About the House News

COVID-19: Statement by the Presiding Officers regarding temporary and precautionary changes to Parliament House operations

Monday, 16 March 2020

Following implementation of pandemic planning measures, ongoing consultations between the Presiding Officers, Parliamentary Departments and relevant Commonwealth officers and agencies including the Chief Medical Officer, temporary and precautionary changes have been made regarding the operations of Parliament House.

Last chance to have your say on regional Australia

Thursday, 27 February 2020

Time is running out to have your say on life in regional Australia.

Committee General interest

House Review: 4 - 13 February 2020

Tuesday, 18 February 2020

The first sitting fortnight of the year featured a condolence motion by the Prime Minister on the Australian bushfires; an address by the President of Indonesia; the election of a new Deputy Speaker; and presentation of the Closing the Gap Report 2020.

Procedural Chamber

Mr Llew O’Brien elected Deputy Speaker

Tuesday, 11 February 2020

Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien has been elected the 44th Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Chamber General interest Procedural

Indonesian President Joko Widodo addresses the House

Tuesday, 11 February 2020

On Monday, 10 February 2020, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency Mr Joko Widodo, delivered an address in the House of Representatives.

Chamber General interest

International parliamentarians gather in Canberra

Monday, 13 January 2020

Canberra is hosting to a meeting of parliamentarians from around the world, with the 28th Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum opened today.

General interest

Questions on Notice: We’ll join our Houses

Wednesday, 4 December 2019

The House and the Senate have the power to investigate matters by using Committees - but what happens if BOTH Houses want to look into an issue?

Committee General interest

Questions on Notice: Mace head revisited

Wednesday, 13 November 2019

Having seen an image of the Mace online, a writer asked the Serjeant if they could see some higher-quality images of the Mace, and about what happened when our current Mace replaced the House’s previous Mace in 1951.

General interest Chamber

House Review: 14 - 24 October

Monday, 28 October 2019

This sitting fortnight featured a commemoration of the first anniversary of the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse; a Ministerial Statement on veterans and their families; and the passage of a number of bills.

Procedural

Young speakers visit makes an impression

Friday, 18 October 2019

The House of Representatives played host to powerful young voices this week, with the winners of the 2019 My First Speech competition delivering their speeches in Parliament House.

General interest

Replay the 2019 Speaker's Lecture

Thursday, 26 September 2019

Read or watch Troy Bramston's 2019 Speaker's Lecture on the life and politics of Sir Robert Menzies.

General interest

Questions on Notice: Budget, interrupted

Thursday, 19 September 2019

What happens when an election is called before the Parliament can agree to the Federal Budget?

Procedural General interest

Questions on Notice: What is prorogation?

Tuesday, 3 September 2019

In the United Kingdom, prorogation is in the news. Just what is prorogation, and how does it work in Australia's Parliament?

Procedural

Questions on Notice: Once, twice, three times a Speaker

Friday, 9 August 2019

If you have a question about the House of Representatives, you can ask us! Our research team will stop at nothing to find you an answer, no matter how obscure the topic. In this question we look at if the current Speaker being elected three times unopposed is a record.

Chamber Procedural

Questions on Notice: The Suite Life

Monday, 1 July 2019

If you have a question about the House of Representatives, you can ask us! Our research team will stop at nothing to find you an answer, no matter how obscure the topic. In the US Congress, offices space is allocated by lotto. How do we do things in Australia?

General interest

Work of the National Redress Scheme Committee

Thursday, 2 April 2020

The Joint Select Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme will continue with its scheduled public hearings scheduled for Monday 6 April and Wednesday 15 April via teleconference.

House committee to suspend homelessness inquiry

Wednesday, 1 April 2020

In response to the present COVID-19 situation, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs has agreed to suspend its inquiry into homelessness in Australia until a later date.