Parliament of Queensland

Infobox Legislature
name = Parliament of Queensland
coa_pic =
coa_res =
coa-pic =
coa-res =
session_room = Parliamenthousebrisbane.jpg
session_res =
house_type = Unicameral
houses = Legislative Assembly
leader1_type = Speaker
leader1 = Mike Reynolds
party1 = Labor party
election1 = October 10, 2006
leader2_type =
leader2 =
party2 =
election2 =
members = 89
p_groups = Labor party
Liberal National Party
One Nation Party
Independent
election3 = September 9, 2006
meeting_place = Parliament House, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
website = [http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/home.asp www.parliament.qld.gov.au]

The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been abolished in 1922. The Legislative Assembly sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Brisbane.

The Parliament was founded 22 May 1860, less then a year after the State of Queensland was created in June 1859. [cite news
title = Almost 150 years strong
format = lift out section
publisher = The Courier-Mail
pages = 40 to 41
date = 28 August 2007 ]

The Assembly has 89 'Members of Parliament' (MPs). These are intended to represent approximately the same population in each electorate. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting system (OPV). Elections are held approximately once every three years.

The role of the monarch in Parliament is to give the royal assent to legislation. This function is in practice exercised by the Governor of Queensland, who conventionally will never refuse assent to a bill that has passed the Legislative Assembly.

The party with the most seats in the house is invited by the Governor to form government.

The leader of that party subsequently becomes Premier of Queensland, leading a Cabinet of Ministers. Among the LNP, the Premier selects members of their party to act as Ministers. In the Labor Party, the Ministers are elected by partyroom ballot, with the Leader then assigning ministerial portfolios to each one.

Since 2003 live audio broadcasts have streamed through the Internet from the Parliament while it is in session. In June 2007 the Parliament started broadcasting video of parliamentary proceedings. There were 4700 connections in the first three days of audio and video broadcasting. [cite news
title = See democracy in action
format = lift out section
publisher = The Courier-Mail
pages = 40 to 41
date = 28 August 2007 ]

ee also

*Parliaments of the Australian states and territories
*Queensland Legislative Assembly
*List of members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly

External links

* http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/

References