47th Parliament of Australia

The 47th Parliament of Australia is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the Australian federal government, composed of the Australian Senate and the Australian House of Representatives. The May 2022 federal election gave the Australian Labor Party control of the House; Labor won 77 seats, and gained an additional seat in April 2023 due to its victory in the Aston by-election, giving it a three-seat majority government.[1] Labor leader Anthony Albanese became the 31st Prime Minister of Australia, and was sworn in by the Governor-General David Hurley on 23 May 2022.[2] The 47th Parliament opened in Canberra on 26 July 2022.[3]

47th Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia
46th 
 48th
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Commonwealth Coat of Arms

26 July 2022 – present
Members76 senators
151 representatives
Senate LeaderPenny Wong, Labor
(from 23 Maym2022)
Senate PresidentSue Lines, Labor
(from 26 July 2022)
House LeaderTony Burke, Labor
(from 1 June 2022)
House SpeakerMilton Dick, Labor
(from 26 July 2022)
Sessions
st: 26 July 2022 – present

House of Representatives

Government (78)  Labor (78)
Opposition (56)Coalition
  Liberal (41)
  National (15)
Crossbench (17)  Greens (4)
  KAP (1)
  Centre Alliance (1)
  DLFCN (1)
  Independent (10)

Senate

Government (26)  Labor (26)
Opposition (32)Coalition
  Liberal (26)
  National (6)
Crossbench (18)  Greens (11)
  UAP (1)
  Lambie Network (2)
  One Nation (2)
  Independent (2)

flag Australia portal

Major events and legislation

  • The Climate Change Act 2022 passed the parliament on 8 September 2022, having been approved by the House by 86 votes to 50 and the Senate by 37 votes to 30. The legislation codifies a 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030 (on 2005 levels), requires the Climate Change Authority to provide advice on Australia’s progress against those targets, mandates that the Minister for Climate Change reports annually to Parliament on Australia's progress, and forces federal government agencies to adhere to the legislative requirements of the Act.[4][5][6]
  • The Social Security Amendment Act 2022 passed the parliament on 28 September 2022, having passed the House by 86 votes to 56 and the Senate by 33 votes to 26.[7][8] The legislation repealed the mandatory Cashless Welfare Card, originally introduced as a trial in 2016 for 12,500 people across four trial sites, which quarantined around 80% of a person's income so it could not be spent on alcohol or gambling or withdrawn in cash. As a result of the legislative change, participants could opt out of the scheme, though around 4,300 people in the Northern Territory and Cape York remained on the card prior to the introduction of a compulsory income-management scheme in 2023.[9]
  • The Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Act 2022 passed the parliament on 28 November 2022. The legislation implemented seven of the recommendations of the Kate Jenkins-authored Respect@Work report into sexual harassment. Among other reforms, the laws impose a positive onus on employers to take steps to demonstrate that they're proactively attempting to eliminate sex discrimination "as far as possible". In addition, victimising conduct can be the basis of a civil, not just criminal, complaint, and public sector agencies are newly required to report to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency as occurs with private sector agencies.[10]
  • The National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 passed the parliament on 30 November 2022. The legislation established the National Anti-Corruption Commission, an independent federal agency equipped with the power to investigate Commonwealth ministers, public servants, statutory office holders, government agencies, parliamentarians and parliamentary staff for corrupt or improper behaviour.[11][12]
  • The Fair Work Legislation Amendment Act 2022 passed the parliament on 2 December 2022.[13] The legislation passed the House of Representatives by 80 votes to 56[14] and passed the Senate by 35 votes to 31.[15] The workplace relations reforms introduce multi-employer bargaining, allow the Fair Work Commission to authorise workers with sufficient common interests to bargain together and abolish the Australian Building and Construction Commission and Registered Organisations Commission.[16][17] The legislation passed with the support of the Greens and Senator David Pocock, who each won government support for an enforceable right to request unpaid parental leave and measures to prevent a loophole in the better-off-overall test in the legislation, as well as the creation of a statutory advisory committee of experts to provide independent advice concerning "economic inclusion" of lower-income people, welfare recipients and cost-of-living relief.[18]
  • The Restoring Territory Rights Act 2022 passed the parliament on 1 December 2022. The legislation, which abolished the federal ban on the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory legislatures passing laws to permit euthanasia schemes (originally passed in 1997) was subject to a conscience vote for most parties. It was approved by 99 votes to 37 in the House of Representatives and by 41 votes to 25 in the Senate.[19][20][21]
  • The Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Act 2023 passed the parliament on 30 March 2023. The legislation passed with the support of the Labor government, the Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network and independent crossbenchers in both chambers, following intense negotiations between the parties. In effect, 215 of the country's major polluting facilities are required to cut emissions intensity by 5% a year, through absolute cuts or by buying carbon offsets. While individual companies can buy an unlimited number of offsets, total absolute emissions under the scheme cannot increase and are required to come down over time.[22] The legislation passed the Senate by 32 votes to 26 and the House by 89 votes to 50, with the Liberal/National Coalition, One Nation and United Australia parties opposed to the reforms.[23][24]

Leadership

Senate

Senate President
Sue Lines
Sue Lines (ALP)
Senate President election[25]
Candidate State Votes %
Sue Lines Western Australia 54 81.82
Dorinda Cox Western Australia 12 18.18
66 100

Presiding officer

Government leadership

Opposition leadership

House of Representatives

House Speaker
House of Representatives Speaker election[26]
Candidate Seat Votes %
Milton Dick Oxley (Qld.) 92 62.16
Andrew Wallace Fisher (Qld.) 56 37.84
148 100

Presiding officer

Government leadership

Opposition leadership

Party summary

House of Representatives

House membership (as of 26 July 2022)
     4 Australian Greens
     Katter's Australian Party 1      

     77 Australian Labor Party
     National Party of Australia 10      

     Liberal National Party 21      

     Liberal Party of Australia 27      
     10 Independent
     1 Centre Alliance

Affiliation Party
(shading shows control)
Total Vacant
GRN ALP IND CA DLFCN LPA NPA KAP UAP
End of previous Parliament 1 68 4 1 0 60 15 1 1 151 0
Begin (26 July 2022) 4 77 10 1 0 42 16 1 0 151 0
23 December 2022[lower-alpha 1] 11 15
17 February 2023[lower-alpha 2] 41 150 1
1 April 2023[lower-alpha 2] 78 151 0
8 May 2023[lower-alpha 3] 10 1
18 May 2023 [27] 40 150 1
Latest voting share % 2.65 51.66 6.62 0.66 0.66 37.09 0.66 0

Senate

Senate membership (as of 26 July 2022)
     12 Australian Greens
     Pauline Hanson's One Nation 2      

     26 Australian Labor Party
     United Australia Party 1      

     Country Liberal Party 1      


     Liberal/National joint ticket 11      

     Liberal Party of Australia 15      
     1 Independent

Affiliation Party
(shading shows control)
Total Vacant
GRN ALP IND CA REX JLN LPA NPA LDP ON UAP
End of previous Parliament 9 26 0 1 1 1 31 4 1 2 0 76 0
Begin (26 July 2022) 12 26 1 0 2 26 6 0 2 1 76 0
16 January 2023[lower-alpha 4] 25 75 1
6 February 2023[lower-alpha 5] 11 2
Latest voting share % 14.67 34.67 2.67 0 2.67 41.33 0 2.67 1.33

Demographics

The 47th Parliament of Australia has a historically high representation of women; women make up 38% of the House of Representatives and 57% of the Senate, the highest on record for both chambers.[28] In terms of representation, Indigenous members will account for 9.6 per cent of the 76 Senate seats, and 1.2 per cent of 151 House of Representatives seats.[29]

Senate

The Senate included 33 men and 43 women, the most women to date.

House of Representatives

There are 58 women in the House, the largest number in history.[30] Three current members are LGBTQ+Stephen Bates,[31] Angie Bell[32] and Julian Hill.[33] Four members; Mark Dreyfus, Josh Burns,[34] Mike Freelander and Julian Leeser identified as Jewish. Labor members — Ed Husic and Anne Aly — became the first two Muslim federal ministers.[35]

Membership

Senate

40 of the 76 seats in the upper house were contested in the election in May 2022. The class of senators elected in 2022 are denoted with an asterisk (*).

House of Representatives

All 151 seats in the lower house were contested in the election in May 2022.

Changes in membership

Senate

This table lists senators who have resigned, died, been elected or appointed, or otherwise changed their party affiliation during the 47th Parliament.

Seat Before Change After
Member Party Type Date Date Member Party
New South Wales Jim Molan Liberal Death 16 January 2023 TBD TBD Liberal
Victoria Lidia Thorpe Greens Resignation from party 6 February 2023 Lidia Thorpe Independent

House of Representatives

This table lists members of the House who have resigned, died, been elected or appointed, or otherwise changed their party affiliation during the 47th Parliament.

Seat Before Change After
Member Party Type Date Date Member Party
Calare Andrew Gee National Resignation from party 23 December 2022 Andrew Gee Independent
Aston Alan Tudge Liberal Resignation 17 February 2023 1 April 2023 Mary Doyle Labor
Fowler Dai Le Independent Formation of new party 8 May 2023 Dai Le Dai Le and Frank Carbone Network
Fadden Stuart Robert Liberal National Resignation 18 May 2023 TBC TBC TBC

See also

Notes

    1. Andrew Gee, MP for Calare, resigned from the National Party on 23 December 2022 and began sitting as an independent.
    2. Alan Tudge, Liberal MP for Aston, resigned on 17 February 2023. The resulting by-election was won by Labor candidate Mary Doyle on 1 April 2023.
    3. Dai Le, MP for Fowler, elected as an independent, formed the Dai Le and Frank Carbone Network on 8 May 2023 and joined the party.
    4. Jim Molan, Liberal senator for Victoria, died in office on 16 January 2023.
    5. Lidia Thorpe, senator for Victoria, resigned from the Greens on 6 February 2023 and began sitting as an independent.

    References

    1. Jake Evans (31 May 2022). "ABC projects Labor will score a 77th seat and evade deals with independents to find a speaker". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
    2. Brett Worthington (23 May 2022). "Anthony Albanese and four senior frontbenchers sworn in ahead of Quad trip". ABC News.
    3. Andrew Brown (26 July 2022). "MPs sworn in as 47th parliament opened". The Canberra Times.
    4. Asha Barbaschow (9 September 2022). "Your 4-Minute Briefing on the Australian Government's Climate Change Bill". Gizmodo AU.
    5. Adam Morton (8 September 2022). "Australian parliament passes first climate change legislation in a decade". Guardian Australia.
    6. Emily Bennett & Daniel Jeffrey (8 September 2022). "Federal government's historic climate change bill passes parliament to legislate emissions reduction target". 9 News.
    7. "Hansard - Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Bill 2022 - Third Reading - Division". aph.gov.au. 3 August 2022.
    8. "SENATE - Hansard". Record of Proceedings (Hansard). Australia: Australian Senate. 27 September 2022. p. 124-125.
    9. Tom Lowrey (28 September 2022). "Cashless debit card to be abolished, but a new income-management system will take its place for some". ABC News.
    10. Georgia Hitch (28 November 2022). "Laws to implement Respect@Work recommendations have passed parliament. What are they?". ABC News.
    11. "PARLIAMENT PASSES NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION BILLS". pm.gov.au. 30 November 2022.
    12. "National Anti-Corruption Commission clears final hurdle, passes House of Representatives". ABC News. 30 November 2022.
    13. Paul Karp & Amy Remeikis. "Labor's industrial relations bill passes despite late Coalition filibuster". The Guardian.
    14. "Hansard BILLS - Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 - Third Reading". aph.gov.au. 10 November 2022.
    15. "Hansard BILLS - Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 - Third Reading". aph.gov.au. 1 December 2022.
    16. "Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022". aph.gov.au.
    17. Paul Karp (23 November 2022). "What is the sticking point in Labor's industrial relations bill and how would it work?". The Guardian.
    18. Paul Karp (27 November 2022). "David Pocock to give crucial support to IR bill after deal on jobseeker and welfare". The Guardian.
    19. "Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 – Third Reading". Parliament of Australia. Australia: House of Representatives. 3 August 2022.
    20. "Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 – Second Reading". Parliament of Australia. Australia: Senate. 24 November 2022.
    21. Markus Mannheim (1 December 2022). "Federal parliament overturns 25-year-old ban on euthanasia laws in ACT and Northern Territory". ABC News.
    22. Adam Morton (30 March 2023). "Australia passes most significant climate law in a decade amid concern over fossil fuel exports". The Guardian.
    23. "Senate Division No 309 (Safeguard Mechanism Amendment Bill 2023)". aph.gov.au. 30 March 2023.
    24. "House Division No 133 (Safeguard Mechanism Amendment Bill 2023)". aph.gov.au. 30 March 2023.
    25. "Senate – Official Hansard – Tuesday, 26 July 2022: Forty-Seventh Parliament First Session—First Period". parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Australian Senate. 26 July 2022.
    26. "2022 – The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia – House of Representatives Votes and Proceedings – No. 1 Tuesday, 26 July 2022". parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Australian House of Representatives. 26 July 2022.
    27. Remeikis, Amy (18 May 2023). "Stuart Robert hands in official resignation, triggering byelection in Queensland seat". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
    28. "A diverse cabinet that better reflects our nation". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
    29. Zaunmayr, Tom (22 May 2022). "FULL LIST: Record number of Indigenous MPs voted in to serve the Australian people". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
    30. "After a 'watershed year', Australia is on track for its highest number of women in parliament". SBS News. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
    31. Bowman, Jan (19 May 2022). "Could the LGBTQI vote make a difference in Brisbane?". Retrieved 12 June 2022.
    32. "LNP candidate hoping to make Queensland history in 2019 federal election". ABC News. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
    33. Reynolds, Andrew (2019). The Children of Harvey Milk: How LGBTQ Politicians Changed the World. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-046095-2.
    34. Kohn, Peter. "Macnamara's first MP". www.australianjewishnews.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
    35. "Australia's first two Muslim federal ministers say symbolism matters, but their responsibility is to deliver". SBS News. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
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