What Are the Main Duties of the House of Representatives

About the Business firm of Representatives

The House of Representatives is 1 of the 2 houses of the Australian Federal Parliament, the other existence the Senate. It is sometimes called the 'people's house' or the 'house of regime'.

Composition

The House currently has 151 Members. Each Fellow member represents an electoral division. The boundaries of these electorates are adjusted from time to time so that they all contain approximately equal numbers of electors—because of the distribution of Commonwealth of australia'southward population they vary profoundly in area (from a few square kilometres to over ii million square kilometres). Members are elected by a system known as preferential voting, under which voters rank candidates in guild of preference.

Each Business firm of Representatives may continue for up to three years, after which full general elections for a new House must be held. Elections are often held before the finish of this period.

The main political parties represented in the House are the Australian Labor Political party, the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia. In recent years there has as well been a number of contained parties and Members.

See as well:

• Infosheet 8 – Elections for the Firm of Representatives

Functions

Makes laws—The House's central function and the ane which takes up about of its time is the consideration and passing of new laws and amendments or changes to existing laws. Whatever Fellow member can introduce a proposed constabulary (nib) but most are introduced by the Government. To go law, bills must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They may start in either house but the majority of bills are introduced in the Firm of Representatives.

Determines the Authorities—After an ballot the political party (or coalition of parties) which has the nearly Members in the House of Representatives becomes the governing party. Its leader becomes Prime Minister and other Ministers are appointed from among the political party'due south Members and Senators. To remain in office a Regime must keep the support of a majority of Members of the House.

Publicises and scrutinises government administration—Fence of legislation and ministerial policy statements, discussion of matters of public importance, committee investigations, asking questions of Ministers (during question time—at 2 pm—Members may ask Ministers questions without notice on matters relating to their work and responsibilities; questions can also exist asked on notice for written answer).

Represents the people—Members may present petitions from citizens and heighten citizens' concerns and grievances in fence. Members besides raise issues of concern with Ministers and government departments.

Controls government expenditure—The Government cannot collect taxes or spend coin unless immune past constabulary through the passage of taxation and appropriation bills. Expenditure is also examined past parliamentary committees.

See as well:

• Infosheet 19 – the Business firm, Government and Opposition

Sittings

The normal sitting blueprint for the House extends from February to March, May to June and Baronial to December. During these periods the House unremarkably meets in blocks of two sitting weeks followed by two non-sitting weeks. Normally the House sits from Monday to Th each sitting week.

The order of business organization for each sitting is set down by the rules of the Firm (the House of Representatives Continuing and Sessional Orders). The largest proportion of time is taken up with debate on government business concern—mainly the consideration of bills. On Monday, 'private Members' twenty-four hours', time is reserved for debating reports from parliamentary committees and business organization sponsored by both regime and non-government backbenchers.

All proceedings are open to the public.

See also:

• Infosheet2 – A typical sitting day
• Sitting calendar

Committees

The Firm has a comprehensive system of standing committees. These include:

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

• domestic or internal committees—These committees are concerned with the operation of the House, for example, 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.

Run into also:

• Infosheet 4 – Committees

The Chamber

The photograph at left shows the Chamber of the House in action.

At the eye is the Speaker's Chair and the Table of the Firm. The ii Clerks at the Table advise the Chair and Members about procedure and record the formal minutes of proceedings. Hansard reporters sit at the small key table to tape the debates. Each Fellow member has his or her own seat, with government Members to the correct of the Speaker and opposition and other not-government Members to the left. Ministers and senior opposition Members (the shadow ministry) sit on the facing front end benches and speak from the Table, other Members speak from their places.

With the exception of question fourth dimension, Members are rarely all present in the Bedchamber at the same fourth dimension, but are engaged in work elsewhere, including participating in committee meetings and debates in the Main Committee. Members can sentry what is happening in the Chamber at all times from their offices through the Parliament Business firm internal television system.

Behind the Speaker's Chair at first flooring level is the printing gallery, reserved for media representatives. On the other three sides of the Sleeping room are the public galleries, which are e'er open to visitors.

Encounter likewise:

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 House of Representatives committee rooms is defended to this function and fitted out equally a pocket-size Chamber. Its proceedings are also open to the public.

Run across also:

• Infosheet sixteen – The Federation Chamber

The Speaker

The start activeness of the House following an election is to elect ane of its Members to be Speaker. The Speaker presides over the sittings of the Firm and is responsible for its administration. The Deputy Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker are also elected. A console of other Members, appointed by the Speaker, provides assistance in presiding over the House and the Chief Commission. When in the Chair these Members are referred to as 'Deputy Speaker'.

Come across also:

• Infosheet three – The Speaker

Inter-Parliamentary Relations

The International and Parliamentary Relations Office (IPRO) provides communication and support relevant to the deport of the Parliaments international and regional diplomacy. It provides general support for inter-parliamentary conferences and incoming and outgoing parliamentary delegations; training back up for other parliaments, specially 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