Department of the Senate

All members of the Department of the Senate sitting and standing on the mezzanine level of the Senate chamber behind and above the President's chair

About the Department

The Constitution vests the Commonwealth legislative power in a Parliament consisting of the Queen, represented by the Governor-General, a Senate and a House of Representatives.

The Department of the Senate provides the Senate, its committees, the President of the Senate and senators with a broad range of advisory and support services related to the exercise of the legislative power of the Commonwealth.

The parliamentary head of the department is the President of the Senate and the departmental head is the Clerk of the Senate. 

The department is one of four supporting the two Houses, the others being the Department of the House of Representatives, the Parliamentary Budget Office and the Department of Parliamentary Services.

The work of the Department of the Senate is determined almost entirely by the Senate and its committees. The department is responsible, not to the government of the day, but to the Senate and all senators, and maintains complete impartiality in serving equally senators from all political parties and independent senators.

Offices of the Department

The Department consists of seven offices:

Work of the Department

Administration

 

About the Senate

The Senate is one of the two houses of the Australian Federal Parliament. It consists of 76 senators, twelve from each of the six states and two from each of the mainland territories. It shares the power to make laws with the other House of Parliament, the House of Representatives. The Senate is elected by proportional representation, so that its composition closely reflects the voting pattern of the electors.

Parliament House Calendar

February 2023

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
2930311 Other2 Other3 Other4
5 Both6 Both7 Both8 Both9 Other10 Senate11
12 Both13 Both14 Both15 Both16 Senate17 Other18
19 Senate20 Other21 Other22 Senate23 Senate2425
26 Other27 Both28 Both1234
  • Senate
  • House of Representatives
  • Both
  • Public Holiday
  • Other