ABSTRACT
Both the Australian Parliament and the Parliament of each of the Australian States except Queensland consist of two Houses-the Lower House and the Upper House. In theAustralian Parliament, save for certain restrictions as to Bills relating to financial matters, a Bill (which is the document which becomes theAct after it has been passed by Parliament) can be introduced into either House. It is ‘read’ a first time, a formal procedure authorising the Bill to be printed and distributed to all members of that House. It next receives its second reading. The second reading procedure commences with the minister in charge of the Bill delivering a speech explaining what he or she understands the Bill to achieve (the term ‘understands’ is used because the wording and effect of the Bill may not in point of law achieve what the minister hopes the Bill will achieve). The Bill is then debated, the House resolving into committee to consider the various clauses of the Bill (those clauses are referred to as sections when the Bill becomes an Act). The Bill then receives its third reading. After the Bill has been passed by that House, it is sent to the other House of Parliament where it goes through the same procedure. If the other House decides to amend the Bill, it has to be sent back to the House in which it started for that House to consider the amendment. If the two Houses are in disagreement upon the amendment, each House appoints members who are called ‘managers’ and whose function it is to try to achieve agreement between the Houses. It is only if that agreement is achieved, and the Bill is passed by both Houses in the same form, that it can proceed to receive the assent of the Governor (or, in the case of the Australian Parliament, the Governor General).5
The fact that a Bill has been read for the first time does not mean that it will immediately come before the House for a second reading. When it receives its second reading will depend upon the pressure of other measures before the House and upon the priority Cabinet decides to give it.
