parliamentary democracy Flashcards
what is democracy?
government by the people, a form of government in which the supreme power is invested in the people and exercised by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system
what is the name of the legislation that set out requirements for elections?
Australian Constitution and Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth)
what does it mean to be a constitutional monarchy?
the people are under the ultimate authority of the king or queen of Britain
who is the king’s representative?
governor-general
what are the two houses of federal parliament?
upper house - senate
lower house - house of representatives
how many members sit in the house of representatives?
151
how many people does each MP represent?
~ 75 - 80,000
what are the major functions of the house of representatives?
- represent the interests of their constituents
- introduce, debate and pass/reject bills
how many members sit in the senate?
76
how are senators elected?
citizens of the six states elect 12 senators each, while territories elect 2 senators each
what are the major functions of the senate?
- each state is represented in equal numbers regardless of its size (protects the smaller states)
- reviews bills from the house of representatives
- scrutinises government through committees
how many houses does Queensland’s parliament have?
one - it is unicameral
