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Fact Sheets in alphabetical order A Day in Parliament A Day in the Life of an MP Adjournment Debate Amendments Bills and Acts Budget Cabinet Clerk Coalition Coat of Arms Constitution Crossing the Floor Despatch Box Double Dissolution Elections Estimates Federation Frontbenchers & Backbenchers Functions of Parliament Governor-General Hansard House of Representatives Independents Inside Parliament House Joint Sitting of Parliament Leader of the Opposition Mace Main Committee Media Members of Parliament Ministers Ministers & Shadow Ministers Parliament House Facts Parliamentary Committees Party Leadership Party Meetings Party Whip Passing a Bill Petitions Political Party Preparing a Bill for Parliament President of the Senate Prime Minister Private Members & Senators Prorogation & Dissolution Question Time Senate Senators Separation of Powers Serjeant-at-Arms Speaker Speaker's Chair Standing Orders Three Levels of Government Usher of the Black Rod Where Bills Come From Fact Sheets in numerical order 01 The Coat of Arms 02 Despatch Box 03 The Speaker's Chair 04 The Usher of the Black Rod 05 Adjournment Debate 06 Amendments 07 Party Leadership 08 Main Committee 09 Party Meetings 10 The Serjeant-at-Arms 11 The Mace 12 Coalition 13 Prorogation & Dissolution 14 Independents 15 Leader of the Opposition 16 President of the Senate 17 The Governor-General 18 House of Representatives 19 Cabinet 20 Members of Parliament 21 Ministers & Shadow Ministers 22 Political Party 23 The Prime Minister 24 The Media 25 The Senate 26 The Party Whip 27 A Day in Parliament 28 Bills & Acts 29 Functions of Parliament 30 The Speaker 31 The Consitution 32 Senators 33 Double Dissolution 34 Federation 35 Separation of Powers 36 Passing a Bill 37 Frontbenchers & Backbenchers 38 Crossing the Floor 39 Question Time 40 A Day in the Life of an MP 41 Elections 42 Estimates 43 Parliament House Facts 44 Hansard 45 Inside Parliament House 46 Joint Sitting of Parliament 47 Private Members & Senators 48 Ministers 49 Parliamentary Committees 50 Petitions 51 Preparing a Bill for Parliament 52 Standing Orders 53 The Budget 54 The Clerk 55 Three Levels of Government 56 Where Bills Come From

16 The President of the Senate

The President is in charge of the sittings of the Senate, like a chairperson running a meeting. The President makes sure that debates run smoothly, and the rules of the Senate, as set out in Standing Orders, are followed. There is also an elected Deputy President.

The President is the spokesperson for the Senate in all its dealings with the Governor-General, the government, the House of Representatives and other parliaments and authorities.

The President is one of 76 Senators. All the Senators elect the new President using a secret vote on the first sitting day after 1 July following a Senate election.

The President has a vote just like any other senator and votes whenever other senators vote. This is to ensure that all states have equal representation whenever votes are taken.

The President is also in charge of the entire Department of the Senate and is responsible for budgets, staffing and even such details as allocation of offices to senators.

The President of the Senate has a similar role to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Both are Presiding Officers of the Parliament. The President is addressed as Mr or Madam President.

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