Australian Senate

The Australian Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. The other one is the House of Representatives.

Blocking supply

In one particular area the Australian Senate possesses a highly sensitive power, namely the right to withdraw or block Supply, i.e. government control of exchequer funding. In most democracies, upper houses do not have this power. Consequently, in strict constitutional terms, the Government is also answerable to the Australian Senate, given that the loss of Supply in parliamentary democracies automatically requires the resignation of a government or ministry, or alternatively the calling of a general election, because without access to exchequer funding a government cannot function and would face bankruptcy. However, as in the United Kingdom prior to the 1909 clash over David Lloyd George's budget between the House of Commons and House of Lords, a general convention built up in which the upper house would not use its power to block exchequer funding, leaving that responsibility to the democratically representative lower house. Indeed, to break convention in this area is sometimes described as a parliamentary nuclear option because of its political, financial and governmental impact. In 1975, in a dispute strikingly similar to Britain's 1909 clash (an upper House breaking convention by withdrawing Supply on the basis that it was reacting to a breach of another fundamental convention by the government - which the government denied) the Senate did refuse to pass a required financial measure, producing a 'nuclear'-style crisis which resulted in a stand-off and a decision by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam not to resign or seek a dissolution. This led to the eventual intervention by the Governor-General to withdraw the commission of the Australian Prime Minister (in effect dismissing him), the appointment of a minority government from the Opposition in the House of Representatives and the calling of a general election.

Related Topics:
Supply - United Kingdom - David Lloyd George - House of Commons - House of Lords - Gough Whitlam

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In practice, however, most legislation (except for "Private Member's Bills") in the Australian Parliament is initiated by the Government, which has control over the lower house. It is then passed to the Senate, which may amend the bill or refuse to pass it. In the majority of cases, voting takes place along party lines (see also: conscience vote).

Related Topics:
Private Member's Bill - Party lines - Conscience vote

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