GOVERNMENT
By Hannah
The House Of Representatives
Australia is divided into areas called electorates. For each electorate there is one seat in the House of Representatives for them. Each electorate has around the same number of people living in it. At each election the people who live in each electorate has to vote for one person to go to the Parliament House to speak for them. That elected person becomes a Member of the House of Representatives for a certain seat.
Most people who stand for election are members of each of the different groups or parties. The party that has most members elected to the House of Representatives becomes the Government, and the leader of that party becomes Prime Minister of Australia.
The party that wins the next highest number of seats in the House of Representatives is called the Opposition and its leader is called the leader of Opposition.
There is one big room called a chamber in Parliament House where the Representatives meets. The room is decorated green.
In a big wooden chair( that is where the speaker sits) in the middle of the U shape. The government Members sit on the right of the speaker and the Opposition sit to the left. In the curved part of the U shape Members of small parties sit ,as well as the Members who don't belong to a party. Behind the speaker is reserved for the press gallery. On the left and right of the speaker is for the public to sit and watch but they aren't aloud to speak at all.
The Senate
The other House of Parliament is called the Senate. People of each state and territory elect 12 people to be their states or territory's Senators. No matter how big or small a state or territory is, they have the same number of Senators.
The Senate in Parliament House is decorated red.
Like the House of Representatives the Government members sit to the right and the Opposition sits to the left . The seats in the curved part of the U shape are for members of small parties and Independents. In the main chair is the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate is in Charge of the meeting.
Makeing Laws
The main business of parliament is to make laws. When a law is first suggested, it is called a bill. Bills are usually suggested in the House of Representatives. First the bill is explained, then all the members discuss it. Changes may be made. Then all Members vote for or against the bill. If it passes the vote, it goes to the other House of Parliament and the same thing happens. Sometimes the bill is sent back to be changed some more, and sometimes it passes another vote. Then the bill is called an act of parliament. The Governor -General signs it and it becomes a law the Australians obey