Petitions

A petition is basically a request for action. The right to petition Federal Parliament has been one of the rights of citizens since federation, and it is the only way an individual can directly place grievances before the Parliament.

Senate Petitions

The presentation of a petition to the Senate is a proceeding in Parliament and is protected by parliamentary privilege. The publication of a petition before presentation is not similarly protected. (See Chapter 2, Australian Senate Practice, Parliamentary Privilege, Circulation of petitions.)

House of Representatives petitions

A petition to the House of Representatives (the House) is a request for action on something that the House is responsible for.

The House Standing Committee on Petitions receives and processes petitions on behalf of the House.

Petitions to the House must follow the rules and can be presented by a Member of Parliament or the Committee Chair.

Learn more about petitioning the House

Related Resources and Links

Senate

House of Representatives

What is a Petition?

Individuals and organisations may seek to have petitions presented to the Parliament. A petition expresses a point of view, usually on matters of public policy, and contains a request for action, or in some cases, not to take action. The right to petition Parliament has been one of the rights of citizens since Federation.

Each house of the Parliament has its own rules that documents must follow in order to be accepted as petitions.

October 2024

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
29	30	1 Other	2 Senate	3 Senate	4	5
6	7 Both	8 Both	9 Both	10 Senate	11 Other	12
13 Senate	14	15 Other	16 Other	17 Senate	18	19
20	21	22	23 Senate	24	25	26
27	28	29 Senate	30 Senate	31 Senate	1	2

Senate
House of Representatives
Both
Public Holiday
Other

30 Sep 24: Senate Committee Public Hearing
1 Oct 24: Senate Committee Public Hearing
1 Oct 24: Senate Committee Public Hearing

Date	Title
29/09/24	Inquiry Report Tabling Universities Accord
29/09/24	Senate Committee Public Hearing
29/09/24	Inquiry Submission Closing Aged Care Bill 2024
29/09/24	Inquiry Submission Closing Alcohol and drugs
29/09/24	Inquiry Report Tabling Flood Insurance Inquiry
29/09/24	Joint Committee Public Hearing
30/09/24	Joint Committee Public Hearing
30/09/24	Senate Committee Public Hearing
30/09/24	Inquiry Submission Closing CSIRO Disease Prep VIC
30/09/24	Joint Committee Public Hearing
30/09/24	Inquiry Submission Closing Student Ombudsman
30/09/24	Senate Committee Public Hearing
30/09/24	Inquiry Submission Closing DOD Army Aviation Omnibus
30/09/24	Inquiry Submission Closing DOD Logistics Helicopter
30/09/24	Senate Committee Public Hearing
01/10/24	Senate Committee Public Hearing
01/10/24	Senate Committee Public Hearing
02/10/24	Senate Committee Public Hearing
02/10/24	Inquiry Report Tabling VeteranHarmonisation47
02/10/24	Joint Committee Public Hearing
03/10/24	Inquiry Submission Closing Family Law 24
03/10/24	Inquiry Submission Closing ECEC Wage Justice
03/10/24	Inquiry Report Tabling Antisemitism Bill
03/10/24	Senate Committee Public Hearing

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