Glossary of Parliamentary Terms and Language
The regular terms and vocabulary associated with parliamentary practices
   Search Help
 
 
 
Click on a letter of the alphabet to see the terms.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

absolute majority - One more than half of the total votes of those eligible to vote: The Bill was passed by an absolute majority as 30 out of the 57 members who were eligible to vote, voted for it. 2. The number by which votes for the leading candidate in an election exceed the votes for all the other candidates put together: Since Ms James received 9000 votes and the other candidates received 4000 votes altogether, Ms James has an absolute majority of 5000.
 accountable - able to be called on to explain your actions: Ministers are accountable to the Parliament for actions they take in office.
Act  - a law made by Parliament; a Bill which has passed all three readings in each House and has received the Royal assent.
address-in-reply  - the formal answer of each House to the speech made by the Queen or the Governor as her representative at the opening of each session of Parliament.
address  - a formal message to the Governor or Queen by one House or the Parliament.
adjournment debate  - a debate at the end of each sitting day of a House when members make speeches on any subject on the motion to end the sitting: Six people spoke during the adjournment debate.
adjourn  - to put off, postpone or suspend: We will adjourn the debate until tomorrow.
assent  - to agree to or approve: The Governor assents to Bills after they have passed both Houses.
Attorney General  - the chief law officer of the Government and the Minister responsible for the management of legal matters.
Auditor General  - the chief accounting officer of the State who inspects government accounts and reports to the Parliament on whether government departments and authorities spend or receive money correctly and legally.
Australian Democrats  - see Democrats
Ayes  - the votes of members in Parliament who vote 'yes': The result of the division was ayes 27 and noes 22.
aye  - the word used for voting 'yes' in Parliament.
backbench  - 1. those members of Parliament who are not ministers or shadow ministers: Most members of Parliament serve on the backbench before becoming ministers or shadow ministers.

2. the seats where such members sit: When the member entered the House she went to her seat on the backbench.
balance of power  - the ability of one person or party to decide an issue by the way it votes: The Independents hold the balance of power in the Legislative Council.
ballot box  - a box in which voters put their ballot papers.
ballot paper  - a ticket or paper which lists the names of the people (candidates) who are seeking a place in Parliament, and on which the voter marks his or her choice or choices.
ballot  - 1. a ticket or paper you fill in to record your vote: The ballots were counted to see who won the election.

2. to select by a secret vote: We balloted for Speaker.

3. the process by which a choice is made: The ministers were selected by ballot.
Bar  - a barrier at the main entrance to each of the Chambers beyond which only members can go: The witness was called to the bar of the House to be examined.
bells  - electronic bells, the ringing of which calls members into Chambers at the beginning of a sitting, because a vote is to be taken, or because there are not enough members present: When the bells started ringing the members had two minutes to get into the Chamber to vote.
bicameral  - Having two Chambers or Houses: The state Parliament is bicameral because it has an upper and a lower House.
Bill of Rights (United Kingdom)  - an Act of the British Parliament, stating some of the basic rights of the people of the United Kingdom, which became law in 1689 and some provisions of which apply to the state Parliament.
bill  - a proposal for a new law which has been presented to Parliament.
bipartisan  - representing, having, or supported by, two parties.
blue-ribbon (see safe seat)  - an electorate where a majority of voters usually votes for the same member or party, so making it a 'safe seat' for that member or party.
budget bills  - proposals for new laws to allow the Government to spend money. There are usually two main Bills - Appropriation (Consolidated Fund)(No 1) and Appropriation (Consolidated Fund) (No 2)
budget  - a plan placed before Parliament every year by the Treasurer showing what money the Government expects to receive and how the Government wants to spend it.
bureaucrat  - one of a group of people who run, or who work in, government departments or organisations.
by-election  - a special election held to fill the seat of a member of the Legislative Assembly who has died or retired.
by-law  - a rule or regulation.
by leave  - with the permission of every member present in the Chamber.
cabinet government  - a system of government in which the most important decisions are made by cabinet ministers, who are members of Parliament, and who are supported by a majority in the lower House.
cabinet minister  - a Minister who is a member of the Cabinet; a senior or leading minister.
cabinet solidarity  - a united view or position presented by the Cabinet. Once a decision is made by Cabinet all ministers must support it.
cabinet  - the group of senior ministers in a Government: The Cabinet meets regularly to make important decisions.
can vass  - to ask for votes, support or opinions from: The candidate canvassed the voters in her electorate.
casting vote  - a vote which decides the matter when the votes are equally divided.
casual vacancy  - a vacancy in the Legislative Council that is caused when a member dies or retires.
Caucus  - the members of Parliament belonging to a particular political party particularly in relation to the Labor Party.
censure motion  - a motion moved in either House which is very critical of, and which seeks to attach blame to, a minister, another member or the Government.
Chairman of Committees  - a member who is in charge of the 'Committee of the Whole' - a committee consisting of all the members of the Legislative Council or Legislative Assembly. Usually formed to consider a Bill in detail.
Chair  - in the state Parliament, the President of the Legislative Council, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, or someone who is occupying their place; for example, the Deputy President or the Acting Speaker, when presiding over the the Legislative Council or Legislative Assembly: Members make a bow to the Chair when entering or leaving the Chamber.
clause  - each separate sentence, or main item or requirement in a Bill: The Bill has 78 clauses. (Once a Bill has become an act, a clause is known as a section).
Clerk  - the most senior permanent official in each House of Parliament. The Clerk records all the decisions that are made i n the Chamber.
closure (also see gag)  - a way of ending a debate and causing a vote to be taken straight away on the matter being discussed, even though some members want to keep discussing the matter further.
coalition  - the joining together of two or more groups of parties, usually to form a Government or Opposition: The Liberal and National Parties have formed a coalition.
cognate debate  - a debate in which two or more related matters are discussed at the same time.
Committee of the Whole  - a committee consisting of all members of the Legislative Council or Legislative Assembly, usually formed to consider a Bill in detail.
common law  - law based on custom or court decisions not statute law.
concurrent power  -  power which, under the Constitution, may be exercised by both the Commonwealth and the States.
conference (between the two Houses)  - a meeting of representatives of both Houses of Parliament to discuss an issue on which the two Houses do not agree.
confidence  - the support of more than half the members of the Legislative Assembly for the Government, which may be shown by voting on a major issue: The Government showed it had the confidence of the House when the motion of no confidence was defeated.
conscience vote  - (see free vote)
constituency  - the electorate or area, or the people in it represented by an MP.
constituent  - someone who votes, or lives in an electorate or area which a member of Parliament represents: The constituent went to his member of Parliament to get help to find housing.
constitutional monarchy  - A country in which a King or Queen is the highest authority, but where that person has to Act in accordance with the Constitution, and whose powers are limited by that Constitution.
constitutional  - 1. having the power of, or existing because of a basic set of rules: A constitutional Government.

2. in agreement with, or depending on, a basic set of rules: This action is constitutional.
constitution  - the set of basic rules by which a country or State is governed: Australia's Constitution came into force on 1 January 1901.
contempt  - disobedience to the authority or orders of the Houses, interference with or obstruction of their work or the work of members. To refuse to appear before a Council committee may be treated as a contempt of the Council.
convention  - 1. a large meeting: A politics convention was held at the university.

2. a rule, often unwritten, which is generally or widely accepted.
cross the floor  - to vote with an opposing party: The government member crossed the floor on the issue because he believed that the Opposition was right.
crossbench  - one of a set of seats for members of Parliament who belong neither to the Government nor the Opposition; seats for minor parties and Independents: When he left his party, the member took his place on the crossbenches.
Crown  - 1. the King or Queen, or the highest governing power in a monarchy.

2. the Queen exercising her legal powers through one or more of her agents, usually a Minister or ministers.
custom  - usual practice or habit.
deadlock  - the point in a disagreement or argument when neither side will give way and a standstill is reached.
debate  - a formal discussion on a Bill or other topic in which different views are put.
declaration of the poll  - an announcement of the results of voting at an election.
delegated legislation  - laws in the form of regulations, orders or rules which an Act allows the Minister to make.
deliberative vote  - the ordinary vote of a member (different from a casting or deciding vote)
Democrats (Australian Democrats)  - formed in 1977 by Donald Cedric Chipp.
determination  - authoritative decision, rule or arrangement.
directive  - an order or an authoritative instruction: The Minister gave a directive that the road be closed.
disallow - to refuse to allow, to reject, to make void: The Legislative Council disallowed a health regulation.
disfranchise  - to take away a person's right to vote.
dissent  - to differ in opinion or disagree: We dissent from the recommendations of your report; the member moved a motion of dissent from the Speaker's ruling.
dissolve the House  - to bring to an end the life of the Legislative Assembly and make a new election necessary. Only the Queen or her representative, the Governor, may dissolve the Legislative Assembly.
division  -  the separation of the membership of a House into two groups for or against, so that their votes can be counted.
donkey vote  - where a voter appears to make no choice at all.
dorothy dix question  - a question asked in Parliament by a member at a minister's request to allow the Minister to give a prepared reply.
election  - the choosing of a person or Government by voting.
Electoral Commissioner  - the person who is given the responsibility to arrange for elections to be held and to ensure that the electoral laws are obeyed.
  electoral roll  -  a list of all names of people who are entitled to vote: When I turn 18 my name can be placed on the electoral roll.
electoral  - to do with voters or elections.
electorate office  - the office in a member of Parliament's electorate where the member works when Parliament is not sitting.
electorate  - 1. an area represented by a member of Parliament; a constituency: The member of Parliament was very keen to have a public swimming pool built for the people in her electorate.