The House of Representatives

The Australian Government is formed by the party or coalition of parties with the support of the majority – more than half – of members elected to the House of Representatives.

The government has many jobs including:

• writing and introducing bills – proposed laws – into Parliament
• putting laws into action
• making important decisions on behalf of Australians.

The opposition is formed by the largest party or coalition of parties that are not in government. The opposition is sometimes called the alternative government.

The opposition has many jobs including:

• scrutinising – closely examining – the work of the government
• debating bills – proposed laws – in the Parliament
• providing alternative ideas on how Australia should be governed.

Minor parties only have a small number of members elected to Parliament.

Independents are members of Parliament who don’t belong to a political party.

Sometimes, minor parties and independents are called the crossbench because they sit on the seats that curve around at the end of the Senate and House of Representatives.

I am the leader of the Australian Government. My party or coalition of parties has the support of the majority – more than half – of the members in the House of Representatives.

My job is to: 

• lead the Government
• act as the chief government spokesperson
• work with Cabinet to decide government policy – the government’s plan of action.

I am the leader of the largest party or coalition of parties that are not in government. I may become prime minister if my party gets the support of more than half of the members in the House of Representatives.

My job is to:

• lead the opposition
• work with the shadow Cabinet to decide opposition policies – the opposition’s plan of action if we become the government 
• lead the opposition’s scrutiny – close examination – of the government. 

We are members of the opposition who have been given the responsibility of scrutinising – closely examining – the work of ministers. We also develop our own ideas for how Australia should be run.

If the opposition becomes the government, we may become ministers, so it is important we know about the government departments we are responsible for examining.

We are members of the opposition who are not shadow ministers.

Our job is to:

• represent the people in our electorates in the Australian Parliament
• work to provide help and services to our communities
• debate and vote on bills.

I help the Speaker of the House of Representatives run meetings of the House. I am an expert on the rules of the House. I work here but I am not an elected member of parliament.

My job is to:

• help the Speaker and members to organise what happens on a sitting day
• record the actions and decisions of the House
• advise members on parliamentary rules. 

I help the Clerk and the Speaker of the House of Representatives run meetings of the House. I am an expert on the rules of the House. I work here but I am not an elected member of parliament.

My job is to:

• help members with the running order for House meetings
• record the actions and decisions of the House.

I am responsible for taking care of the Mace. I work here but I am not an elected member of parliament.

My job is to:

• lead the Speaker of the House of Representatives into and out of the House while carrying the Mace
• assist the Speaker to keep order
• stand guard during a division vote to make sure any late members can’t come in.

I am the symbol of authority of the House of Representatives and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. At the start of each day, the Serjeant-at-Arms carries me into the House and places me on the table. The House can only meet if I am in my place on the table.

We record what is said in Parliament. We work here but we are not elected members of parliament.

Our job is to:

• take short turns in the House making sure the computer system records everything that is said
• write down what has been recorded and edit it so it reads well.

We are journalists, photographers, camera people and researchers who report on Parliament. We work for different media organisations and have offices here in Parliament House.

Our job is to:

• attend press conferences, interview members of Parliament and gather information to produce stories so Australians can understand what is happening in Parliament
• watch Parliament at work and report on what happens.

I am a member of the House of Representatives chosen to run the meetings of the House.

My job is to:

• run meetings of the House
• make sure the rules of the House are obeyed
• represent the House at official events.

We are members of the Australian Government who have been given an area of responsibility – a portfolio – for how Australia is run. Some areas of responsibility are health, foreign affairs and the environment.

Our job is to:

• work with the Prime Minister and other ministers to develop new laws and put laws into action.
• manage the government department we are responsible for, such as the Department of Defence or Treasury.
• manage and take responsibility for the actions of the department we are responsible for.

We are members of the government who are not ministers.

Our job is to:

• represent the people in our electorates in the Australian Parliament
• work to provide help and services to our communities
• debate and vote on bills.