Speaker of the House of Representatives
The Speaker is the principal office holder in the House of Representatives. They are the House's representative or spokesman and chair its meetings. The Speaker is elected from among the 150 Members of the House and is usually a person of considerable parliamentary experience. The Speaker also performs a role similar to that of a Minister in relation to a government department, and oversees the administration of the Department of the House of Representatives. Electing a Speaker is the first thing that the House does when it meets for the first time after a general election.
The Speaker makes sure that Members obey the rules (standing orders) of the House and follow the correct procedures. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate together are known as the Parliament’s Presiding Officers. They jointly have responsibility for the provision of services to the Parliament by the Department of Parliamentary Services.
The current Speaker is the Hon. Milton Dick, Member for Oxley, Queensland, who was elected Speaker on 26 July 2022.