What is the role of the Governor-General in allowing a conscience vote?
A conscience – free vote – means that members of parliament are not forced to vote with their team; instead, they can vote according to their own beliefs. Each parliamentary party decides if its members are allowed a conscience vote on a particular issue.
The Governor-General is the King’s representative in Australia. Although the Governor-General has a role in both the governing of Australia and the Australian Parliament, they are not an elected member of parliament. Therefore, they are not involved in the process of a deciding if a conscience vote will be held in Parliament.
The House of Representatives during a division.
DPS Auspic
Description
This image is of a large room with green furnishings. The seats are arranged around a large central table. There is a large chair at the open end of the U-shaped seats that is elevated above the other chairs. There are people milling around, especially at the end of the central table.
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