ABSTRACT
Parliaments, as political institutions, are only a few hundred years old. The Commonwealth Parliament was established in 1901 by the Constitution. The State parliaments are older, having been created in the process of transformation from authoritarian penal colonies to self-governing representative democracies. The design of the Australian parliaments therefore imitates the traditions and practices of government in the United Kingdom, with modifications for the Australian context. The size of the Australian parliaments ranges from seventeen MPs in the unicameral Northern Territory parliament to 226 MPs in the Commonwealth Parliament. The typical length of a parliamentarian's term—that is, the length of time they can hold office without facing election—ranges from three to eight years. The parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia consists of three elements: the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Head of State, which reflect Australia's position as a constitutional monarchy, a parliamentary democracy and a federation.
