Learn About Parliament

For more information about how our Parliament works and an overview of the role of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, please click here for the Parliament of WA website.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The Legislative Council is the upper House of the Parliament of Western Australia, and comprises 36 members elected from six multi-member regions by a system of preferential representation (proportional representation). Proportional representation is a voting system designed to ensure that the mix of successful candidates in a multi-member electorate reflects as closely as possible the proportional break-up of all the valid votes cast in an election. The Legislative Council’s principal roles and functions are:

  • legislating, monitoring and reviewing government legislation, administration and expenditure
  • gathering information and publicising issues, by using committees, question time and through parliamentary debates on motions, Bills, and by petitions presented by members on behalf of members of the public.

The following links provide further information relating to these roles and functions, and other matters related to the Legislative Council of Western Australia.