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How is Australia governed? · 1 min read

The House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is one of the Houses in the Australian Parliament. Other names for the House of Representatives are the Lower House or the People’s House.

Australia is divided into federal electorates. Members of Parliament (MPs) represent the people in their electorate.

The number of MPs for each state and territory is based on the number of people in that state or territory. Overall, there are over 150 members elected to the House of Representatives.

Members of Parliament and senators debate proposals for new laws in the Australian Parliament. The role of the House of Representatives is to consider, debate, and vote on proposals for new laws or changes to the laws, and discuss matters of national importance.

Test yourself on this topic

7 questions on this topic, each with the answer explained.

  1. 1. About how many members are elected to the House of Representatives?

    • Over 500 members
    • Over 150 members
    • Exactly 76 members
    • Exactly 12 members

    Explanation: More than 150 members are elected to the House of Representatives.

  2. 2. For the House of Representatives, Australia is divided into what?

    • Land survey districts
    • Federal electorates
    • Local government areas
    • Postal regions

    Explanation: The country is split into federal electorates, and each one sends a member to the House of Representatives.

  3. 3. What decides how many MPs each state and territory has in the House of Representatives?

    • The wishes of the state governor
    • The size of its land area
    • The number of local councils in it
    • The number of people living there

    Explanation: Population decides the number of MPs, so a state with more people has more MPs.

  4. 4. What is the role of the House of Representatives?

    • To collect the rates paid by people in each electorate
    • To consider, debate and vote on proposals for new laws
    • To appoint the judges who serve in the federal courts
    • To decide court cases brought against the government

    Explanation: The House considers, debates and votes on new laws and changes to laws, and discusses matters of national importance.

  5. 5. Where do Members of Parliament and senators debate proposals for new laws?

    • In the local council chambers
    • In the Australian Parliament
    • In the High Court of Australia
    • In the state governors' offices

    Explanation: Debate on proposed laws takes place in the Australian Parliament, where both MPs and senators sit.

  6. 6. Which of these is another name for the House of Representatives?

    • The People's House
    • The States' House
    • The Upper House
    • The House of Review

    Explanation: The House of Representatives is also called the Lower House or the People's House.

  7. 7. Who do Members of Parliament represent in the House of Representatives?

    • The councillors in their local area
    • The members of their own party
    • The people in their electorate
    • The people of the whole state

    Explanation: Each MP speaks in Parliament for the people living in the electorate that elected them.

From Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, the official booklet