What is confidence and supply?

In the Australian Parliament:

• ‘confidence’ means support from a majority of members in the House of Representatives
• ‘supply’ refers to appropriation bills, which are proposed laws that allow the government to spend public money.

Government is formed by the party or coalition with the confidence – support – of the House of Representatives. If no party has a majority in the House (76 or more), government can still be formed if independents and/or minor party members agree to support a party or coalition to form a minority government.

In a minority government, these independents and/or minor party members guarantee to provide ‘confidence and supply’. This means they will:

• support the government if there is a vote of no confidence against them
• vote to pass appropriation bills so the government can continue to pay public servants and keep services running.

It does not mean they must support every government bill.

At any time, members can test that the government has the confidence of the majority of the House by holding a vote. This is called a ‘vote of no confidence’. By convention – tradition – a government that loses this vote would resign (although this has never happened).