How Parliament works

A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) represents the people who live in their electorate. Their main job is to listen to community concerns, bring those views into Parliament, and help shape laws and decisions for the Northern Territory.

MLAs:

• Debate and vote on laws
• Hold the Government to account through questions and scrutiny
• Raise local issues and speak on behalf of their community
• Serve on committees that examine bills and government actions
• Support and assist constituents with problems involving government services

What is ‘the Government’, ‘the opposition’ vs ‘the cross bench’?

The Government is formed by the party (or coalition, which is the word used to describe one or more parties joined together in an alliance) that wins majority of votes in the election. The role of the Government is to propose, implement and administer laws.

The opposition is the party (or coalition) that wins the second most votes. The role of the Opposition is to scrutinise the government’s policies and offer alternatives or suggestions to improve proposed legislation. The crossbench is the remaining members do not belong to either the Government or the Opposition. The role of the crossbench is also to offer scrutiny and provide a ‘balance of power’.

A crossbencher is any member of Parliament that does not belong in either the Government or Opposition. They can be either an independent member or belong to minor party.

Crossbenchers are important to have in Parliament because unlike Government and Opposition members they do not have to vote according to their party, and therefore are free to make up their own minds on how to vote. Crossbenchers also bring different perspectives and challenges the power of major parties.

Overview

The NT Parliament is a unicameral legislature with 25 members with each member representing a single electorate

Electoral divisions are very different in geographical size and can range from as little as four square kilometres to almost 450,000 square kilometres. However, each division has approximately 5,500 electors (adults aged 18 and over who are enrolled to vote).

I represent the Johnston electorate, which covers Alawa, Jingili, Millner and Moil.

See more on the electoral divisions and profiles here.

Unlike most other states in Australia, the NT operates as a unicameral parliament. This means unlike a bicameral parliament which has both an upper and lower house, the NT only has one. This house is known as the NT Legislative Assembly.

Reasons behind the NT being unicameral:

• More efficient and less costly
• Historical context of the NT being granted independence in 1978

Most bills are introduced by Government Ministers, but any Member of the Assembly can put forward their own bill.

1. Idea – A bill starts as an idea to fix a problem or make a change to the law.
2. Drafting – The idea is written into a formal proposal called a bill.
3. First Reading – The bill is introduced in the NT Parliament and its purpose is explained.
4. Debate and Committee – Members of Parliament debate the bill. Sometimes it is looked at more closely by a committee, which can take submissions from the public.
5. Second and Third Readings – The bill is debated again and Members can suggest changes before the final vote.
6. Vote – If a majority of Members agree, the bill passes.
7. Final Approval – The bill is signed by the Administrator of the Northern Territory.
8. Law – The bill becomes an Act of Parliament and takes effect as law.

Parliament follows a set of rules called Standing Orders, which guide how debates are run and how business is managed.

Members can refer matters to committees, such as Public Accounts or Scrutiny, for closer examination, expert advice, and community input before returning to the Assembly. The Government must agree to send a bill to a committee for it to be referred there.

If an issue is considered urgent, the Assembly can agree to fast-track a bill so it is debated and voted on straight away. If the declaration is agreed to by the government in power, the bill fast-tracks the normal legislative process, so instead of having the bill debated over multiple days or weeks, it can instead be presented and voted on in the same parliamentary sitting.

This process is also known as a guillotine motion.

There are many reasons why a bill would be considered urgent, usually when it affects public welfare. Examples include: natural disasters and public health emergencies, but the Government can decide what can be deemed an ‘emergency’ for this purpose.

A division is a formal recorded vote in Parliament where the MLAs divide into two groups, for and against proposal. Members have to be in Parliament and physically move to either side of the Chamber so their votes are recorded individually.

Each sitting day, Members can question Ministers about policies, decisions, and issues to hold the Government to account.

Government Members sometimes ask their own Ministers prepared questions to give them an opportunity to highlight achievements or explain policies.

Ministers can present short reports to update the Assembly on important matters, new programs, or government priorities.

Any Member can propose a debate on a major issue facing the Territory, even if no formal decision is made at the end.

Community members can raise issues through written petitions, which are signed and then formally tabled in the Assembly by a Member.

See more on the Petitions I have brought to Parliament on behalf of community members here.

A motion is a proposal put forward by a Member asking the Assembly to take action or state an opinion, and it becomes the Assembly’s decision if agreed to.

See more on the Motions I have proposed in Parliament here.