What is the Senate?
Fundamentally the proceedings of all Parliaments in Australia have been inherited from the British Westminster system. This system is bicameral which means it comprises of two houses, which are; the House of Representatives (the lower house) and the Senate (the upper house). In Australia the State level of Government names these houses, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council respectively. Queensland however is the only State that does not have a legislative council (unicameral) after it was removed in 1921. Some smaller countries usually adopt a unicameral system where a single house is substantial to accommodate for the smaller population. Although not having a Legislative Council on a State level, Queenslanders are still required to vote for the members of a Legislative Council (Senators) in the Federal field.
The Senate consists of 76 senators, 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the mainland territories. It shares the power to make laws with the other House of the Parliament. But a Senator's work extends far beyond the Chamber.
To contribute in the process of making new laws and debating public policy, Senators must have a solid understanding of their constituents' views.
Their duties include:
Senators contribute to public debate by putting forward their own ideas, by advocating the policies of their party and by representing the views of community groups. In addition to speeches and questions in the Senate Chamber, Senators make use of a variety of occasions to contribute to the discussion of public issues by:
The information provided on this webpage is based on the information provided on the APH website. www.aph.gov.au.