In the Australian Parliament, a proposal for a new law is called a bill. If the Senate passes a bill with amendments (changes) after it has already been passed by the House of Representatives, what must happen before the bill can proceed to the Governor-General for Royal Assent?
- The House of Representatives must agree to the amendments so that both houses pass the bill in the same form.Answer
- BThe Governor-General must choose which of the two versions of the bill is better before signing it into law.
- CThe Senate's amended version automatically becomes law because it is the Upper House of the Parliament.
Answer
The House of Representatives must agree to the amendments so that both houses pass the bill in the same form.
The correct answer is that the House of Representatives must agree to the amendments. For a bill to become a law in Australia, it must be passed in exactly the same form by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. If one house makes changes, the other must approve those specific changes before the process can move to the final stage of Royal Assent.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Bicameral Agreement in the Legislative Process
Hints
1
Think about the requirement for 'agreement' between the two houses of Parliament.
2
Does a bill become a law if the House of Representatives and the Senate are looking at different versions of it?
3
A bill must be passed in an identical form by both houses. If the Senate changes it, the House must see those changes.
Practice More
Review the three main steps for a bill to become a law: passing the House of Representatives, passing the Senate, and receiving Royal Assent.
Estimated Time:1m 15s