Australian Politics and Policy - Senior, 2019a

Parliaments of Australia
Immediatelyaftertheelection,itappearedthatthegoverningparty,theLNP,
hadwon42ofthe89seatsintheLegislativeAssembly,threeseatsshortofamajority.
It also appeared that the Australian Labor Party (ALP) had won 44 seats, one short
of a majority. Two members of Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) and one independent
were also elected.
The Queensland constitution, like the constitutions for the Commonwealth
and other states and territories, does not detail how governments are formed. The
Queensland governor, Paul de Jersey, had to rely on custom and convention to
determine who to ask to form government.
On 5 February, the independent member, Peter Wellington, publicly pledged
his support for the ALP on votes of confidence and supply, with certain caveats.
The two KAP members did not formally declare support for either major party.
However, results in some seats were still uncertain and close.
On 10 February, Campbell Newman tendered his resignation as premier, to take
effect upon the appointment of a successor premier. Later on 10 February, the leader
of the ALP, Annastacia Palaszczuk, called on the governor and advised that she
had secured the support of the independent, Wellington, and that she had obtained
independent legal advice supporting her claim to form government, should she be
invitedtodoso.ThegovernoradvisedPalaszczukthathewouldawaitthepoll
declaration before commissioning a new premier.
On 13 February, the Electoral Commission of Queensland declared the results
of the final seats, confirming that the ALP had obtained 44 seats and that Palaszczuk,
with the support of Wellington, could guarantee supply and confidence. The
governor then asked Palaszczuk to become premier and establish a government. 14
Law making (legislation)
One of the principal functions of parliament is making laws. Laws are the guide for
what we can and cannot do in our day-to-day lives. While the process of making
new laws is technical, it is also often acrimonious and heated. For example, in 2017
the Victorian parliament passed laws to allow assisted dying, but not before more
than100hoursofdebateoccurredovervariousclausesoftheBill. 15 The process
of making laws begins when Bills are introduced, debated, amended and passed
by each house or chamber or, in unicameral parliaments, by the single chamber. If
theBillispassed,itisgivenassentbythesovereign’srepresentative(thegovernorgeneralorgovernor)and,atthattime,convertedtoanAct–anewlaworan
amendment to an existing law.
The legislative power of parliament extends to delegating legislative power
to other bodies, such as the Governor-General in Council, so that those bodies
can make laws called subordinate or delegated legislation. Regulations, by-laws
14 de Jersey 2015.
15 Edwards 2017.
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