Leader of the House (Australia)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The office of Leader of the House in the Government of Australia exists in order for the management of government business, involving the order in which Government issues are to be dealt with, which Government members will speak, tactical matters in reaction to impediments to such management; negotiates with the Opposition by means of the equivalent Manager of Opposition Business on the order in which bills are to be debated, time allotted for debate, and other matters.
Due to the Parliament of Australia being bicameral, the Leader of the House must also be aware of developments in the Senate, for example, in order to anticipate whether a bill may be returned to the House with amendments.
The office is appointed by the Prime Minister and was instituted in 1951 under the Menzies government by Eric Harrison. The current Leader of the House is Tony Abbott. Due to the greater demands placed on the office, the Leader is paid more than a regular Member of Parliament.
There is an equivalent Manager of Government Business in the Senate.
