46th_Parliament_of_Australia

46th Parliament of Australia

46th Parliament of Australia

2019–2022 meeting of the Australian Parliament

For a general discussion of the Australian government's legislative branch, see Parliament of Australia.

The 46th Parliament of Australia was a meeting of the legislative branch of the Australian federal government, composed of the Australian Senate and the Australian House of Representatives. The 2019 federal election gave the Coalition of the Liberal and National Parties control of the House, originally with a three-seat majority, allowing their leader Scott Morrison to stay in office as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia. The 46th Parliament was opened in Canberra on 2 July 2019 and was dissolved by the Governor General David Hurley on 11 April 2022.[1][2]

Quick Facts 2 July 2019 – 11 April 2022, Members ...

2019 federal election

Main article: 2019 federal election
See also: Morrison government

House of Representatives

At the 2019 election, in the 151-seat House of Representatives, the incumbent Coalition government was reelected with 77 seats, a majority of two seats. The Labor opposition won 68 seats. Six other MPs were elected to the crossbench, with the Greens, Centre Alliance, Katter's Australian Party, and independents Andrew Wilkie, Helen Haines and Zali Steggall winning a seat each.

Senate

In the Senate, 40 of 76 seats were up for election. Following the election, the Coalition had a total of 35 seats, four short of a majority. Labor held 26 seats, the Greens held 9 seats, Centre Alliance and One Nation each held two seats, the Jacqui Lambie Network held one and one seat was held by independent Cory Bernardi, who deregistered the party he was previously a member of on 25 June 2019.

Composition


Government (77)
Coalition
  Liberal (44)
  Liberal National (23)[lower-roman 1]
  National (10)

Opposition (68)
  Labor (68)

Crossbench (6)
  Greens (1)
  KAP (1)
  Centre Alliance (1)
  Independent (3)[lower-roman 2]  

Major events

March 2020 coronavirus suspension

Around 23 March 2020, Parliament was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia; an adjournment rather than prorogation. Parliamentary sittings were shut down and scheduled to resume in August. Its committees would continue to operate using technology. This unprecedented move was accompanied by two motions raised by the Attorney-General of Australia, Christian Porter, and passed on 23 March 2020. One motion was designed to allow MPs to participate in parliament by electronic means, if agreed by the major parties and the speaker; the second determined that with the agreement of the two major parties, the standing orders could be amended without requiring an absolute majority.[10] Shortly before this, a special intergovernmental decision-making forum, the National Cabinet, composed of the head of the Commonwealth (the Prime Minister) and the premiers and chief ministers of the Australian states and territories was established on 18 March 2020 to coordinate the national response to the pandemic.[11][12][13]

Major legislation

Membership changes

This table lists members of the House or Senate who resigned, died, were elected or appointed, or otherwise changed their party affiliation during the 46th Parliament.

More information Seat, Before ...

See also

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    O'Brien was elected as a Liberal National Party (LNP) MP and sat in the Nationals party-room. He left the party-room (caucus) on 10 February 2020 after initiating a failed leadership spill, and sat as an LNP MP, still part of the Coalition government but not as one who sat in either the National, Liberal or joint party-room meetings. On 10 December 2020 he rejoined the Nationals party-room.
  2. [N 2]
    On 26 September 2021 Chester announced he would no longer attend party-room meetings of the Nationals, though would continue to sit with the government.
  3. [N 3]
    Champion resigned on 22 February 2022 to run for the state seat of Taylor in the upcoming South Australian state election. There was no by-election held in his federal seat of Spence due to his resignation occurring close to the federal election in May (see here).
  4. [N 4]
    Christensen was elected as Liberal National Party MP and sat in the Nationals party-room. He resigned from the Liberal National Party on 7 April 2022, four days prior to the dissolution of the House of Representatives.

References

  1. [1]
    "Parliament sits for first time since Scott Morrison's election victory – politics live". Guardian Australia. 2 July 2019.
  2. [2]
    "Documents relating to the calling of the election for 21 May 2022" (PDF). gg.gov.au. 10 April 2022.
  3. [3]
    "The Government Just Voted To Repeal The Medevac Bill, And People Are Absolutely Disgusted". Junkee. 25 July 2019.
  4. [4]
    "China tried to plant its candidate in Federal Parliament, authorities believe". The Age. 24 November 2019.
  5. [5]
    Pearce, Lara (2 February 2020). "Bridget McKenzie resigns from cabinet over sports grant saga". Nine News. Nine Network. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  6. [6]
    Snape, Jack (4 February 2020). "Barnaby Joyce to challenge Michael McCormack in Nationals leadership spill as Parliament returns, live coverage". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  7. [7]
    Hitch, Georgia (23 February 2021). "Controversial backbencher Craig Kelly quits Liberal Party to sit on the crossbench". ABC News.
  8. [8]
    Trembath, Murray (24 August 2021). "Kelly to support Morrison on critical votes until election". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  9. [9]
    "Clive Palmer: Craig Kelly will make a fine leader". 23 August 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  10. [10]
    Twomey, Anne (24 March 2020). "A virtual Australian parliament is possible – and may be needed – during the coronavirus pandemic". The Conversation. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  11. [11]
    Shoebridge, Michael (18 March 2020). "The national cabinet is key to our coronavirus response. Here's how it will need to work". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  12. [12]
    "Press Conference Transcript". Prime Minister's Office. 15 March 2020.
  13. [13]
    Burton, Tom (18 March 2020). "National cabinet creates a new federal model". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  14. [14]
    "Coalition's income tax cuts pass Senate in full as Labor backs down". Guardian Australia. 4 July 2019.
  15. [15]
    "What is a temporary exclusion order? Australia's foreign fighters bill explained". Guardian Australia. 22 July 2019.
  16. [16]
    "New laws can't stop foreign fighters returning to Australia". 2GB. 26 July 2019.
  1. 17 Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) MPs sat in the Liberals party room and 6 sat in the Nationals party room
  2. Independent MPs: Andrew Wilkie (Clark), Helen Haines (Indi), Zali Steggall (Warringah)
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