About the House News

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

Welcoming the class of 2019

Monday, 1 July 2019

Newly-elected Members of the House of Representatives came to Canberra in June to discuss their new roles as federal parliamentarians.

Chamber Procedural

Submission deadline extended for bushfire inquiry

Wednesday, 22 January 2020

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment has extended the submission deadline for its inquiry into the intensity and frequency of bushfires. Submissions are now invited by 31 March 2020.

PFAS remediation and health—first report

Friday, 20 December 2019

Today the PFAS Sub-committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT) tabled the first report of its inquiry into PFAS remediation in and around Defence bases.