What is the correct sequence of steps in creating a statute in Australia?

• A. Initiation of bill, first reading, second reading, committee of the whole or consideration in detail, third reading, passage by both houses, royal assent/proclamation.
• B. Royal assent first, then introduction of bill.
• C. Committee of the whole before second reading.
• D. Passage by both houses without readings.

Answer: (A)

Becoming law in Australia follows a staged process where a bill is introduced, then examined and debated in a structured sequence before it can become an act. The journey starts with the initiation of the bill, which is then brought before the chamber in the first reading—title read and handed to the House, but with no debate yet. In the second reading, the general principles and purposes of the bill are explained and debated, and members vote on whether to proceed. The next phase is committee of the whole or consideration in detail, where the bill is scrutinized clause by clause and amendments can be proposed and considered. After this detailed review, the bill undergoes the third reading in that chamber, where a final debate and vote occur. If it passes, the same sequence repeats in the other house, and both houses must pass the bill. Once both houses have agreed, the bill goes to the Governor-General (at the federal level) or the Governor (in the states) for royal assent, after which it is proclaimed and comes into force on the date specified or on assent itself.

This is why royal assent cannot come first, and why the committee stage comes after the second reading rather than before it. The formal readings and passage by both houses are essential parts of turning a bill into law.