SkillBuilder discussion Investigating contemporary Civics and Citizenship issues 1. What functions take place in the House of Representatives? 2. How is the seating arranged in the House of Representatives? 3. What is the signiýcance of the House of Representatives in Australia’s parliamentary proceedings?
FIGURE2 The House of Representatives chamber in Parliament House
12.3.3 Working together: The Senate The Senate is the upper house of the federal parliament. It acts as a review house, meaning it checks laws passed by the House of Representatives. • Senators must vote on new ideas before they become law. They can reject or change any law they think isn’t right. • Since 1981, governments have rarely had a majority in the Senate. This means the Senate often tries to improve laws. • The Senate has 76 members. Each state elects 12 senators, and the Northern Territory and ACT each elect two. This gives each state equal power. Senators serve for six years, with half elected every three years. • The Senate President leads meetings, like the Speaker does in the House.
SkillBuilder discussion Investigating contemporary Civics and Citizenship issues 1. How does the Senate differ from the House of Representatives? 2. What role does the Senate play in Australia’s legislative process? 3. How are senators seated and organised within the Senate?
FIGURE3 The Senate chamber in Parliament House
TOPIC12 Government and democracy 447
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