Quick questions on Structure and Roles of Parliament and the Crown - TCE Legal Studies (Tasmania)

Bicameral means having two houses or chambers. The Commonwealth Parliament has the House of Representatives (lower house) and the Senate (upper house). The Parliament of Tasmania has the House of Assembly (lower house) and the Legislative Council (upper house). Having two houses creates a built-in check: a bill must usually pass both before it can become law, so a second chamber can review and refine, or block, the work of the first.

The lower house is the engine room of government. Members are elected from single or multi-member electorates roughly equal in population, so the lower house is often called the people's house. The political party or coalition that wins a majority of seats forms government, and its leader becomes Prime Minister or Premier. Most legislation, especially bills that raise or spend money (money bills), begins here.

The upper house is the house of review. Federally, the Senate also represents the states, with each state electing an equal number of senators regardless of population. The upper house examines, debates, amends and can reject bills passed by the lower house, providing a check on the government of the day. In Tasmania the Legislative Council is well known for its independence, since many of its members sit as independents rather than along party lines, which can make it a genuine reviewing chamber.

The Crown is the formal head of the system. At the federal level the Queen or King is represented by the Governor-General; in Tasmania the monarch is represented by the Governor. The Crown's roles include giving royal assent so that a bill becomes an Act, opening and dissolving parliament, and commissioning the Prime Minister or Premier. By convention the Crown's representative almost always acts on the advice of ministers, so these powers are largely ceremonial.