1 How Many People Make Up 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 being the Senate. It is sometimes called the 'people'due south house' or the 'house of government'.

Composition

The Firm currently has 151 Members. Each Member represents an electoral division. The boundaries of these electorates are adjusted from time to time and then that they all contain approximately equal numbers of electors—because of the distribution of Australia's population they vary greatly in expanse (from a few square kilometres to over two million foursquare kilometres). Members are elected by a system known every bit preferential voting, under which voters rank candidates in society of preference.

Each House of Representatives may continue for up to three years, after which general elections for a new House must be held. Elections are frequently held before the terminate of this menstruation.

The master political parties represented in the House are the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal 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 House of Representatives

Functions

Makes laws—The Business firm's central function and the i which takes up nearly of its time is the consideration and passing of new laws and amendments or changes to existing laws. Whatsoever Member can innovate a proposed constabulary (bill) simply most are introduced by the Government. To go law, bills must be passed by both the Business firm of Representatives and the Senate. They may start in either house but the majority of bills are introduced in the Business firm of Representatives.

Determines the Government—After an ballot the political party (or coalition of parties) which has the about Members in the Business firm of Representatives becomes the governing party. Its leader becomes Prime Minister and other Ministers are appointed from amid the party's Members and Senators. To remain in office a Government must keep the back up of a bulk of Members of the House.

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

Represents the people—Members may present petitions from citizens and raise citizens' concerns and grievances in debate. Members also heighten bug of concern with Ministers and regime 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 Business firm, Regime and Opposition

Sittings

The normal sitting pattern for the House extends from February to March, May to June and August to December. During these periods the Business firm usually meets in blocks of two sitting weeks followed by 2 non-sitting weeks. Unremarkably the House sits from Monday to Thursday each sitting week.

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

All proceedings are open to the public.

See as well:

• Infosheet2 – A typical sitting 24-hour interval
• Sitting calendar

Committees

The House has a comprehensive organisation of standing committees. These include:

• investigative committees—These committees acquit out inquiries on matters of public policy or government administration. They take evidence from the public and study to the Firm with recommendations for government action. The organisation of general purpose standing committees parallels the functions of government, for example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Diplomacy; Economics, Finance and Public Assistants; Education and Vocational Training; and

• domestic or internal committees—These committees are concerned with the operation of the Business firm, for case, Procedure, Privileges, Members' Interests.

There are several joint committees on which both Members and Senators serve together, for example, the Public Accounts and Audit Commission.

See also:

• Infosheet 4 – Committees

The Bedroom

The photo at left shows the Chamber of the Firm in activity.

At the center is the Speaker's Chair and the Table of the House. The two Clerks at the Table advise the Chair and Members about procedure and record the formal minutes of proceedings. Hansard reporters sit at the small central tabular array to tape the debates. Each Member has his or her ain seat, with government 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 end benches and speak from the Tabular array, other Members speak from their places.

With the exception of question time, Members are rarely all present in the Chamber at the same time, merely are engaged in work elsewhere, including participating in committee meetings and debates in the Main Committee. Members tin watch what is happening in the Sleeping room at all times from their offices through the Parliament House internal television organisation.

Behind the Speaker'south Chair at beginning floor level is the printing gallery, reserved for media representatives. On the other three sides of the Chamber are the public galleries, which are always open to visitors.

See as well:

The Federation Chamber

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

See too:

• Infosheet 16 – The Federation Chamber

The Speaker

The get-go action of the Firm following an election is to elect i of its Members to be Speaker. The Speaker presides over the sittings of the House and is responsible for its administration. The Deputy Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker are also elected. A panel of other Members, appointed by the Speaker, provides assistance in presiding over the House and the Principal Committee. When in the Chair these Members are referred to as 'Deputy Speaker'.

See also:

• Infosheet three – The Speaker

Inter-Parliamentary Relations

The International and Parliamentary Relations Role (IPRO) provides advice and support relevant to the behave of the Parliaments international and regional affairs. It provides 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 support 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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