The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. The lower house is known as the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation, normally to terms of six years (after a double dissolution, however, some senators serve six years but others serve only three). Significant power is conferred upon the Senate by the Australian Constitution, including the capacity to block ...
more
The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. The lower house is known as the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation, normally to terms of six years (after a double dissolution, however, some senators serve six years but others serve only three). Significant power is conferred upon the Senate by the Australian Constitution, including the capacity to block legislation initiated by the government in the House of Representatives, making it a distinctive hybrid of British Westminster bicameralism and an American-style separation of powers.
The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act (Imp.) of 1900 established the Senate (named after the United States Senate) as part of the new system of dominion government in newly-federated Australia. From a comparative governmental perspective, the Australian Senate exhibits distinctive characteristics. Unlike upper houses in other Westminster system...
less
