Victorian Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly
60th Parliament
Type
Type	Lower house of the Parliament of Victoria
History
Founded	21 November 1856; 168 years ago
Leadership
Speaker	Maree Edwards, Labor ; since 2 August 2022
Deputy Speaker	Matt Fregon, Labor ; since 20 December 2022
Leader of the House	Mary-Anne Thomas, Labor ; since 5 December 2022
Government Whip	Pauline Richards, Labor ; since 7 February 2023
Deputy Government Whip	Belinda Wilson, Labor ; since 7 February 2023
Manager of Opposition Business	James Newbury, Liberal ; since December 2022
Opposition Whip	Chris Crewther, Liberal ; since December 2022
Structure
Seats	88
Political groups	Government (54) ; Labor (54) ; Opposition (28) ; Liberal (19); National (9) ; Crossbench (5) ; Greens (3) ; Independent (1) ; Independent Labor (1) ; Vacant (1)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	Instant-runoff voting
Last general election	26 November 2022
Next general election	28 November 2026
Meeting place
	Legislative Assembly Chamber,; Parliament House, Melbourne,; Victoria, Australia
Website
	Vic Legislative Assembly

The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the state lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria in Australia; the state upper house being the Victorian Legislative Council. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The main colour used for the upholstery and carpets furnishing the Chamber of the Legislative Assembly is green. ^[1]

The presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly is the Speaker. There are presently 88 members of the Legislative Assembly elected from single-member divisions.

History

Victoria was proclaimed a Colony on 1 July 1851 separating from the Colony of New South Wales by an act of the British Parliament. The Legislative Assembly was created on 13 March 1856 with the passing of the Victorian Electoral Bill,^[2] five years after the creation of the original unicameral Legislative Council. The Assembly first met on 21 November 1856,^[2] and consisted of sixty members representing thirty-seven multi and single-member electorates.^[3] On the Federation of Australia on 1 January 1901, the Parliament of Victoria continued except that the colony was now called a state.

In 1917, the Nationalist government in Victoria introduced compulsory preferential voting before the 1917 state election. This enabled the factions in the party to field competing candidates without splitting the vote by keeping preferences within the party.

Procedure

Most legislation is initiated in the Legislative Assembly. The party or coalition with a majority of seats in the lower house is invited by the Governor to form government. The leader of that party subsequently becomes Premier of Victoria, and their senior colleagues become ministers responsible for various portfolios. As Australian political parties traditionally vote along party lines, almost all legislation introduced by the governing party will pass through the legislative assembly.

Committees

Committees are formed of members from one house or both houses. Committees hold inquiries into particular issues and call for input from the wider community. ^[4]

Privileges Committee
Standing Orders Committee
Economy and Infrastructure Committee
Environment and Planning Committee
Legal and Social Issues Committee

Officials

Speaker

At the beginning of each new parliamentary term, the Legislative Assembly elects one of its members as a presiding officer, known as the Speaker. The House may re-elect the incumbent speaker merely by passing a motion; otherwise, a secret ballot is held. In practice, the Speaker is usually a member of the governing party or parties, who have the majority in the House. The Speaker continues to be a member of their political party, but it is left to their individual discretion as to whether or not they attend party meetings. The Speaker also continues to carry out their ordinary electorate duties as a member of Parliament and must take part in an election campaign to be re-elected as a member of Parliament.^[5]

A Deputy Speaker is also elected by the Assembly, who supports and assists the Speaker in the execution of their duties.

Non-member officials

The Legislative Assembly is also supported by a department of civil servants who provide procedural and administrative advice on the running of the Assembly, and performs other functions. The head of the department is the Clerk of the Assembly, who is assisted by a deputy clerk, an assistant clerk committees and an assistant clerk procedure.^[6]

The Assembly is also assisted by a serjeant-at-arms, who at present also holds the position of assistant clerk procedure.^[6]

Membership and elections

The Legislative Assembly presently consists of 88 members, each elected in single-member electoral districts, more commonly known as electorates or seats. This is done using preferential voting, which is the same voting system used for the federal lower house, the Australian House of Representatives. Members represent approximately the same population in each electorate.

Since 2006, members of the Legislative Assembly are elected for a fixed term of 4 years, with elections occurring on the last Saturday of November every 4 years.^[7]^[a] There are no limits to the number of terms for which a member may seek election. Casual vacancies are filled at a by-election.

Current distribution of seats

Party	Seats held
Party
Labor	54	54
Liberal	19	19
National	9	9
Greens	3	3
Independent	1	1
Independent Labor	1	1
Total	87

45 votes as a majority are required to pass legislation.

2022 election

Results

Victorian state election, 26 November 2022^[9] Legislative Assembly << 2018–2026 >>
Enrolled voters		4,394,465
Votes cast		3,828,791		Turnout	87.13	−3.03
Informal votes		211,791		Informal	5.53	–0.30
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Labor	1,339,496	37.03	–5.83	56	1
	Liberal	1,070,672	29.60	−0.83	18	–3
	Greens	416,069	11.50	0.79	4	1
	National	172,687	4.77	0.00	9	3
	Family First	110,389	3.05	3.05	0	±0
	Animal Justice	90,797	2.51	0.69	0	±0
	Freedom	61,812	1.71	1.71	0	±0
	Victorian Socialists	48,865	1.35	0.91	0	±0
	Democratic Labour	42,385	1.17	0.48	0	±0
	Liberal Democrats	12,791	0.35	0.23	0	±0
	Shooters, Fishers, Farmers	11,588	0.32	–0.37	0	±0
	Reason	10,907	0.30	–0.06	0	±0
	One Nation	8,077	0.22	0.22	0	±0
	Justice	7,927	0.22	–0.04	0	±0
	Legalise Cannabis	5,838	0.16	0.16	0	±0
	New Democrats	4,874	0.13	0.13	0	±0
	Angry Victorians	3,037	0.08	0.08	0	±0
	Health Australia	862	0.02	0.02	0	±0
	Transport Matters	605	0.02	–0.27	0	±0
	Companions and Pets	526	0.01	0.01	0	±0
	Independent	196,796	6.44	–0.63	0	–3
Total		3,617,000			87
Two-party-preferred
	Labor	1,989,350	55.00	–2.30
	Liberal/National	1,627,650	45.00	2.30

Notes

^ Between 1985 and 2006, the maximum term of the Assembly was four years, but could be dissolved earlier.^[8]

References

^ "Legislative Assembly Chamber | Parliament of Victoria". www.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
^ ^a ^b Edward Sweetman (1920). Constitutional Development of Victoria, 1851–6. Whitcombe & Tombs Limited. p. 67. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
^ "Elections". Fact Sheet G3: Elections. Parliament of Victoria.
^ "Committees | Parliament of Victoria". www.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
^ The Speaker
^ ^a ^b Staff of the Legislative Assembly
^ Constitution (Parliamentary Reform) Act 2003 (Vic)
^ Constitution (Duration of Parliament) Act 1984 (Vic)
^ "2022 State Election results". Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 4 January 2023.

External links

[9] Between 1985 and 2006, the maximum term of the Assembly was four years, but could be dissolved earlier.^[8]

[1] "Legislative Assembly Chamber | Parliament of Victoria". www.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 10 April 2024.

[Sweetman-2] Edward Sweetman (1920). Constitutional Development of Victoria, 1851–6. Whitcombe & Tombs Limited. p. 67. Retrieved 16 November 2012.

[elections-3] "Elections". Fact Sheet G3: Elections. Parliament of Victoria.

[4] "Committees | Parliament of Victoria". www.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 8 April 2024.

[5] The Speaker

[staff-6] Staff of the Legislative Assembly

[7] Constitution (Parliamentary Reform) Act 2003 (Vic)

[8] Constitution (Duration of Parliament) Act 1984 (Vic)

[10] "2022 State Election results". Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 4 January 2023.

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v t e Members of the Parliament of Victoria
Legislative Assembly	1856–1859 1859–1861 1861–1864 1864–1865 1866–1867 1868–1871 1871–1874 1874–1877 1877–1880 1880–1883 1883–1886 1886–1889 1889–1892 1892–1894 1894–1897 1897–1900 1900–1902 1902–1904 1904–1907 1907–1908 1908–1911 1911–1914 1914–1917 1917–1920 1920–1921 1921–1924 1924–1927 1927–1929 1929–1932 1932–1935 1935–1937 1937–1940 1940–1943 1943–1945 1945–1947 1947–1950 1950–1952 1952–1955 1955–1958 1958–1961 1961–1964 1964–1967 1967–1970 1970–1973 1973–1976 1976–1979 1979–1982 1982–1985 1985–1988 1988–1992 1992–1996 1996–1999 1999–2002 2002–2006 2006–2010 2010–2014 2014–2018 2018–2022 2022–2026
Legislative Council	1851–1853 1853–1856 1856–1858 1858–1860 1860–1862 1862–1864 1864–1866 1866–1868 1868–1870 1870–1872 1872–1874 1874–1876 1876–1878 1878–1880 1880–1882 1882–1884 1884–1886 1886–1888 1888–1890 1890–1892 1892–1895 1895–1896 1896–1898 1898–1900 1900–1901 1901–1902 1902–1904 1904–1907 1907–1910 1910–1913 1913–1916 1916–1919 1919–1922 1922–1925 1925–1928 1928–1931 1931–1934 1934–1937 1937–1940 1940–1943 1943–1946 1946–1949 1949–1952 1952–1955 1955–1958 1958–1961 1961–1964 1964–1967 1967–1970 1970–1973 1973–1976 1976–1979 1979–1982 1982–1985 1985–1988 1988–1992 1992–1996 1996–1999 1999–2002 2002–2006 2006–2010 2010–2014 2014–2018 2018–2022 2022–2026

v t e Government of Victoria
Executive	Monarch Governor Lieutenant-Governor Cabinet Premier Deputy Premier Attorney-General Treasurer Entities Police Local Government Royal Commissions
Legislative	Parliament Legislative Assembly Speaker MPs Electoral districts Legislative Council President MLCs Electoral regions Opposition Leader
Judicial	Chief Justice Solicitor-General Supreme Court County Court Magistrates' Court Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) Coroners Court Children's Court Other courts and tribunals
Elections	2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 By-elections Electoral Commission
Political parties	Labor Coalition Liberal National Greens Legalise Cannabis Democratic Labour Shooters, Fishers and Farmers One Nation Animal Justice Other parties

v t e Political parties in Victoria
Parliamentary parties	Labor (LA: 56, LC: 15) Coalition (LA: 28, LC: 14) Liberal (LA: 19, LC: 12) National (LA: 9, LC: 2) Greens (LA: 4, LC: 4) Legalise Cannabis (LC: 2) Animal Justice (LC: 1) Libertarian (LC: 1) One Nation (LC: 1) Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (LC: 1)
Other VEC-registered parties	Companions and Pets Family First Freedom Health Australia New Democrats Sustainable Australia United Australia Victorian Socialists
Defunct parties	Angry Victorians Aussie Battler Christians Conservatives Country Country Progressives Democratic Association of Victoria Derryn Hinch's Justice Henry George Justice Hudson Liberal Country Liberty Alliance Local Jobs National Liberal Public Transport Redistribution Liberals Reason Sex Party Socialist Alliance Restore Democracy Sack Dan Andrews Transport Matters Victorian Farmers' Union Victorian Liberals Victorian Socialist Party Voice for the West Voluntary Euthanasia
Politics of Victoria Politics portal