by Nick Manning
How many members of parliament are from different parties, affects:
- which party or parties form the government
- which bills (proposed laws) get passed and become law.
Try this quick quiz (link to answers below)
Question 1
Assume that parliament is made up of:
Lower House:
- 49 Labor
- 44 Liberal
Upper House:
- 18 Labor
- 20 Liberal
- 2 Shooters Party
- 2 Australian Democrat
a) Which party would be in government?
b) Which of the following combinations of parties, voting together, could pass laws (there may be more than one combination)?
- Liberal and Shooters
- Labor and Shooters
- Liberal, Shooters and Australian Democrat
- Liberal and Labor
- Labor, Shooters and Australian Democrat
Question 2
Now assume that parliament is made up of:
Lower House:
- 39 Labor
- 46 Liberal
- 5 Greens
- 3 independents
Upper House:
- 18 Labor
- 20 Liberal
- 2 Greens
- 2 Christian Democrat
a) Which party would be more likely to be in government?
b) Which of the following combinations of parties, voting together, could pass laws (there may be more than one combination)?
- Liberal and one independent
- Liberal and Green
- Liberal, Green and Christian Democrat
- Liberal and Labor
- Labor, Green and Christian Democrat
- Labor, Green and 3 independents
Question 3
Assume that parliament is made up of:
Lower House:
- 50 Liberal
- 43 Labor
Upper House:
- 18 Liberal
- 20 Labor
- 2 Greens
- 2 Christian Democrat
a) Which party would be in government?
b) Which of the following combinations of parties, voting together, could pass laws (there may be more than one combination)?
- Liberal and Green
- Labor and Green
- Liberal, Green and Christian Democrat
- Liberal and Labor
- Labor, Green and Christian Democrat
> Answers
Published: 2006
