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The House of Representatives will next meet on 21 to 31 May 2012.
Senate Budget Estimates will be held from 21 to 31 May 2012.
The Senate consists of 76 senators - 12 from each state and 2 from each territory. A partner with the House in the legislative process, the Senate conducts much of its work through an established committee system, including the budget estimates accountability process.
The House of Representatives , known as the people's house, is where government is formed. It has 150 members, and the party or parties able to gain the support of the majority of the House form government. The House's other roles are to debate proposed laws, watch over government expenditure, including through its committee system, and to provide a forum for public debate on issues of national importance.

Watch Parliament

Today's broadcasts of Parliament activities

Time	Event
9:00AM - 11:00PM AEDT	Environment and Communications Legislation Committee (Senate Estimates)	High Low Audio
9:00AM - 11:00PM AEDT	Finance & Public Administration Legislation Committee (Senate Estimates)	High Low Audio
9:00AM - 11:00PM AEDT	Legal & Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee (Senate Estimates)	High Low Audio
9:00AM - 11:00PM AEDT	Rural & Regional Affairs & Transport Legislation Committee (Senate Estimates)	High Low Audio
10:00AM - 10:30PM AEDT	House of Representatives	High Low Audio
10:30AM - 10:00PM AEDT	Federation Chamber	High Low Audio

Bills

Latest updates to Bills

Updated On	Title
18 May 2012	Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Screening) Bill 2012
15 May 2012	Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2012-2013
15 May 2012	Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2012-2013
15 May 2012	Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2012-2013
15 May 2012	Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2011-2012
15 May 2012	Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2011-2012

Browse all bills by title

Committees

Parliamentary Committees

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have extensive committee systems, and also work together on a number of joint committees. To find out more about the work of committees:

House of Representatives

Senate

Hansard

Hansard

Browse Hansard of Current Parliament

Latest Hansard Documents

Sitting date	Transcript
17 May 2012	Standing Committee on Climate Change, Environment and the Arts - Australia's biodiversity in a changing climate
16 May 2012	Standing Committee on Regional Australia - Fly-in fly-out work practices
15 May 2012	Select Committee on Australia's Food Processing Sector - Australia's food processing sector
15 May 2012	Economics Legislation Committee - Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Bill 2012
15 May 2012	Education, Employment and Workplace Relations References Committee - Higher education and skills training for agriculture and agribusiness
14 May 2012	Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee - Wheat Export Marketing Amendment Bill 2012

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Parliamentary Library


	The Parliamentary Library is part of the Department of Parliamentary Services and provides services to senators, members, their staff and the staff of committees. The first library services were delivered to federal parliament in 1901 and continue to provide significant support to parliament and the democratic process. Follow the Parliamentary Library on Twitter

Research and Publications

Experience Parliament

A visit to Parliament House offers you the chance to be a part of democracy in action.

Learn more about Parliament

Educational resources are available for you to learn more about Parliament.

May 2012

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
29	30	1 Other	2 Other	3 Other	4 Other	5
6	7 Other	8 Both	9 Both	10 Both	11 Other	12
13	14 Other	15 Other	16	17 Other	18	19
20	21 Both	22 Both	23 Both	24 Both	25 Other	26
27	28 Both	29 Both	30 Both	31 Both	1	2

Senate
House of Representatives
Both
Public Holiday
Other

25 May 12: Senate committee hearing
25 May 12: Senate Occasional Lecture, presented by Professor Kenneth R. Mayer
25 May 12: Senate committee hearing

Date	Title
21/05/12	House of Representatives sitting
21/05/12	Senate Budget Estimates sitting
25/05/12	Senate committee hearing
25/05/12	Senate Occasional Lecture, presented by Professor Kenneth R. Mayer
25/05/12	Senate committee hearing

Parliamentary sitting calendar

Go to the full calendar of events