After a federal election, a coalition of political parties secures 77 seats in the 151-seat House of Representatives, but only 32 seats in the 76-seat Senate. According to Australian parliamentary practice, how does this outcome affect the formation of the government?
- The coalition is invited by the Governor-General to form the government because it holds more than half the seats in the House of Representatives.Answer
- BThe coalition cannot form a government until it reaches a formal power-sharing agreement with the parties that hold the majority of seats in the Senate.
- CThe Governor-General must call for a new election because the separation of powers requires the governing party to hold a majority in both houses of Parliament.
Answer
The coalition is invited to form the government because it holds a majority in the House of Representatives, regardless of its position in the Senate.
The correct answer is that the coalition forms the government because it has secured more than half the seats (77 out of 151) in the House of Representatives. This is the fundamental requirement for forming the Executive branch in the Australian parliamentary system.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Australian Government is formed in the House of Representatives by the party or coalition of parties that has the support of the majority of members in that house.
Hints
1
Think about which of the two houses of Parliament is known as the 'house where government is formed'.
2
A majority is defined as having more than half of the total seats. Check if 77 out of 151 meets this criteria.
Practice More
Research the term 'Hung Parliament' to see what happens when no single party or coalition achieves a majority in the House of Representatives.
Estimated Time:1m 30s