Australian Politics and Policy - Senior, 2019a

Parliaments of Australia
summary, found that Urban had misled the house about his right to wear medals,
his educational qualification and his previous work history. Shortly after the report
was tabled, Urban resigned from the Legislative Assembly. 20
Conclusions
The national and eight subnational parliaments in Australia have all adopted and
adapted the Westminster system of government. Some Australian parliaments are
unicameral. All are much smaller than the UK parliament, some having less than 25
members. All have different procedures for common mechanisms such as questions
to ministers, petitions and the passage of legislation.
Despite their variations, the two most fundamental characteristics of Westminster
government – responsible government and the ability of each house to ensure
responsible government – remain at their core. Ministers are members of parliament
and are responsible to the parliament for the matters that they administer. Cabinet,
comprising the prime minster, premier or chief minister and other ministers, is also
collectively responsible to the parliament. Each house of parliament has the power
necessary to ensure that the executive remains accountable and employs devices
such as estimates examinations, questions to ministers, orders for documents and
general committee inquiries to achieve that accountability.
Parliament sits at the apex of our system of government. It is where the collective
will of the people, expressed through elections, decides who governs us. It is where
laws are made and the pros and cons of public policies are debated. While parliament
issteepedintradition,itisalsoanevolvinginstitution,areflectionofwhoweare
andwhatwewishAustraliatobeatagivenpointintime.
References
Burke, Edmund (1986). Speech to the electors of Bristol, 3 Nov. 1774. In Philip B. Kurland and Ralph
Lerner, eds. The founders’ constitution, volume 1, chapter 13, document 7. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press. http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch13s7.html
Crick, Bernard (1970). The reform of parliament. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
de Jersey, Paul (2015). An address by His Excellency to mark his completion of twelve months in the
office of governor, 29 July. www.govhouse.qld.gov.au/the-governor-of-queensland/speeches/
2015/july/anniversary-address.aspx
Edwards, Jean (2017). Euthanasia: Victoria becomes the first Australian state to legalise voluntary
assisted dying. ABC News,29November.www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-29/euthanasia-passesparliament-in-victoria/9205472
Griffith, Gareth (1999). Egan v Chadwick and other recent developments in the powers of elected upper
houses. Briefing Paper 15/99. Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service.
20 Procedure and Privileges Committee 2018.
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