The Senate, also known as the Upper House, was sometimes referred to as the States’ House because its main purpose was originally to safeguard the interests of the States. Sir Edmund Barton, leader of the Australasian Federal Convention and Australia’s first Prime Minister, noted that: ‘We cannot fail to remember that the Constitution designed the Senate to be a House of greater power than any ordinary second Chamber. Not only by its express powers, but by the equality of its representation of the States, the Senate was intended to be able to protect the States from aggression.’ (JR Odgers, Australian Senate Practice, Parliamentary Paper No 28, 1972). By the 1980s, each of the six States was represented by 10 Senators, with the addition of two Senators for the Northern Territory and ACT respectively - a total of 64 Senators. Amongst the Senate’s Constitutional powers is the right to veto any Bill presented to it, and it can amend all but money bills. It can also initiate legislation, apart from money bills.

As with the English House of Commons, there is a convention that the Sovereign is not permitted to enter the House of Representatives. In Australia, therefore, Parliament is opened by the Governor-General in the Senate Chamber. The Governor-General entered the Chamber and occupied the Vice-Regal chair, requesting the assembled Senators to be seated. His Excellency then commanded the Usher of the Black Rod to request the presence of the Members of the House of Representatives in the Senate Chamber. The Usher of the Black Rod proceeded across King’s Hall to the door of the House of Representatives and knocked to be admitted. Members then crossed to the Senate Chamber via King’s Hall.