Under the Australian system of government, what occurs when a political party or coalition of parties wins a majority of the seats in the House of Representatives after a federal election?
- They are invited to form the government.Answer
- BThey become the Opposition and are responsible for governing the country.
- CThey must also win a majority of seats in the Senate before they can form the government.
Answer
The party or coalition that wins the majority of seats in the House of Representatives is invited to form the government.
The correct answer is that the party or coalition is invited to form the government. This is a fundamental rule of Australian democracy: the party that holds the majority of seats in the House of Representatives (the Lower House) earns the right to govern the nation, with its leader becoming the Prime Minister.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The government is formed by the party with the majority in the House of Representatives.
Hints
1
Think about which house of Parliament is often called the 'People's House' or the 'Lower House'.
2
Government is formed by the group that wins the most seats in the House of Representatives, not the Senate.
Practice More
Review the roles of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to understand how the government operates after it is formed.
Estimated Time:45s