Helping with petitions to the House of Representatives An important way in which voters can bring an issue to the attention of the parliament is to organise a petition. Members of parliament can provide advice on the preparation of petitions to be presented to the House of Representatives. Members will also make sure the petition goes through the formal processes that are necessary for the petition to be dealt with. The House of Representatives has a Petitions Committee to deal with all petitions that are presented to it. The local member will ensure that the petition is passed on to the Petitions Committee. 17.3.3 How governments are formed and lost In democratic countries like Australia, governments can be formed and lost in many ways according to the needs, wants and actions of the citizens. There are various factors which impact upon whether a party or coalition of parties have the right to form government. Parliamentary majority Parliamentary majority requires a party or coalition (a group of parties) to have the support of over 50 per cent of the members in the House of Representatives. If a government has a majority, it can pass Bills and carry out policies (see topic 20). Because there are 151 seats in the House of Representatives, a parliamentary majority requires 76 seats (half of the total plus one). The role of the opposition The official opposition is the party or coalition which has the next highest number of seats. If the government loses the confidence of the House of Representatives or the citizens, the opposition would step into the role of government, with its leader as the new prime minister. The shadow ministry, led by the leader of the opposition, is a mirror image of the government ministry. The purpose of the opposition is to carefully examine, criticise and challenge the government in power. Hung parliament A hung parliament occurs when no party or group has over 50 per cent of the seats in the House of Representatives. This means that no party can pass laws without getting support from independents. During a hung parliament, the two main parties or coalitions will attempt to convince independents to support them so that they can get the 76 seats needed for a majority. Minority governments When a major party does not hold an outright majority, the support of a minor party or independent becomes crucial for passing Bills or motions. This situation allows strong negotiations between a major and a minor party, meaning smaller parties can have a significant impact on legislation and government decisions. An example of this balance of power is evident in the Senate (sometimes referred to as the house of review), where minor parties have often played significant roles in shaping policy outcomes.
508 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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