Parliament makes the laws. The government runs the country. They’re not the same thing.

The two chambers

Australia has a federal parliament made up of two chambers: the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives The lower house of federal parliament. 151 seats, elected by preferential voting. Whichever party controls it forms government. and the SenateThe Senate The upper house. 76 senators — twelve per state, two each for the ACT and NT. Its job is to scrutinise legislation from the House.. To pass a law, a bill needs to clear both.

The House of Representatives has 151 seats. It’s where government is formed — whichever party or coalition can command a majority of those seats gets to govern. The Prime Minister is the leader of that majority. It’s not a separately elected position — there’s no box on the ballot that says “Prime Minister.”

The Senate has 76 seats — twelve per state, two each for the ACT and NT. Senators serve six-year termsSenate terms Staggered so roughly half face election at a time, giving the Senate more continuity than the House. This also means a new government can’t immediately flush the Senate., staggered so roughly half face election at a time. The Senate’s job is to scrutinise legislation from the House. It can reject or amend bills, which is why minority parties and independents in the Senate have genuine leverage — even when they can’t form government.

The Governor-General

The Governor-GeneralGovernor-General The King’s representative in Australia. Technically appoints the PM and can dissolve parliament. In practice, almost entirely ceremonial — except in constitutional crises. is the King’s representative in Australia and technically appoints the Prime Minister. In practice this is ceremonial, except in constitutional crises. The last notable use of these reserve powersReserve powers Constitutional powers held by the Governor-General that normally go unused. They include dismissing a Prime Minister or dissolving parliament without a formal request. The 1975 dismissal of Gough Whitlam remains their most contested use. was 1975, which Australians have opinions about.

Blocking supply

A double dissolutionDouble dissolution When both chambers are dissolved simultaneously and the entire parliament faces election at once. Triggered when the Senate blocks or fails to pass a bill twice with a three-month gap between attempts. — when both chambers are dissolved and the entire parliament faces election simultaneously — can happen when the Senate blocks supply billsSupply bills The laws that authorise the government to spend money. Without them, the government literally can’t pay anyone — public servants, defence, hospitals. Blocking supply is the nuclear option of parliamentary politics. twice. It’s rare and politically nuclear.

How laws actually get made

A bill starts in one chamber, gets debated and amended, passes a vote, then goes to the other chamber for the same process. If both pass it, it goes to the Governor-General for royal assentRoyal assent Formal approval of a bill by the Governor-General on behalf of the King. This is the final step before a bill becomes law. In practice, it’s never refused. — which is ceremonial — and becomes law.

If the chambers disagree, there’s a negotiation. The Senate can’t initiate money billsMoney bills Legislation that appropriates or raises money — the budget, tax laws, supply. These must originate in the House of Representatives, not the Senate. — those have to start in the House — but it can block or amend them. This is where minority crossbench senators become genuinely powerful.