Legislative Power.
1. The legislative power52 of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a Federal Parliament53, which shall consist of the Queen, a Senate, and a House of Representatives, and which is hereinafter called “The Parliament,” or “The Parliament of the Commonwealth.”
UNITED STATES.—All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a congress of the United States, which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives.—Const., Art. I., sec. 1. CANADA.—There shall be one Parliament for Canada, consisting of the Queen, an Upper House styled the Senate, and the House of Commons.—B.N.A. Act, 1867, sec. 17.HISTORICAL NOTE.—The clause in the Commonwealth Bill of 1891 was in substantially the same form. The clause as introduced at the Adelaide session, 1897, substituted “States Assembly” for “Senate,” but in Committee, on Mr. Walker's
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motion, the name “Senate” was restored. (Conv. Deb., Adel., pp. 480-2.) Mr. Higgins proposed “National Assembly” in place of “House of Representatives,” and Mr. Symon proposed “House of Commons,” but both suggestions were negatived. (Conv. Deb., Adel., pp. 483, 628-9, 1189.) At the Sydney session, suggestions of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, to omit “Federal” and to substitute “House of Assembly” for “House of Representatives,” were negatived. (Conv. Deb., Syd. [1897], p. 253.) At the Melbourne session, after the fourth report, “power” was substituted for “powers.”