If I had an idea for a bill, could I propose it to the Parliament?

Hi Jade and thanks for your great question!

In Australia, citizens can’t directly introduce a bill – proposal for a law – to Parliament. However, Australia is a representative democracy which means you could share your idea with your elected representatives. 

You can find out who represents you in Parliament and how to contact them by entering your postcode on the Australian Parliament House website.

Most bills are introduced to the Parliament by a government minister, so you could also contact the relevant minister directly with your proposal. Here is a list of current ministers and their portfolio or area of responsibility.

You could also consider starting a petition to ask the Parliament to take action on the issue you are concerned about. Petitions are a great way to draw attention to a problem and gather support for your idea.