Glossary of Parliamentary Terms and Language
The regular terms and vocabulary associated with parliamentary practices

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

question on notice -a written question asked of a Minister which is answered in writing.
Question Time -a daily period of time in each house of the Parliament in which ministers are asked questions concerning their responsibilities by other members.
question without notice -a question asked orally of a Minister where the Minister usually has no warning of the content of the question.
question -1. a matter to be debated and voted on: The question that the Bill be now read a second time was put and agreed to. 2. a request for information: I asked the Minister a question.
quorum -the minimum number of people who have to be present to constitute a meeting; the minimum number of members who have to be present for a House or committee to be able to conduct business and make decisions.
reading (of a Bill) -a formal stage of the passage of a Bill through a House of Parliament.
redistribution -a new division of an area into electorates with the result that boundaries of some existing electorates are moved.
referendum -a vote by all voters on a question; in Australia nearly always on a proposal to change the Constitution.
regulation -a law made under the authority of an Act of Parliament.
report (from the Committee of the Whole) -a statement given orally to the President or the Speaker by the Chairman of Committees of the relevant House on the results of a Committee of the Whole's consideration of a Bill or other matter.
report (of a committee) -a statement, usually in writing, of the results of an inquiry.
representative democracy -groups of citizens representing members of the wider community and participating in the decision making process on their behalf.
representative -a person who acts on behalf of others; a person elected to a law making body.
responsibility -a duty of care: The Minister had a responsibility for all education matters.
revenue -incoming money; the money Government collects from taxes and other sources.
royal assent -the signing of a Bill by the Queen's representative (The Governor in the case of State Parliaments, the Govern-General in the case of federal Parliament), which is the last step of making a Bill into an Act of Parliament.
royal commission -a person or persons chosen by government to inquire into and report on a matter of public concern: The Government established a royal commission to investigate organised crime.
rule of law -the principle that all people are equal before the law, and that all government actions will be undertaken in accordance with the law.
ruling -a formal decision made by the Speaker or President, usually on a matter of procedure.
safe seat -an electorate in which the support for a member or party is such that the member or representative is very likely to be elected.
schedule -a list at the end of a Bill or Act which contains matters of detail: The schedule to the Act contained the list of exempt departments.
second reading -the second reading of a passage of a Bill through a House at which time discussion on the principle or purpose of the Bill takes place.
section -a separate numbered item in an Act of Parliament: There were 65 sections in the Act.
select committee -a group of members from either House or both Houses, appointed to inquire into and report on a particular subject. A select committee ceases to exist when it has made its final report to the House or Houses.
Senate -the upper House of the federal Parliament of Australia.
Senator -a member of the Australian Senate.
Sergeant-at-Arms -an officer of the Legislative Assembly (House of Representatives) who carries out the orders of the House, such as accompanying a member who is directed to leave the House.
sessional order -a temporary rule governing the conduct of business in a House of Parliament, which applies only for the session in which it is made.
session -a parliamentary period which starts on the first day of sitting after an election or prorogation and ends at a prorogation or dissolution of the House
shadow cabinet -the group of members of the main opposition party or parties in a Parliament who Act as party spokesperson on the principal areas of government.
shadow minister -a member of the shadow ministry. Shadow ministers shadow, or follow closely, the areas of responsibility and activities of ministers.
sittings -meetings of a House of Parliament. in the state Parliament, the two periods in the year when the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council meet, usually between March and June (the autumn sitting) and between August and December (the spring sitting).
Speaker -the member who is elected by the Legislative Assembly as its presiding officer
standing committee -a group of members appointed by either House or both Houses to inquire into and report on certain matters. A standing committee usually exists for the life of the Parliament and is usually reappointed in succeeding Parliaments.
standing orders -the permanent rules which govern the conduct of business in a House of Parliament.
statutory authority -a government agency set up by an Act of Parliament, more or less independent of day-to-day ministerial control, usually not bound by public service procedures to the same extent as ordinary departments, and which is responsible finally to Parliament.
sub judice -under consideration or waiting consideration by a court of law.
Supply Bill -a Bill, which if passed, will allow the Government to spend money on the requirements of government.
suspend -to remove a member from a House and so prevent, for a time, his or her performing any duties, or being present in the House, usually in response to disorderly conduct.
swinging voter -a person who transfers his or her support (vote) from one political party to another at different elections.
table -1. to present a document etc, to a House of Parliament: I table (lay on the Table) the report of the committee. 2. the table in front of the President or Speaker's chair: The Clerk sits at the Table.
teller -a person, usually the Whip, chosen to count or tell the members voting in a division.
terms of reference (of a committee) -a matter referred for inquiry to a committee, the scope for activity and investigation open to a committee.
term -a limited period of time during which an office is held. This is the member's fourth term in the Legislative Assembly.
third reading -the final stage in the passage of a Bill through a House of Parliament.
Treasurer -the government Minister responsible for the Government's economic and financial policy, and who prepares the Government's budget.
unconstitutional -contrary to, or inconsistent with, the Constitution or the recognised principles of the constitutional law of a country.
unicameral -consisting of one Chamber or House: Queensland has a unicameral Parliament.
upper house -the second Chamber: The Legislative Council is the upper House in the state Parliament.
urgency motion -a motion moved in the Legislative Council which enables discussion of a matter of concern.
Usher of the Black Rod -an officer of the Legislative Council (named after the Black Rod he or she carries) who has special duties on ceremonial occasions such as the opening of Parliament, who assists to keep order in the Chamber.
vacancy -an unoccupied position or office
vice-regal -concerning or having to do with a person appointed as a deputy by the King or Queen; having to do with a person acting in place of or representing a King or Queen: As the Governor attended the dinner it was a vice-regal function.
voter -someone who votes; someone who has a right to vote.
vote -a formal expression of choice, such as putting up one's hand or marking a piece of paper.
Vvotes and Proceedings -the official record of what has been decided in the Legislative Assembly.
Westminster system -a system of government originating in Britain, the main features of which are a head of state, who is not the head of government, and an executive which is drawn from and which is directly responsible to the Parliament.
Westminster -1. the Houses of Parliament in London. 2. the city of Westminster in London where the Houses of Parliament (the place of Westminster) are located.
Whip -a party manager in Parliament who is responsible for organising members of his or her party to take part in debates and votes.
White Paper -a policy document usually issued by the Government to explain or discuss matters on which the Government is desiring community discussion or reaction. A White Paper is regarded as a more definite statement of policy than a Green Paper.
writs -formal orders, issued by the Governor, requiring that an election be held.