an official government publication which gives information about government matters and makes government announcements including proclamations

general business
business before the Senate which is put forward by Senators who are not ministers; the equivalent of private Members business in the House of Representatives

government business
business of a house which is introduced by a minister

governor
the representative of the Queen in a state of the Commonwealth of Australia

Governor-General
the representative of the Queen in Australia at the federal level

Governor-General in Council
the Governor-General formally acting with the advice of ministers through the Federal Executive Council

grievance debate
a weekly debate in the House of Representatives during which Members may speak about any matter of concern to them or their constituents

guillotine
a procedure which sets time limits on the passage of a bill or motion

Hh

Hansard

the official transcript of the debates in Parliament, officially the Commonwealth Parliamentary Debates of the Senate and the House of Representatives
the office which produces transcripts of parliamentary debates

hearing (of a committee)
a meeting of a parliamentary committee for the purpose of taking oral evidence

High Court (of Australia)
the court set up under the Australian Constitution to decide matters arising under the Constitution, and to hear appeals from the supreme courts of the states and other federal courts

honourable
a title of members of Parliament who are members of the Federal Executive Council, current and former ministers, and certain other persons, such as the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives

House of Assembly
the name of the lower house of Parliament in South Australia and Tasmania

House of Commons
one of two houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom and Canada, in which members are elected on the basis of population

House of Lords
one of two houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom, comprising hereditary, appointed and elected members

House of Representatives
One of the two houses of the federal Parliament of Australia, whose Members are elected on a population basis

House of Representatives Practice
the main reference book on the law, practice and procedure of the House of Representatives

house of review
a name often used to refer to the Senate, meaning a house which provides a second look or a close re-examination of matters considered in the other house

how-to-vote card
a card or piece of paper handed out at an election by a political party or candidate showing a voter how the party or candidate would prefer the voter to vote

Ii

immunity
the protection of members of Parliament and others from civil or criminal action in relation to their participation in parliamentary proceedings, and the protection of parliamentary proceedings from impeachment or question in the courts (see also privilege, parliamentary)

in committee
the state of a house of Parliament when it has formed itself into a committee of the whole house, usually to consider the detail of a bill

independent (Member or Senator)
a member of Parliament who does not belong to a political party

informal vote
in an election, a voting paper which is not counted because it has not been filled in correctly

initiate (a bill)
to originate a bill in either house of parliament

in order
in accord with the rules, in a correct form or style, as required by parliamentary procedure

inquiry (parliamentary)
an investigation by a parliamentary committee

Inter-Parliamentary Union
an international association of parliaments

introduce (a bill)
to bring in and formally present a bill to a house for future consideration

Jj

joint committee
a parliamentary committee made up of members of both houses of Parliament

joint sitting (of the two houses)
a meeting of both houses of Parliament together to make a decision on a proposed law which the two houses, sitting separately, have been unable to agree on

Journals of the Senate
the official minutes of proceedings in the Senate

judicial power
the power to interpret or apply the law in particular cases; one of the three powers under the Constitution, the others being the legislative power and the executive power

Kk

Ll

Labor Party (see Australian Labor Party)

Leader of the Government in the Senate
the leader in the Senate of the party or coalition which has formed the ministry

Leader of the House
the minister who arranges and manages government business in the House of Representatives

Leader of the Opposition
the leader of the party or coalition of parties which is the next largest after the government party in the House of Representatives, and which is made up of members who do not support the government

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
the leader of the party which is the next largest after the government party in the Senate, and which is made up of Senators who do not support the government

leave (of the Senate or the House of Representatives)
the permission of all members present in the chamber at the time to do something which otherwise could not be done at that time or in that way

legislation committee
a standing committee of the Senate which inquires into bills, estimates, annual reports and performances of government agencies

legislative and general purpose standing committees
parliamentary committees of the Senate which cover all areas of government activity, and to which matters are referred by the Senate for investigation

Legislative Assembly
the lower house of Parliament in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia and the sole house of Parliament in Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory

Legislative Council
the upper house of Parliament in all Australian states except Queensland

legislative power
the power to make and change laws; one of three powers under the Constitution, the others being the judicial power and the executive power

legislative process
the series of actions which result in a law being made

Liberal Party of Australia (L.P.)
a party founded in 1944 by Sir Robert Menzies and others, which developed from the Liberal Party of 1909, the Nationalist Party of 1917 and the United Australia Party of 1931

life (of a Parliament)
the period of time from the first meeting of a House of Representatives to the dissolution (breaking up) or expiry of the House

Loan Council (see Australian Loan Council)

long title (or title of a bill)
the full title of a bill which sets out briefly the purpose or scope of the bill (and see short title)

lower house
a house of a two-chamber Parliament, usually having more members than the upper house, and whose members usually represent electorates with similar numbers of voters; the House of Representatives is the lower house in the Australian Federal Parliament

Mm

Mace
once a weapon of war shaped like a club, and the symbol of royal authority, but now the symbol of authority of a lower house of Parliament and its Speaker

maiden speech (see first speech)

Manager of Government Business in the Senate
the government Senator who arranges and manages government business in the Senate on behalf of the Leader of the Government in the Senate

Manager of Opposition Business
the opposition member who represents the interests of the opposition in negotiations with the government concerning the business of the House of Representatives

matter of public importance
a subject for discussion which is suggested to a house by a Senator or Member, and which must be supported by a certain number of other Senators or Members before discussion proceeds

matters of public interest
subjects on which Senators may speak in the Senate between 12:45 and 2 pm on Wednesdays, without any question before the chair

Member of Parliament
a member of a house of Parliament, usually used to describe a member of a lower house and, in Australia, referring to Members of the House of Representatives, who may use the initials M.P. after their names

message
the most common form of official communication between the houses

minister (or minister of state)
a member of Parliament who is a member of the executive government, and who is usually in charge of a government department

ministerial accountability
the requirement that a minister can be called upon to explain in Parliament his or her actions and those of the department and agencies under his or her control

ministerial responsibility (sometimes used in the same sense as ministerial accountability)
responsibility to the Parliament for actions taken by a minister or on that ministers behalf; the doctrine that the ministers in a government, individually and collectively, depend for their continuance in office on maintaining the support of a majority of the House of Representatives

ministerial statement
a statement made by a minister to a house of Parliament, often used to announce the governments policies and decisions

ministry
members from both houses of Parliament chosen from the party or coalition of parties with a majority in the lower house to administer the country, who are formally appointed by the Governor-General as his or her ministers of state and together with the Governor-General form the executive government

minority government
a government formed by a party or coalition of parties which does not have a majority in the House of Representatives in its own right

money bill
a bill setting a tax or proposing the spending of money for a particular purpose

motion
a proposal for action put forward in the Senate or the House of Representatives, for consideration, debate and decision

move (a motion)
to make a formal proposal

M.P. (see Member of Parliament)

Nn

name (a member)
to formally identify a member for disorderly behaviour during a sitting of a house, by which action a presiding officer sets in train disciplinary proceedings which may result in the suspension of the member from the house

National Party of Australia (N.P.)
a party formed in 1920 as the Australian Country Party, later called the National Country Party, and then the National Party of Australia

nexus
a provision of the Constitution which requires that the number of Members of the House of Representatives be, as nearly as practicable, twice the number of Senators

no confidence (motion or vote of)
a means by which a house expresses dissatisfaction with the performance of a government or a minister; a successful no confidence motion in the House of Representatives may lead to the resignation of the government or minister

noes
the collective vote of members in a house of Parliament who oppose a proposal by voting no

notice of intention to present a bill
an announcement of intention to introduce a bill at a future sitting; notices are listed on the Notice Paper

notice of motion
an announcement of intention to put forward a motion for consideration, nearly always for a later day

notice of question (see question)

Notice Paper
the document issued each sitting day which lists all outstanding business before a house of Parliament (including orders of the day, notices of motion, notices of intention to present bills as well as questions on notice)

Oo

oath or affirmation of allegiance
a declaration of loyalty to the Queen which the Constitution requires each member of Parliament to make before taking a seat in Parliament

Odgers Australian Senate Practice
the main reference book on the law, practice and procedure of the Senate

office-holder (of the Parliament)
a member of Parliament who holds an official position in the Parliament, such as the President or the Speaker

Office of Parliamentary Counsel
an office of legal officers who draft or prepare proposals for new laws

officer (of the Parliament)
a permanent career official or employee of one of the parliamentary departments which provide support services for the federal Parliament

Ombudsman
an official whose job is to look into peoples complaints against the government or public servants

open government (and see freedom of information)
a principle of government under which citizens are given maximum opportunity to know about government decisions and the reasons for those decisions, and where citizens have a right to see most government papers and reports

opening speech (at the opening of Parliament)
a speech by the Queen, or her representative, the Governor-General, in which the reasons for the calling together of Parliament are given, the affairs of the country are reviewed and the governments plans for new laws are outlined

opposition
the second largest political party or coalition of parties after the government party in the House of Representatives which works to oppose what it believes to be wrong in government policies or actions, and which stands ready to form a government should the voters so decide at the next or a subsequent election

opposition backbencher
a member of Parliament who belongs to the opposition party or parties, but who is not a shadow minister

order

correct or proper actions or conduct in meetings of a house or committee
a decision of the Senate or the House of Representatives by which the houses direct their committees, members, officers and their own actions

order for production of documents
an order of a house of Parliament requiring that specified documents be laid on the table (ie presented to the house)

Order of Business

a program or agenda which shows the items of business which the Senate is expected to deal with on a particular day, known as the Senate Red
the sequence of business

order of the day
an item of business which the Senate or the House of Representatives has ordered to be set down for discussion on a particular day, usually the next day of sitting

ordinary annual services of government
those services which are necessary for the continuing and settled operation of government; under the Constitution the Senate cannot amend bills which appropriate revenue for such services, which include matters agreed in the Compact of 1965

other place (see another place)

out of order
not in accordance with recognised parliamentary rules

Pp

pair
an arrangement between parties whereby two members from opposing sides of a house do not vote on a particular occasion, so that one or both can be absent without affecting the result of the vote

paper

a report or document presented to a house of Parliament
parliamentary paper: a paper which has been presented to Parliament and published in the Parliamentary Papers series

Parliament
in Australia, an assembly of elected representatives, usually having an upper and a lower house which, with the head of state (the Queen, represented by the Governor-General or Governor), makes the laws for the country or state

Parliament House
the building where the two houses of Parliament meet, on Capital Hill in the Australian Capital Territory

parliamentary committee
a small group of members of Parliament, usually drawn from all parties in one or both of the houses, which examines, reports on, and makes recommendations about a particular subject

Parliamentary Counsel (see Office of Parliamentary Counsel)

parliamentary democracy
a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who exercise their power through elected representatives in Parliament

parliamentary departments
the three departments which service the commonwealth Parliament, namely the departments of the Senate and the House of Representatives (chamber departments) and the Department of Parliamentary Services

parliamentary government
a system of government in which the executive government is answerable to the Parliament, in which the government is formed from members of the Parliament, and in which the Parliament is supreme

parliamentary precincts (and see parliamentary zone)
the area in Canberra enclosed by Capital Circle, in which Parliament House is situated and over which the Parliament has certain regulatory powers

parliamentary procedure
rules for and methods of carrying out the business of a house of Parliament

parliamentary secretary
a member with similar status to a minister who assists a minister in performing his or her executive functions

parliamentary zone (also called parliamentary triangle)
the area in Canberra enclosed by Commonwealth Avenue, the southern shore of Lake Burley Griffin, Kings Avenue and State Circle, in which the Parliament and other public buildings are situated and over which the Parliament has certain regulatory powers; the parliamentary precincts are contained within the parliamentary zone

party (see political party)

party committee
a group of members of Parliament from the same political party who look at a particular area of government or opposition policy, and assist their party to make decisions on laws and other matters connected with that area of policy

party discipline
the control used by a political party to encourage its members in Parliament to vote together

party-political
having to do with the affairs or interests of a political party, sometimes to the benefit of a party ahead of the benefit of the public

party room
a room where the parliamentary members of a political party hold meetings

personal explanation
a short statement made in Parliament by a Senator or Member concerning a matter with which he or she is personally connected, or by a Senator or Member who feels he or she has been misrepresented and who wishes to state the correct facts or situation

petition
a document presented to a house of Parliament by a person or group of people asking for action on a matter

point of order
a question to the Chair as to whether proceedings in a meeting are in accord with the rules or in the correct form

political party
an organisation which exists to achieve particular public policy objectives by having members elected to Parliament

minor party: a recognised non-Government party of at least 5 members see PARLIAMENTARY ENTITLEMENTS ACT 1990
- SECT 3

portfolio
the area of responsibility or duties of a minister in a government

powers (under the Constitution)
the three types of authority legislative, executive and judicial provided under the Australian Constitution; the legislative powers of the federal Parliament

prayer (of a petition)
a request at the end of a petition, usually that a certain course of action be taken or not taken

preferential voting
a system of voting in which a voter shows an order of preference for candidates; if no candidate receives more than half of first preference votes (or in the case of voting for the Senate, candidates have not achieved a pre-determined quota), the next preferences of voters for the least successful candidates are distributed until candidate or candidates are elected

President (of the Senate)
the Senator who is elected by the Senate as its presiding officer

presiding officer (of the Parliament)
a member of Parliament elected to preside over, or be in charge of, the business, proceedings and administration of a house of Parliament; in the Senate the President, and in the House of Representatives, the Speaker

press gallery

the area in each chamber set aside for seating for members of the press reporting on Parliament
the offices of the press and electronic media working from Parliament House
journalists working from Parliament house who report on the Parliament

Prime Minister
the head of the national government, the chief minister in some countries, including Australia

private member
a member of Parliament who is not a minister

private Members business
business before the House of Representatives which is proposed by Members who are not ministers, as opposed to government business

privilege, parliamentary
the immunity of the houses of Parliament and their powers to protect the integrity of their processes

procedure (see parliamentary procedure)

proceedings (of a House of Parliament)
the formal actions and decisions of a house of Parliament

proclamation
an official public announcement, usually published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette

proportional representation
a voting system, such as that used in elections for the Senate, when a number of candidates, who have received a pre-determined proportion rather than a majority of the vote after the distribution of preferences, are elected to represent the people of each state, voting as one electorate

prorogue (the Parliament)
to end a session of Parliament without dissolving either House and therefore without a subsequent election

put the question
ask for a decision on a motion or stage of a bill

Qq

question

a matter, such as a motion or stage of a bill, to be debated and voted on
a request for information of a minister, in the Senate or the House of Representatives. A question without notice is asked orally during Question Time, for immediate answer, and a question on notice is a written question asked of a minister which is answered in writing at some later time

Question Time
a daily period of time in each house of the Parliament in which ministers are asked questions without notice concerning their responsibilities by other members

quorum
the minimum number of members, specified by law, who should be in the chamber before it transacts business (one quarter of all Senators; one fifth of all Members of the House of Representatives)

quorum call
the result of a member drawing the attention of the Chair to the absence of a quorum: the Chair causes the bells to be rung for a set period to enable an adequate number of members to assemble in the chamber

quota

the number of votes a candidate must receive before they are elected to the Senate, which is calculated by dividing the total number of ballot papers by one more than the number of Senators to be elected and adding one to the result
a figure based on population which determines how many members a state or territory is entitled to have in the House of Representatives
a figure which provides an indication of the average number of voters who should be on a divisions electoral roll for the purpose of returning a Member to the House of Representatives

Rr

reading (of a bill)
a formal stage in the passage of a bill through a house of Parliament; the first reading occurs when a bill is introduced, the second when it has been agreed to in principle and the third when it has been fully considered and any amendments agreed to; it is usual practice for the second reading of a bill to be moved immediately after the bill has been read a first time

recess
the period between sessions of Parliament, but in ordinary usage the word is often used to describe the periods between the main sitting periods each year, as in the winter recess

recommit (a bill)
to send a bill back to a committee of the whole so that all or part of the bill can be looked at again

redistribution
a new arrangement of the electoral divisions in a state or territory with the result that the boundaries of some existing divisions are changed

redistribution commissioners
persons chosen by the Governor-General who periodically redistribute electoral boundaries to ensure each electoral division has roughly the same number of voters

reference
a matter that has been referred to a parliamentary committee for consideration and report; a subject being considered by a committee

references committee
a standing committee of the Senate which inquires into matters referred to it by the Senate

referendum
a vote by all voters on a question; in Australia, nearly always a public vote on a proposed law to alter the Constitution

regulation
a law made under the authority of an Act of Parliament

report (from a committee of the whole)
a statement given orally to the President of the Senate by the Chairman of Committees on the results of the committee of the wholes consideration of a bill or other matter

report (of a parliamentary committee)
a statement, usually in writing and containing recommendations, of the results of an inquiry by a parliamentary committee

request (for an amendment)
the Senates act of asking the House of Representatives to make an amendment to certain financial bills which, under the Constitution, the Senate cannot amend itself

reserve powers
powers accorded to the Governor-General by convention which are not written into the Constitution and which may be exercised without ministerial advice

resolution
a motion which has been agreed to by a house and expresses the will or opinion of that house

responsible government
a system where the government is answerable to elected representatives of the people for its actions, especially a system where the ministry is drawn from within the Parliament from members of the party or parties which has the support of a majority of the lower house (in Australia the House of Representatives), and must maintain the confidence of a majority of that house

return to order
a document produced as a result of an order for the production of documents

revenue
incoming money; the money a government collects from taxes and other sources

right honourable
a title of members of Parliament and other persons who are members of the Privy Council, a body in the United Kingdom which advises the sovereign (Australian federal parliamentarians are no longer appointed to the Privy Council)

rotation (of Senators)
the constitutional provision that one half of the places of Senators from the states become vacant each three years; as Senators have a term of six years, this ensures continuity in the membership of the Senate

royal assent
the signing of a bill by the Governor-General, which is the last step in making a bill into an Act of Parliament, or law

royal commission
a body formed by a person or persons chosen by a government to inquire into and report on a matter of public concern

rule of law
the principle that all people are equal before the law, and that all government action will be undertaken in accordance with the law

ruling (of the President or Speaker)
a formal decision made by the President or Speaker, usually on a matter of procedure in the Senate or the House of Representatives

Ss

schedule (to a bill or Act)
a list at the end of a bill or Act which contains matters of detail

seat
a place for a member in a house of Parliament

second chamber
a name which is sometimes used to refer to an upper house of Parliament, such as the Senate

second reading (of a bill)
the second stage of the passage of a bill through a house at which time discussion on the principle or purpose of the bill takes place

secretary (of a department)
a public servant who is the administrative head of a government department

secretary (of a parliamentary committee)
a parliamentary officer who looks after the support arrangements for a parliamentary committee, including correspondence, record-keeping, research, and arrangements for meetings where witnesses give evidence, and who often prepares the first draft of a committees report

section (of an Act)
a separately-numbered provision in an Act of Parliament corresponding to a clause in a bill

select committee
a parliamentary committee established by either house or both houses to inquire into and report on a particular subject; a select committee ceases to exist when it has made its final report to the house or houses

Senate
One of the two houses of the federal Parliament of Australia, which has 76 Senators, 12 from each of the six states and two each from the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, elected from each state and territory voting as one electorate

Senator
a member of the Australian Senate

separation of powers, doctrine of the
the notion that, in a free society, the Parliament, the executive government and the courts are separate and act independently without interference from each other

Serjeant-at-Arms
an officer of the Department of the House of Representatives (and carrier of the Mace) who carries out the orders of the House and who assists to keep order in Parliament House

session
a parliamentary period which starts on the first day of sitting after an election or prorogation and ends at a prorogation or a dissolution of the House of Representatives or, if neither has happened, after three years; a session may last from one day to three years

sessional order
a temporary rule governing the conduct of business in a house of Parliament, which applies only for a defined period within the session in which it is made (and see standing orders)

shadow cabinet
the group of members of the main opposition party or parties in a Parliament who act as party spokespersons on the principal areas of government; the senior members of the shadow ministry

shadow minister
a member of the main opposition party or parties in a Parliament who is a party spokesperson usually in an area matching the responsibility of a minister

short title (of a bill)
the name of a bill by which it is commonly known and indexed as distinct from its long title which describes its scope and purpose

simple majority
in a house of Parliament, more than half the votes of those members present and voting, as opposed to an absolute majority

simultaneous dissolution (see double dissolution)

sitting
a meeting of the Senate or the House or Representatives (a sitting day)

sittings
periods of meetings of a house of Parliament; in the federal Parliament there are usually three periods of sittings (Autumn, Winter and Spring) in the year, during which neither house adjourns for more than 20 days

Speaker (of the House of Representatives)
the Member who is elected by the House of Representatives as its presiding officer

standing committee
a parliamentary committee appointed by either house or both houses to inquire into and report on certain matters; a standing committee usually continues to exist for the life of a Parliament

standing orders
a collection of rules agreed to by a house which govern the way it conducts its business

states house
a term often used to describe the Senate, meaning the elected house of Parliament in which all states have equal representation

states rights
the powers or entitlements of states in a federal system

statutory authority
a government agency set up by an Act of Parliament, more or less independent of day-to-day ministerial control, usually not bound by public service procedures to the same extent as ordinary departments, and which is responsible finally to Parliament

submission (to a committee)
suggestions or arguments made orally or in writing to a committee

suspend (a Senator or Member)
to remove a Senator or Member from a house and so prevent, for a time, his or her performing any duties in, or being present in, the house (usually in response to disorderly conduct by the Senator or Member)

Tt

table

to present a document or other item to a house of Parliament
the table in front of the Presidents or Speakers Chair

tacking
the inclusion in the same bill of expenditure proposals which the Senate is able to amend, together with proposals dealing with appropriations for the ordinary annual services of government, which, under the Constitution, the Senate is not able to amend, but for which it may request amendments

taken note of answers, a motion to
a motion requiring no notice or leave, moved at the end of question time in the Senate, which allows a Senator to speak for 5 minutes in response to an answer or answers given during question time

teller
a member, usually a whip, chosen to count the members voting either for the ayes or the noes in a division

Temporary Chairmen of Committees
a panel of not less than two Senators, one of whom may act as Chair when the Senate sits as a committee of the whole

terms of reference (of a committee)
the scope for activity and investigation defined for a committee by a house of Parliament when a matter is referred to it for inquiry

territory
in the federal system of government, an area which has not been given the full rights of a state (for example, the Northern Territory)

third reading
the final stage in the passage of a bill through a house of Parliament

Uu

unicameral
consisting of one chamber or house, especially of a law-making body

unparliamentary language
words used in a house which the Chair judges to be offensive or disorderly, and which are usually required to be withdrawn

upper house
the second chamber in a two-chamber Parliament; the Senate is the upper house in the federal Parliament

urgency motion
a motion moved in the Senate which, if supported by a specified number of Senators, enables debate in the chamber of a matter of concern, without requiring prior notice (see also matter of public importance)

Usher of the Black Rod
an officer of the Department of the Senate (named after the Black Rod he or she carries) who has special duties on ceremonial occasions such as the opening of Parliament, and who assists to keep order in Parliament House

Vv

voices, on the
a decision reached by members saying aye if they support a motion proposed to a house, or no if they do not. The Chair states which side appears to be in the majority and if there is no objection the decision has been made on the voices. If, however, more than one member disagrees, they may call for a division

Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives
the official minutes of the proceedings of the House of Representatives

Ww

want of confidence (see no confidence)

Westminster system
a system of government originating in Britain, the main features of which are a head of state who is not the head of government, and an executive which is drawn from and directly responsible to the Parliament

whip
a party manager in Parliament who is responsible for organising members of his or her party to take part in debates and votes, and who assists in arranging the business of a house of Parliament

witness (before a committee)
a person who gives evidence to a parliamentary committee

writs (for an election)
formal orders, issued by the Governor-General in the case of Members of the House of Representatives and state governors in the case of state Senators, requiring that an election be held