Parliament of Queensland
Encyclopedia
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature
of Queensland
, Australia
. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen
and the Legislative Assembly
. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been abolished in 1922. The Legislative Assembly sits in Parliament House
in the state capital, Brisbane
.
was created in June 1859.
Since 2003 live audio broadcasts have streamed through the Internet from the Parliament while it is in session. In June 2007 the Parliament started broadcasting video of parliamentary proceedings. There were 4700 connections in the first three days of audio and video broadcasting.
system (OPV). Elections are held approximately once every three years.
to legislation. This function is in practice exercised by the Governor of Queensland, who conventionally will never refuse assent to a bill that has passed the Legislative Assembly.
The party with the most seats in the house is invited by the Governor to form government.
The leader of that party subsequently becomes Premier of Queensland
, leading a Cabinet
of Ministers. Among the LNP, the Premier selects members of their party to act as Ministers. In the Labor Party
, the Ministers are elected by partyroom ballot, with the Leader then assigning ministerial portfolios to each one.
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen
Monarchy in Australia
The Monarchy of Australia is a form of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign of Australia. The monarchy is a constitutional one modelled on the Westminster style of parliamentary government, incorporating features unique to the Constitution of Australia.The present monarch is...
and the Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been abolished in 1922. The Legislative Assembly sits in Parliament House
Parliament House, Brisbane
Parliament House in Brisbane is the home of the Parliament of Queensland, housing the Legislative Assembly. It is situated on the corner of George Street and Alice Street...
in the state capital, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
History
The Parliament was founded 22 May 1860, less than a year after the Colony of QueenslandHistory of Queensland
The human history of Queensland encompasses both a long Aboriginal Australian presence as well as the more recent European settlement. Before being charted and claimed for England by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770, the north-eastern Australian region was explored by Dutch, Portuguese and French...
was created in June 1859.
Since 2003 live audio broadcasts have streamed through the Internet from the Parliament while it is in session. In June 2007 the Parliament started broadcasting video of parliamentary proceedings. There were 4700 connections in the first three days of audio and video broadcasting.
Membership
The Assembly has 89 'Members of Parliament' (MPs). These are intended to represent approximately the same population in each electorate. Voting is by the Optional Preferential VotingOptional Preferential Voting
Optional Preferential Voting is a system of vote-casting used in the states of Queensland and New South Wales in the Commonwealth of Australia. Most Australian elections are run under full-preference preferential voting, where all candidates must be numbered in order of the preference of the...
system (OPV). Elections are held approximately once every three years.
Relationship with Government
The role of the monarch in Parliament is to give the royal assentRoyal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
to legislation. This function is in practice exercised by the Governor of Queensland, who conventionally will never refuse assent to a bill that has passed the Legislative Assembly.
The party with the most seats in the house is invited by the Governor to form government.
The leader of that party subsequently becomes Premier of Queensland
Premiers of Queensland
Before the 1890s, there was no developed party system in Queensland. Political affiliation labels before that time indicate a general tendency only. Before the end of the first decade of the twentieth century, political parties were more akin to parliamentary factions, and were fluid, informal and...
, leading a Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
of Ministers. Among the LNP, the Premier selects members of their party to act as Ministers. In the Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, the Ministers are elected by partyroom ballot, with the Leader then assigning ministerial portfolios to each one.
See also
- Parliaments of the Australian states and territoriesParliaments of the Australian states and territoriesThe Parliaments of the Australian states and territories are legislative bodies within the federal framework of the Commonwealth of Australia. Before the formation of the Commonwealth in 1901, the six Australian colonies were self-governing, with parliaments which had come into existence at various...
- Queensland Legislative AssemblyQueensland Legislative AssemblyThe Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
- List of members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly