The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives.
The Conservative Party is standing Senate candidates in every Australian state at this May’s federal election.
Why focus on the Senate instead of the House of Representatives? The answer is that the Senate is vested with significant powers, including the capacity to reject all bills, including budget and appropriation bills, initiated by the government in the House of Representatives.
Neither the Labor Party nor the Coalition have held a majority in the Senate since 2005–2008 (and before that since 1981) and they usually need to negotiate with minor parties or independents to get legislation passed.
South Australian Senate candidate Rikki Lambert told Adelaide radio station Hills Radio that with enough Conservative Party senators elected, the party can affect what legislation is passed or rejected by using the balance of power to restore common sense to Canberra.
