, so called because it takes place on the motion to adjourn the House each day.
.
to spend money.
. Once the Bill has passed through all stages in both Houses, the
or special office holder. These Members sit on the benches behind the ministers.
Where no party holds a majority, another person or group may have enough votes to decide the issue and hence hold the ‘balance of power’.
. After it receives
.
, who as senior Members of the governing party, are responsible for the development and implementation of policy, and with the
departments and agencies for which they are responsible, carry out the day-to-day functions of government. They are also referred to as the
A vote (usually the Chairperson’s) which decides a matter when the voting is equally divided.
for that period.
responsible for ensuring that correct procedure is followed and administration and records are properly maintained.
A group of Members of Parliament appointed by a House to consider matters referred to it. Its findings are reported to the House.
) when it is examined clause by clause and amendments are considered. The ‘Committee’ is the whole House operating under different rules and presided over by the Chair of Committees.
Constitution: The basic
laws that define the powers and responsibilities of the
government. New South Wales’ cur- rent Constitution began to operate in 1856 but has been modified by the Constitution Act of 1902, other Federal and State laws, legal decisions and conventions.
Cross Bench: The seats in a House occupied by Members who are neither part of the
Government nor the
Opposition. They may be
Independents or members of minor parties.
Dissolution: The bringing to an end, by the
Governor, of a Parliament, making a new election necessary.
Division: A vote taken in a House of
Parliament in which a record of the names of Members and how they vote is kept.
Enact, enactment: The point at which a
Bill comes into force as an
Act of
Parliament,
First Reading: The first stage in the progress of a
Bill through the Legislative Council. The Bill is presented and the
Clerk reads aloud its short title. See also
Introduction.
Front Bench: Refers to the
Ministers and
Shadow Ministers who traditionally sit on the front benches in each House.
Government: In
Parliament, this is the party or
Coalition of parties with majority support in the
Legislative Assembly and therefore able to govern. The term ‘Government’ is also used to describe Executive Government.
Government Bill: A
Bill introduced by a
Minister on behalf of the
Government.
Governor: The formal Head of State in New South Wales, the Queen’s representative.
Hansard: The written record of Parliamentary debates, kept in NSW since 1879-80.
House of Review: A term applied to the
Legislative Council which is responsible for reviewing and providing a second opinion on
Bills passed by the
Legislative Assembly.
Legislation sometimes originates in the
Legislative Council and is reviewed in the
Legislative Assembly.
Independent: A Member of
Parliament who is not a member of a political party.
Leader of the Government: In the Legislative Assembly, the
Premier; in the
Legislative Council, a
Government Member, elected to manage proceedings on behalf of the Government.
Leader of the House: A person appointed from the
government party or parties, to organise and arrange the proceedings of the House. The
Opposition equivalent is called Manager of Opposition Business.
Leader of the Opposition: A Member elected by the
Opposition to lead them and to ‘shadow’ the Premier.
Legislation: Laws enacted by a
Parliament.
Legislative Assembly: The
Lower House of the New South Wales Parliament which first met in 1856.
Legislative Council: The
Upper House of the New South Wales
Parliament.
Legislature: A
law-making body (e.g. a
parliament).
Lower House: One of the two houses in a
bicameral system. In New South Wales, the
Legislative Assembly.
Mace: The symbol of authority of the
Speaker. It is carried by the
Serjeant-at-Arms on ceremonial occasions. The Mace rests on the top of the table in the
Legislative Assembly while the House is sitting.
Minister: A Member of the
Government responsible for one or more government departments.
MLC: Member of the
Legislative Council.
Money Bill: A
Bill for the purpose of raising or spending money, commonly known as the Budget. Money Bills can only be introduced in the
Legislative Assembly in NSW and cannot be prevented by the
Legislative Council.
MP: A Member of Parliament, but in NSW this refers to Members of the
Legislative Assembly.
Motion: A proposal put to the House, which is debated upon and seeks the opinion of the House, either for or against.
Notice / Notice of Motion: The formal process by which the House is notified of forthcoming business – proposals to introduce
Bills or move motions. Notices are printed on the Notice Paper and circulated before each sitting of the House.
Opposition: The second largest political party or coalition of parties after the
Government in the
Lower House.
Parliamentary Privilege: The rights, powers and immunities of
Parliament and its Members necessary to uphold and protect the dignity and authority of Parliament – for example freedom of speech. They ensure that the business of Parliament can proceed without fear of attacks on Parliament’s authority.
Petition: A document, usually with multiple signatures, presented to a House of
Parliament, through a Member, by a person or group of people requesting that the Parliament consider action on a particular matter.
Point of Order: When a Member suggests to the
Presiding Officer that another Member is breaking the rules of the House.
Portfolio: The specific responsibilities of a
Minister, the Department or Departments for which the Minister is responsible.
Premier: The chief
minister of a state
government in Australia; the leader of the party or coalition which gains a majority in the
Lower House.
Presiding Officers: The Members of
Parliament elected by each House to preside over the meetings of that House (
President in the
Legislative Council,
Speaker in the
Legislative Assembly). They are also responsible for the ad- ministration of the Parliamentary departments and services.
Press Gallery: The term applies both to the journalists accredited to report on Parliamentary proceedings, and to the special galleries provided for them in each House to observe Parliamentary debates.
Prorogation: The termination of a session of
Parliament by the
Governor.
Question Time: The time allotted in the Parliamentary day in each House when Members direct verbal questions (without notice) to
Ministers.
Quorum: The minimum number of Members necessary to be present to allow business to be conducted in a House of
Parliament or a
Committee. A quorum for the
Legislative Assembly is 20 Members, for the
Legislative Council 8 Members, and for
Committees usually 3 Members.
Responsible Government: Normally, a political system in which the
Ministers of the
Government must be supported by (and therefore be responsible to) a majority in the
Lower House of
Parliament.
Seat: A term for a Member’s electorate or place in
Parliament.
Second Reading: The stage in the passage of a
Bill at which the major debate takes place on its principle or purpose.
Serjeant-at-Arms: An officer of the
Legislative Assembly whose traditional duties include carrying the
Mace on ceremonial occasions together with carrying out the
Speaker’s orders during sittings of the House.
Session: The period between the opening and the
prorogation of
Parliament.
Shadow Minister: A member of the
Opposition who follows closely (“shadows”) a particular area of responsibility and activities of a
Government Minister.
Sitting Days: Days on which one or both Houses of
Parliament meet.
Speaker: The
Presiding Officer of the
Legislative Assembly.
Standing Committee: A
committee existing for the life of a
Parliament.
Standing Rules and Orders: Permanent rules governing the conduct of business in the House, e.g., the stages through which
Bills proceed, the conduct of debates, etc.
Statute law: Parliament-made
law as expressed in an
Act.
Third Reading: The final stage in a
Bill’s passage through the
Legislative Council or
Legislative Assembly before it is passed.
Upper House: One of the two houses in a
bicameral system, in New South Wales, the
Legislative Council.
Usher of the Black Rod: The Parliamentary officer who carries out certain executive and administrative duties on behalf of the
President of the
Legislative Council, including carrying the Black Rod on sitting days and ceremonial occasions.
Whip: A member of a political party in each House of
Parliament who organises members’ attendance in the House and their participation in
divisions and
debates.
