Petitions

A petition is basically a request for action. The right to petition Federal Parliament has been one of the rights of citizens since federation, and it is the only way an individual can directly place grievances before the Parliament.

Senate Petitions

The presentation of a petition to the Senate is a proceeding in Parliament and is protected by parliamentary privilege. The publication of a petition before presentation is not similarly protected. (See Chapter 2, Australian Senate Practice, Parliamentary Privilege, Circulation of petitions.)

House of Representatives petitions

A petition to the House of Representatives (the House) is a request for action on something that the House is responsible for.

The House Standing Committee on Petitions receives and processes petitions on behalf of the House.

Petitions to the House must follow the rules and can be presented by a Member of Parliament or the Committee Chair.

Learn more about petitioning the House

Related Resources and Links

Senate

House of Representatives

What is a Petition?

Individuals and organisations may seek to have petitions presented to the Parliament. A petition expresses a point of view, usually on matters of public policy, and contains a request for action, or in some cases, not to take action. The right to petition Parliament has been one of the rights of citizens since Federation.

Each house of the Parliament has its own rules that documents must follow in order to be accepted as petitions.

February 2023

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

Senate
House of Representatives
Both
Public Holiday
Other

Date	Title
26/02/23	Inquiry Submission Closing Redress47
26/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
26/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
26/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
26/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
27/02/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
27/02/23	Inquiry Submission Closing ASIC investigation
27/02/23	Inquiry Submission Closing Digital platforms
27/02/23	Inquiry Report Tabling Reconstruction Bill 2022
27/02/23	Inquiry Report Tabling Climate Trigger Bill 2022
27/02/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
27/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
27/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
27/02/23	House Committee Public Hearing
27/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
28/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
28/02/23	Inquiry Report Tabling Community Safety
28/02/23	Inquiry Report Tabling Telecommunications 47
28/02/23	Inquiry Submission Closing VET Inquiry
28/02/23	House Committee Public Hearing
28/02/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
28/02/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
01/03/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
01/03/23	Senate Committee Estimates Hearing
01/03/23	Inquiry Report Tabling Safeguard Mechanism
01/03/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
01/03/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
01/03/23	Senate Committee Public Hearing
02/03/23	Inquiry Submission Closing CFS 2021-22
02/03/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
02/03/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
02/03/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
03/03/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
03/03/23	Joint Committee Public Hearing
05/03/23	Inquiry Submission Closing TLAB CDR 2022
05/03/23	Senate sitting
05/03/23	6-9 March House sitting

Parliamentary sitting calendar

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