| Related sites for http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/gloss.html |
| We_Always_Knew_He_was_Bright Explains the traits of a profoundly gifted child. | | International_Baccalaureate_Invigilators,_The Group dedicated to supporting the IB Program and student body. | | Center_for_Theoretical_Study CTS is an institute of advanced studies, jointly administrated by Charles University and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague. CTS seeks to bridge the gap between humanities and scien | | Jifunze_com Community-based Swahili learning portal. People with interests of learning this beautiful language get the opportunity to interact with fluent Swahili speakers. | | Gwynedd_Archives_Service The archives of Gwynedd Council in North Wales. Includes a photograph gallery, online catalogue, information and resources related to the service. | | Mathews_Elementary_PTA Plano, Texas. Board members, volunteer opportunities, calendar dates and reminders, programs and recognition. | | Ridgewood_Elementary_PTA Renton, Washington. News, event calendar, and contact information. | | AHEAD The Association on Higher Education and Disability works for full participation in higher education for persons with disabilities. provides resources, publications, member benefits, conferences, work | | College_of_Agriculture Agriculture and Fisheries college of Sultan Qaboos University. | | Institute_of_Interdisciplinary_Studies Center at Carleton University. Contains information on degrees, faculty, programs, announcements, and interdisciplinary links. | | Photohold Provides a secure Internet-based resource for organizations to store, search and retrieve their own high-resolution photographs. Features trial version, current libraries and contact information. | | Montessori_St__Nicholas_Centre London based Montessori teacher training. Distance learning by written correspondence, with workshops and practical examinations, leading to diplomas at the foundation (birth to 6 years) and advanced | | Information_visualization_and_sonorification Research project from The Union of International Associations (UIA), Belgium. | | Registering_and_Publishing_with_RSS Explains how to register your RSS file with one of the news syndication sites (July 3, 2000) | | John_Cronin_&_Associates Archaeological, conservation, and heritage services to government agencies, local authorities, private developers and community groups. Staff, consultants, and contact information. | | Journey_Through_Education_Online An unofficial student's handbook for present or future students engaged in the online education experience. Contains articles from where to begin to what to expect. | | Alliance_Abroad Develops programs to enable students to study, work or volunteer in countries around the world. | | North_Park_University A Christian liberal arts university located in Chicago. Academics, admission and financial aid, university relations, student life, information resources, news and events. | | Southern_Society Student organization celebrating the culture, history, art and literature of America's southern states. | | Dental_School News and events, staff directory and details of undergraduates programmes and research. |
|
Glossary - Parliament of Victoria
 A
Parliamentary Glossary
Go straight to letter of your choice A B
C D E F G
H I J K L
M N O P Q
R S T U V
W X Y Z
Aa
Absentee Voting
Voters who cannot attend a polling place within their own electorate voting
at another polling place in Victoria.
Act
A Bill that has been passed by Parliament, received Royal Assent, and become
law.
Address-in-reply
The formal answer of each House to the speech made by the Governor (as the
Queen's representative) at the opening session of each Parliament.
Adjournment debate
A debate held at the end of each sitting day in Parliament in which Members
can raise a matter of Government administration for a Minister's attention; so
called because it takes place on the motion to adjourn the House for the day.
All-party
Comprising representatives of all political parties who are represented in
Parliament.
Amendment
An alteration to a Bill or Act.
Appropriation Bill
A Bill which when passed by Parliament will allow the Government to spend
money.
Assent
To agree or approve.
Australian Democrats
A political party established in 1977.
Australian Labor Party (ALP)
Australia's oldest political party, formed nationally in 1901, and given its
present name in 1918.
Bb
Backbencher
A Member of Parliament who is not a Minister and holds no special office
(such as President or Speaker); the name is used because such Members sit on the
benches at the back of the House.
Ballot
The process by which people vote in an election.
Ballot box
A box into which voters put their ballot papers.
Ballot paper
A piece of paper with the names of parliamentary candidates on it and which
is given to voters at a polling place to record their vote.
Bicameral
A Parliament that has two Houses (an Upper House and a Lower House).
Bill
A proposed law (or statute, or piece of legislation) that is introduced into
Parliament but has not yet been passed. If passed and granted Royal Assent, it
becomes an Act.
Bipartisan
Involving the support or membership of two political parties.
Black Rod
The symbol of office of the Usher of the Black Rod.(Click
for photo [10k])
Budget
The Government's annual plan outlining revenue and expenditure measures
introduced into the Parliament by the Treasurer.
Budget sector agencies
All agencies of the State Government funded wholly or substantially from
public revenue (mainly Government Departments).
By-election
An election held between general elections to fill a seat left vacant because
a Member has resigned, been expelled, or died.
By-law
A rule or regulation.
Cc
Cabinet
A group of senior members of the Government, all of whom are Ministers, and
who are responsible for the development and implementation of policy.
Campaign
The period before an election in which parliamentary candidates and parties
seek to win voters' support.
Candidate
A person who stands for election to Parliament.
Cast a vote
On election day, the process of choosing a candidate or candidates by filling
in a ballot paper.
Casting vote
A vote which decides a matter when votes are divided equally.
Chair
A person in charge of a meeting; in the Legislative Council, the President or
his or her deputy, in the Legislative Assembly, the Speaker or his deputy.
Chamber
The room in which the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly meets.
Clerk of the House
The most senior parliamentary officer in each chamber.
Clerk of the Parliaments
The senior permanent parliamentary officer in the Parliament of Victoria.
Close of the poll
The time at which voting ends on the day of an election. Currently in
Victoria it is 6.00 p.m.
Coalition
A combination of two or more parties in Parliament.
Committee
A group of Members of Parliament that considers matters referred to it and
reports its findings to Parliament.
Committee of the whole
see Committee Stage.
Committee Stage
A stage during the Legislative Council's consideration of a Bill when each clause may be
examined in detail and amendments may be considered; comprised of all Members
(Committee of the Whole).
Consideration in Detail
A stage during the Legislative Assembly's consideration of a Bill, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, when clauses may be examined in detail and amendments considered.
Common law
Law that has developed and continues to evolve in the courts.
Consolidated fund
The fund created to receive all revenue raised by and granted to the state.
All payments from it must be authorised by Parliament.
Constituency
The electorate or area, or the people in it, which a Member of Parliament
represents.
Constituents
The people who live in a Member's electorate, and who are represented by that
Member in Parliament.
Constitution
The law that defines the powers and responsibilities of the Parliament of
Victoria.
(A full copy of
the Victorian Constitution Act 1975 is available on the Department of Premier and Cabinet's Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents site.)
Crown
The formal term for Her Majesty, used especially in the context of the Queen
exercising her legal powers.
Dd
Deadlock
When a complete impasse is reached in a parliamentary debate, or disagreement
between the Houses.
Debate
The formal presentation in the legislative chambers of various viewpoints.
Declaration of poll
The formal announcement of election results; the end of the electoral
process.
Delegated legislation
see Subordinate Legislation.
Democratic Labor Party (DLP)
The DLP is a political party in Victoria formed when they split from the ALP in 1955.
Deposit
Candidates must pay a deposit to the Electoral Commission when they nominate
for a seat. Their deposit is refunded if they receive 4% or more of the first preference votes.
Dissolution
The termination of a Parliament in order that a General election may be held.
Division
A vote taken in a House of Parliament when the names of Members are recorded
individually according to how they vote.
Donkey vote
A ballot paper on which the voter has ranked candidates from `1' onwards
straight down the ballot paper without regard to the merits of the candidates;
also refers to the total number of votes allocated in this way.
Draft Bill
Document prepared by Parliamentary Counsel for use by Cabinet in discussing
proposed legislation.
Ee
Electoral claim
An application made by a person eligible to vote to be placed on the
Electoral Roll.
Electoral District
The name given to the geographic area that comprises a Legislative Assembly
electorate. There are currently 88 Electoral Districts in Victoria. Each is
represented by one Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Electoral Province
Until 2006 Legislative Council electorates were called "Provinces". Each comprised four lower house districts and elected one Councillor for two terms of Parliament each election (i.e. they were represented by two Councillors at any one time). The Legislative Council electorates are now "Regions" (see below).
Electoral Region
The name given to the geographic area that comprises a Legislative Council electorate. There are 8 Electoral Regions in Victoria. Each Region elects 5 representitives by proportional voting.
Electoral Roll
The list of people who are enrolled to vote in State and Commonwealth
elections.
Electorate
The geographic area which is represented by a Member of Parliament; or, the
body of Electorates in a collective sense.
Enactment
The point at which a Law, as expressed in an Act of Parliament, comes into
force.
Enfranchisement
Giving to an individual or class of persons the right to vote in elections.
Executive
Those from within the Government who define and implement policy, and who are
answerable to Parliament for their administration.
Ff
Federation
The creation in 1901 of a new nation, Australia, from the six Australian
colonies: Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and
Western Australia.
Financial year
The twelve months from 1 July in one year to 30 June in the next.
First-past-the-post
A system of voting in which the candidate with the most votes is immediately
declared elected.
First Reading
The stage in parliamentary proceedings at which permission is obtained to
proceed with a Bill.
Franchise
The right to vote.
Gg
General election
An election in which all seats in both Houses are declared vacant and
contested.
Gerrymander
The manipulation of electoral boundaries unfairly to give an unfair advantage
to one party in elections.
Government
The party or group of parties (Coalition) that enjoys the support of the
majority of Members of the Legislative Assembly.
Government Bill
A Bill introduced by a Minister on behalf of the government.
Governor
The Queen's representative in Victoria.
Governor-in-Council
The formal meeting of the Governor and the Executive Council.
The Greens
The Australian Greens, a political party with an environmental focus.
Hh
Hansard
The written record of parliamentary debates; also a work unit within the Department of Parliamentary Services that
produces the written record.
House of Commons
The Lower House of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
House of Lords
The Upper House of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
House of review
A term applied to those Second Chambers and Upper Houses responsible for
providing a second opinion or look at Bills passed by the Lower House; in
Victoria, the Legislative Council.
Houses
Term used to refer to both the Legislative Council and the Legislative
Assembly.
How-to-vote-cards
Cards handed out by political parties and independent candidates, usually at
Polling Places, showing voters how best to vote for their preferred candidate or
party.
Ii
Independent
A Member of Parliament who is not a member of a political party.
Informal vote
A vote that is not counted because the ballot paper has not been completed
according to electoral law.
Jj
Kk
Ll
Labor Party
see Australian Labor Party
Law
The system of rules providing a basis for society to function harmoniously
and efficiently.
Leader of the Government
In the Legislative Assembly the Premier; in the Legislative Council a
Government member elected to manage proceedings on behalf of the Government.
Leader of the Opposition
A Member elected by the Opposition to lead them and to shadow the Premier.
Legislation
Laws enacted by a Legislature or Parliament.
Legislative Assembly (Click
for photo [27k])
The Lower House of the Parliament of Victoria.
Legislative Council (Click
for photo [26k])
The Upper House of the Parliament of Victoria.
Liberal Party of Australia (Lib.)
A political party founded in 1944.
Loan Council
A body comprising the Commonwealth and State treasurers that meets annually
to determine each State's public sector borrowing levels for the new financial
year.
Lower House
One of the two Houses in a Bicameral system; in Victoria the Legislative
Assembly, and in Australia, the House of Representatives. The Government is
formed from the party or coalition with a majority in the Lower House. See also
Upper House.
Mm
Mace (Click for photo [18k])
The symbol of the office of the Speaker, carried by Serjeant-at-Arms.
Minister
A Member of the Government responsible for one or more Government
departments; he or she is also a member of Cabinet.
M.L.A.
Member of the Legislative Assembly.
M.L.C.
Member of the Legislative Council.
Money Bill
A Bill for the purpose of either raising or spending money.
M. P.
Member of Parliament.
Motion
A proposal put to the House framed in a way that will result in the opinion
of the House being expressed or a decision being made.
Multi-member-electorate
An electorate that is represented in Parliament by more than one Member, eg.a
Senate electorate or a Legislative Council Province.
Municipality
A region administered by its own local government.
Nn
Nationals
Originally known as the Country Party, and formed in 1920. Renamed the
National Party in 1975 and The Nationals in 2004.
Non-budget sector agencies
Those agencies of State Government financed wholly or substantially outside
public revenue by producing goods and services for sale in the market at a price
intended to recover all or most of their operating costs; e.g. SECV, Melbourne
Water Corporation, Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria.
Notice
The formal process by which the House is notified of the intentions of
Members to introduce Bills, ask questions, or move motions. Notices are printed
on the Notice Paper and circulated before each sitting of the House.
Oo
Opposition
The second-largest political party or coalition of parties after the
Government party or coalition of parties, in the Legislative Assembly.
Order
Behaviour in the Legislative Chambers in accordance with Standing and Sessional
Orders.; an instruction by a Presiding Officer to behave in accordance with
Standing and Sessional Orders.
Pp
Parliament
The Parliament of Victoria consists of the Queen, the Legislative Assembly,
and the Legislative Council; also used to refer to the two Houses.
Parliament House
The building, located in Spring Street, Melbourne, where the Legislative
Council and the Legislative Assembly meet.
Parliamentary Counsel
Specialists in the Department of Premier and Cabinet who draft Bills for
Parliament.
Petition
A petition is a Parliamentary form that provides a direct means by which any
citizen or group can place concerns before the Parliament. See the Fact
Sheet on Petitions.
Polling place
A location where people go to vote on the day of an election; often a school
or town hall.
Portfolio
The specific policy responsibilities that a Minister oversees.
Postal voting
A procedure by which a Ballot Paper is sent to a voter who cannot go to a
Polling Place on polling day, in order that he or she can post it back to the
Electoral Office before the close of the poll, thereby registering a vote.
Preferential voting
A method of voting by which voters rank the candidates on a Ballot Paper in
order of preference.
Premier
The chief minister of a State Government in Australia.
Premiers' Conference
A meeting of the Commonwealth Prime Minister and State Premiers, held
annually, to determine each State's general revenue grant.
President
The Presiding Officer of the Legislative Council
Presiding Officers
The Members of Parliament elected to preside over meetings of their
respective Houses (the President and Speaker); they also take responsibility for
the administration of the parliamentary departments.
Press gallery
Journalists accredited to report on parliamentary proceedings; the special
galleries in both Houses in which accredited journalists sit to observe
parliamentary debates.
Pressure group
A group of people joined together by some common interest who attempt to
influence Government policy.
Private Member's Bill
A Bill introduced by an Opposition, Independent or Government backbench
member in his or her own capacity rather than as a Member of the Government .
Program budgeting
A system of budgeting whereby monies are allocated to programs rather than
organisational divisions, and performance is assessed against defined program
objectives.
Proportional representation
A system of voting designed to allocate seats in a multi-member electorate in
proportion to the number of votes cast for each candidate or party.
Prorogation
The termination of a session of Parliament by the Governor.
Public Service
Government organisations and staff employed in them.
Qq
Question time
The allotted time in the parliamentary day when members direct oral questions
to Ministers.
Quorum
The number of members necessary to be present to constitute an official
meeting and allow business to be conducted.
Rr
Recurrent expenditure
Spending by Budget Sector Agencies to cover salaries and associated costs,
operating expenses, grants and contributions, pensions payments and debt
charges.
Responsible government
A political system in which the Government must be supported by a Parliament
which is itself answerable to the public, usually through the election process.
Royal Assent
The last stage in the process by which a Bill becomes an Act; the Governor,
representing the Queen, gives it formal approval.
Ss
Seat
A politician's electorate; or a Member's position in the legislative
chambers.
Second Reading
The stage in Parliament at which the underlying principles of a Bill are
debated.
Secret ballot
A system where votes are cast privately and without the possibility of
knowing for whom individual people voted. It is known in the United States as
the Australian ballot because it was first introduced in Victoria and South
Australia in 1856.
Select committee
See committee
Separation
In Victorian history, refers to the separation of Port Phillip from New South
Wales to become a separate colony.
Serjeant-at-Arms (Click for
photo)
The executive officer of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Session
The period between the opening and the prorogation of Parliament.
Sessional Orders
Temporary orders governing the conduct of proceedings for a session, e.g.,
sitting days and times.
Shadow Minister
A member of the Opposition who has responsibility for a particular area of
policy; the member is said to `shadow' the appropriate Minister.
Sitting days
Days on which one or both Houses of Parliament meet.
Sitting period
A period of time during which Parliament meets regularly; in the Parliament
of Victoria there are usually spring sittings (August-December) and autumn
sittings (March-May).
Speaker
The Presiding Officer of the Legislative Assembly.
Special appropriations
Monies automatically appropriated from the Consolidated Fund by particular
Acts of Parliament for specific purposes. Estimates for them are included in the
Budget papers, but the government's obligation to fund them continues throughout
the Financial Year.
Standing Orders
Permanent rules governing the conduct of business in the House, e.g., the
stages through which Bills proceed, conduct of debate, etc.
Statute law
Parliament-made law expressed in an Act.
Subordinate legislation
Regulations or similar rules made under the authority of an Act.
Suffrage
The right to vote in parliamentary elections.
Supply Act
The Act which makes provision for the appropriation of monies necessary for
the ongoing business of government during the Supply Period.
Supply Period
The period from 1 July until the Appropriation Act gains Royal Assent.
Tt
Taxing Bill
A Bill that authorises taxation measures.
Third Reading
The final stage of a Bill's progress in a House of Parliament before it is
passed.
Uu
Unenacted Law
The name sometimes given to common law.
Upper House
One of the two Houses in a bicameral Parliament; in Victoria the Legislative
Council and in Australia the Senate. Upper houses have similar powers to Lower
Houses, except that they cannot initiate or amend money Bills and the Government
is formed from the party that enjoys the support of a majority of the Lower
House.
Usher of the Black Rod (Click
for photo)
The executive officer of the President of the Legislative Council.
Vv
Victorian Parliamentary Debates
The printed report of parliamentary debates, informally referred to as
`Hansard'. Also the work unit within the Department of Parliamentary Services that produces the printed report.
Ww
Westminster System
The system of Government that exists in Great Britain and which has been
copied, to a greater or lesser extent, by many Commonwealth countries; so called
because it is named after the precint Westminster where the House of Commons and
the House of Lords meet.
Whip
A member of a political party in a House of Parliament who manages the
business of the parliamentary party and organises the participation of members
in divisions and debates.
Works and services expenditure
Spending by Budget Sector Agencies on the construction, renovation, purchase
and development of buildings, structures, land and natural resources.
Xx
Yy
Zz
Last update
August 23, 2002
Copyright & Disclaimer | Privacy
|
|
