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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

18 House of Representatives

The Australian Parliament consists of three elements:

1. the Queen, who is represented in Australia by the Governor-General
2. the House of Representatives, and
3. the Senate.

The Parliament is bicameral, which means there are two houses, and a bill has to pass with a majority vote in both houses to create a new law.

The House of Representatives is also known as the ‘lower house.’ Although its name is derived from the United States Congress, it is based on the British House of Commons, even to the point of using the colour green in its furnishings and symbols.

The 150 members are elected for three years, each representing an electorate of about 125,000 people, of whom approximately 85,000 are eligible to vote.

The seating plan for members and parliamentary officials follows the traditional British pattern. The Speaker presides from a large Speaker's Chair, the government members sit on the Speaker’s right and the members of the opposition sit to the Speaker’s left. The Clerk and deputy Clerks sit in front of the Speaker at the centre table.

The leader of the government (Prime Minister) and the opposition (Leader of the Opposition) also sit at the centre table. Government ministers and opposition shadow ministers sit on a long bench seat in the front row on their respective sides. The backbenchers who sit behind each have their own seat and desk.

The government is formed by the party (or coalition of parties) with the majority of members in the House of Representatives. This is done to guarantee the passing of bills, especially money bills, which are needed to keep the government and the country functioning. The party or parties that are not in the government may form the opposition and may choose to vote with or against the government on any issue. The Speaker runs the proceedings of the House using the rules set out in Standing Orders. Most time is spent debating and voting on legislation. Members also scrutinise the work of the government in Question Time. Members represent their party and the people in their electorates when they speak during adjournment, grievance and matters of public importance debates.

The House of Representatives is always open to the media and the public who are free to enter and leave the chamber as they wish, although free ticket bookings are usually necessary to attend Question Time each day at 2pm.

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