1.3 Supply, confidence and government

Under the Westminster system of government operating in Queensland, it is essential that the Government be able to maintain the support of the Legislative Assembly on issues of Supply and confidence. This means that the Government must have the support of the Legislative Assembly in votes of confidence and be able to ensure that the Legislative Assembly will pass the annual Appropriation Bills that are essential to pay for the public services of the State (Supply). Therefore, in a practical sense the Legislative Assembly determines who forms the Government of the State.

A vote of confidence simply means that the Legislative Assembly indicates in a vote that the Government has its support. Usually the question is posed in the negative by the Opposition moving a motion "That the House has no confidence in the Government" or similar. However, the Government may itself also test the support of the Legislative Assembly by posing the question in the positive "That the House has confidence in the Government".

A vote against the Government on a vital issue may also be treated as a vote of no confidence.

Last reviewed: 17 July, 2009

Last updated: 22 July, 2009

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