How Bills become Laws
There is an enormous, strenuous process which bills must successfully pass through in order to become laws. There is a large number of stages in this process. The first one of these stages is the first reading. The first reading occurs in the original house and the only thing that happens here is the statement of the title of the bill.
The Next thing that happens is the second reading, here the member who introduced the bill describes and gives reasoning for the proposed law. At the end of this reading, it is voted upon and if successful, passes on to the third reading. In the third reading, it is voted for again and then proceeds through to the other house. After the bill is passed through to the second house, the three readings are repeated, but if the bill fails at one of these readings, it must return to the original house before it can attempt to be voted through again. As soon as the bill has passed through both houses, it is then sent to the Governor-General, who approves of it in the name of the Queen. The bill officially becomes a law on the day that the Governor-General signs it unless otherwise stated. |