Can I introduce my own idea or bill to Parliament?

Thanks for your question Tracy.

Only a senator or member of the House of Representatives can directly raise an issue or introduce a bill to Parliament. However, you can get involved in the work of the Australian Parliament in many other ways.

You can:

• contact the senators or member of the House of Representatives who represent you to let them know about the issues you want raised in the Australian Parliament
• get in touch with a minister, such as the Minister for Health or the Minister for Education, if your idea relates to their area of responsibility.

Contact details for all members of parliament are available on the Parliament House website.

You can also:

• petition the Parliament – a petition is a request by a group of citizens asking Parliament to consider an issue or take action
• share your views with a parliamentary committee by making a submission about a bill or an issue being examined. Committees look closely at proposed laws and issues that are important to Australians.
• attend a meeting or protest to let members of parliament know you are concerned about an issue.

If you are a citizen aged 18 or over, voting in federal elections means you can have a say in who represents you in the Australian Parliament. Additionally, most citizens over 18 can run to get elected to Parliament. If you are elected, you can directly raise issues and introduce bills in Parliament.