Crossing The Floor Australian Parliament

The australian senate like other parliaments based on the westminster system uses a divided chamber in politics a politician is said to cross the floor if they change their party allegiance.

Crossing the floor australian parliament.

This has led to speculation that members of the coalition might cross the floor over issues including industrial relations and voluntary student unionism. So why did this senator cross the floor. Deirdre mckeown and rob lundie present the preliminary results of a study of instances of crossing the floor in federal parliament. Crossing the floor is rare.

Senator reg wright from tasmania who served from 1950 to 1978 crossed the floor 150 times. Only 12 per cent of divisions were affected by these floor crossings. Such actions are rare in australia due to the strong party discipline exercised on members of parliament. A rebel liberal mp had no choice but to cross the floor over debate on a contentious mining bill in south australia s parliament leading to him being labelled as destructive and a bloody fool.

From 1950 to 2004 245 members of parliament crossed the floor representing 24 per cent of all members of parliament who served in this period.