The Australian Constitution defines the structural relationship between the two houses of the Federal Parliament to ensure a balanced legislative system. According to the 'Nexus Provision' in the Constitution, what is the required relationship between the number of members in the House of Representatives and the number of Senators?
- The number of members in the House of Representatives must be, as nearly as practicable, twice the number of Senators.Answer
- BThe House of Representatives must have the same number of members as the Senate to ensure both houses have equal voting power on all bills.
- CThe number of members in the House of Representatives is fixed at 151 and cannot be changed without a national referendum to alter the Constitution.
Answer
The number of members in the House of Representatives must be, as nearly as practicable, twice the number of Senators.
The correct answer correctly identifies the 'Nexus Provision' from Section 24 of the Australian Constitution, which mandates that the House of Representatives be approximately twice the size of the Senate. This is a fundamental structural rule of the Australian Federal Parliament.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Nexus Provision (Section 24)
Hints
1
Think about the relationship between 151 (current House members) and 76 (current Senators).
Practice More
Research how the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) redistributes these seats among the states after a census.
Estimated Time:1m 30s