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	==See also==		==See also==
	~~{{Portal\|Queensland}}~~
	*[[Members of the Queensland Legislative Council]] by year		*[[Members of the Queensland Legislative Council]] by year
	*[[:Category:Members of the Queensland Legislative Council]] by name		*[[:Category:Members of the Queensland Legislative Council]] by name

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{{Short description|Abolished chamber of the Parliament of Queensland}}
{{Use Australian English}}
{{Use dmy dates}}
{{Infobox legislature
| name = Legislative Council
| background_color = firebrick
| native_name =
| transcription_name =
| coa_pic = Coat of Arms of Queensland.svg
| coa_res =
| coa_caption =
| house_type = [[Upper house]]
| body = Parliament of Queensland
| legislature =
| established = 1 May 1860
| preceded_by =
| succeeded_by = Unicameral [[Parliament of Queensland]]
| disbanded = {{start date and age|23 March 1922}}
| leader1_type = President
| leader1 = [[William Lennon]]{{efn|name=fn1|At time of abolishment.}}
| members = 58 seats{{efn|name=fn1}}
| voting_system1 = Appointed by the [[Governor of Queensland|Governor]] and on the advice of the [[Premier of Queensland|Premier]]
| structure1 = File:Queensland Legislative Council, 1922.svg
| structure1_res = 250px
| political_groups1 = {{color box|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}}} [[Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)|Labor]] (34) <br> {{color box|White}} [[Independent politician|Nonpartisan]] (23) <br> {{color box|#6495ED}} Ministerialist ([[Charles Nielson|1]])
| session_room =
| session_res =
| meeting_place = Legislative Council Chamber<br/>[[Parliament House, Brisbane|Parliament House]], [[Brisbane]],<br/>[[Queensland]], [[Australia]]
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
The '''Queensland Legislative Council''' was the [[upper house]] of the [[Parliament of Queensland|parliament]] in the Australian state of [[Queensland]]. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which took effect on 23 March 1922.

Consequently, the [[Legislative Assembly of Queensland]] is the only [[unicameral]] state Parliament in Australia. Two territories, the [[Northern Territory]] and [[Australian Capital Territory]], also maintain unicameral parliaments.

Most of the early members of the Council came from wealthy families, were well educated and were born in England.<ref name="brcopo">{{Citation |last=Armstrong |first=Lyn |title=Brisbane:Corridors of Power |place=Brisbane |publisher=Brisbane History Group Inc |series=Papers |volume=15 |year=1997 |editor-last=Shaw |editor-first=Barry |chapter='A somewhat rash experiment':Queensland Parliament as a microcosm of society |pages=54–55 |isbn=0-9586469-1-0 }}</ref> [[Absenteeism]] was a problem in the early years, with some members returning to England, being absent for several years.<ref name="brcopo"/>

==Abolition==
The Legislative Council was seen by the [[Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)|Labor Party]] as undemocratic and a tool of [[patronage]], and upon the establishment of a secure Labor majority in the Assembly in [[1915 Queensland state election|1915]], Labor sought the house's abolition. Bills for this purpose were rejected by the Council itself in 1915 and 1916, and a [[1917 Queensland upper house abolition referendum|referendum]] failed on 5 May 1917 on a vote of 179,105 to 116,196. In 1920, the Government under Premier [[Ted Theodore]] changed tack, persuading the [[Governor of Queensland]] to appoint additional Labor members of the Council, thus securing a majority in that Chamber.

The abolition bill was eventually passed by the Assembly on a 51–15 vote on 24 October 1921. The bill was then introduced to the Council by the leader of the Government in the Council, [[Alfred James Jones]], who remarked, "Until we had a majority here, [the Council] was obstructive, and now that we have a majority here it is useless." However, Opposition councillor [[Patrick Leahy (Australian politician)|Patrick Leahy]] protested that the abolition of the chamber would result in the Assembly being "able to do what it thinks fit" and becoming unaccountable. On 26 October 1921, the Council voted itself out of existence;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/1921/1921_10_26_C.pdf|title=Legislative Council Hansard (26 October 1921)|website=Queensland Parliament|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625080903/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/1921/1921_10_26_C.pdf|archive-date=25 June 2016|access-date=2020-01-03}}</ref> the members who voted for the abolition were known as the "suicide squad".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Tony |title=The ups and downs of the Legislative Council |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/the-ups-and-downs-of-the-legislative-council-20111010-1lhex.html |access-date=13 November 2018 |work=[[Brisbane Times]] |publisher=Fairfax Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113210853/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/the-ups-and-downs-of-the-legislative-council-20111010-1lhex.html |archive-date=13 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Council rose for the last time at 8:37 p.m. the next evening.

The non-Labor parties petitioned the British Government, but the [[Secretary of State for the Colonies|Colonial Secretary]], [[Winston Churchill]], concluded that the matter was "essentially one for determination locally", and the Governor felt "unable to say that there is evidence of any strong or widespread feeling in the country against this assent being given." Royal Assent was given on 3 March 1922, and the Act was proclaimed in the Government Gazette 20 days later, abolishing the Council.

Labor's view was summed up in 1980 by Labor politician and historian Dr [[Denis Murphy (Australian politician)|Denis Murphy]], who claimed the "dominance of wealth and property over the Queensland parliament" was broken. However, some scholars and political commentators have argued that the abuses of the [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen|Bjelke-Petersen]] regime (1968–1987) in Queensland were only possible because of the absence of an upper house, and that the problem was not the Council itself but its existence as a nominated rather than elected body (Legislative Councils in all other states were fully elective by 1900, except in [[New South Wales Legislative Council|New South Wales]] where some nominative features lasted until the 1970s.)

Several independents have at various times supported the reintroduction of an upper house.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Remeikis |first1=Amy |title=Queensland needs an upper house: independent MPs |url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-needs-an-upper-house-independent-mps-20131123-2y2ni.html |access-date=31 January 2015 |work=[[Brisbane Times]] |publisher=Fairfax Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141117150553/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-needs-an-upper-house-independent-mps-20131123-2y2ni.html |archive-date=17 November 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Queensland Greens]] support the reintroduction of an upper house elected by proportional representation.<ref>[http://qld.greens.org.au/policies/qld/democracy Democracy] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052957/http://qld.greens.org.au/policies/qld/democracy }}. Queensland Greens. Retrieved 31 January 2015.</ref> Neither major party currently supports the reintroduction of an upper house.

==Support for reintroduction==
Since 2012, there has been support from some politicians for the reintroduction of the Legislative Council in the Queensland Parliament.<ref>{{cite news|author=|title=Greens want Qld upper house restored|url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/greens-want-qld-upper-house-restored/c9eff804-f1e8-44e6-be6b-83c9302868d2|work=[[Nine News]]|location=|access-date=14 June 2021|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195058/https://www.9news.com.au/national/greens-want-qld-upper-house-restored/c9eff804-f1e8-44e6-be6b-83c9302868d2|url-status=live}}</ref>

Federal [[Australian Greens|Greens]] senator [[Larissa Waters]], [[independent politician|independent]] MPs [[Peter Wellington]] and [[Liz Cunningham]], [[Pauline Hanson's One Nation|One Nation]] leader [[Pauline Hanson]] and One Nation MP [[Stephen Andrew]] have all publicly supported the return of the upper house, believing that both constituents and political parties would benefit with fairer representation.<ref name=dismisses>{{cite news|author=|title=Campbell Newman dismisses Wellington's call for Upper House|url=http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/campbell-newman-dismisses-wellingtons-call-upper-h/2094378/|work=[[Sunshine Coast Daily]]|location=|access-date=14 June 2021|archive-date=1 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301152113/http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/campbell-newman-dismisses-wellingtons-call-upper-h/2094378/|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=|title=Minor parties unite in calls for Queensland upper house|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/minor-parties-unite-in-calls-for-queensland-upper-house-20151213-glmebj.html|work=[[Brisbane Times]]|location=|access-date=14 June 2021|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195100/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/minor-parties-unite-in-calls-for-queensland-upper-house-20151213-glmebj.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Vogler|first1=Sarah|last2=Killoran|first2=Matthew|last3=Marszalek|first3=Jessica|title=One Nation leader Pauline Hanson wants to reinstate an Upper House in Queensland|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/one-nation-leader-pauline-hanson-wants-to-reinstate-an-upper-house-in-queensland/news-story/605412c8c472f4399ab52e5a20503153|work=[[The Courier-Mail]]|location= |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Whiting|first=Melanie|title=One Nation MP's fresh call for Qld upper house|url=https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/one-nation-mps-fresh-call-for-qld-upper-house/4141274|url-access=subscription|work=[[Daily Mercury]]|location=|access-date=14 June 2021|archive-date=14 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614023955/https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/one-nation-mps-fresh-call-for-qld-upper-house/4141274/|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|LNP]] premier [[Campbell Newman]] and [[Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)|Labor]] premier [[Annastacia Palaszczuk]] have both publicly rejected the calls for the upper house to be reestablished.<ref name=dismisses/><ref>{{cite news|last=Whiting|first=Melanie|title=Premier rejects call for referendum on Qld upper house|url=https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/premier-rejects-call-for-referendum-on-qld-upper-h/4276630|url-access=subscription|work=[[Daily Mercury]]|location=|access-date=14 June 2021|archive-date=14 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614023949/https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/premier-rejects-call-for-referendum-on-qld-upper-h/4276630/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 11 May 2021, a [[petition]] was tabled in parliament which was submitted by [[Kallangur]] resident Daniel Boniface and sponsored by Member for Mirani Stephen Andrew requesting a referendum be held on the issue of reinstating the Legislative Council.<ref name=petition>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3438|title=Petition: Lack of democracy in Queensland Parliament|last=Boniface|first=Daniel|website=Queensland Parliament|publisher=Queensland Government|access-date=14 June 2021|quote=|archive-date=14 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614023933/https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3438|url-status=live}}</ref> The petition was signed by 940 people. In a letter addressed to the Clerk of Parliament on 11 June 2021, premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responded that the issue was not one she had taken to the people, nor was it an issue her government intended to pursue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/apps/E-Petitions/Home/DownloadResponse/2be4cc2e-98ed-49f8-91c8-4710378ab43e|title=Letter to The Clerk of the Parliament|last=Palaszczuk|first=Annastacia|website=Queensland Parliament|publisher=Queensland Government|access-date=14 June 2021|quote=|archive-date=14 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614023933/https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/apps/E-Petitions/Home/DownloadResponse/2be4cc2e-98ed-49f8-91c8-4710378ab43e|url-status=live}}</ref>

==List of presidents of the Legislative Council==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Member
! colspan=2| Party
! Term in office
|-
|| [[Charles Nicholson]]
| style="background-color: white; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray; align=center" |
| [[Independent politician|Unaligned]] || 22 May 1860 – 26 August 1860
|-
|| [[Maurice Charles O'Connell (Australian politician)|Maurice Charles O'Connell]]
| style="background-color: white; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray; align=center" |
| Unaligned || 27 August 1860 – 23 March 1879
|-
|| [[Joshua Peter Bell]]
| style="background-color: white; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray; align=center" |
| Unaligned || 3 April 1879 – 20 December 1881
|-
|| [[Arthur Hunter Palmer]]
| style="background-color: white; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray; align=center" |
| Unaligned || 24 December 1881 – 20 March 1898
|-
|| [[Hugh Muir Nelson|Hugh Nelson]]
| style="background-color: #6495ED; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray; align=center" |
| [[Continuous Ministry (Queensland)|Ministerialist]] || 13 April 1898 – 1 January 1906
|-
|| [[Arthur Morgan (Queensland politician)|Arthur Morgan]]
| style="background-color: #6495ED; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray; align=center" |
| Ministerialist || 19 January 1906 – 19 December 1916
|-
|| [[William Hamilton (Australian politician)|William Hamilton]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray; align=center" |
| [[Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)|Labor]] || 15 February 1917 – 17 August 1920
|-
|| [[William Lennon]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray; align=center" |
| Labor || 18 August 1920 – 23 March 1922
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Queensland}}
*[[Members of the Queensland Legislative Council]] by year
*[[:Category:Members of the Queensland Legislative Council]] by name

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==

* {{cite book| last1 = Griffith| first1 = Gareth| last2 = Srinivasan| first2 = Sharath| title = State Upper Houses in Australia | publisher = New South Wales Parliamentary Library Service| year = 2001| url =https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/state-upper-houses-in-australia/bg01-01.pdf}}

==External links==
* [http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/resources/transcripts/qld2iii_doc_1922.pdf Constitution Act Amendment Act of 1921]
* [http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/explore/education/factsheets/Factsheet_3.20_AbolitionOfTheLegislativeCouncil.pdf Factsheet - Abolition of the Legislative Council] (Queensland Parliament)
* [https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/explore/education/factsheets/papers/paper01_abolitionOfTheUpperHouse.pdf Abolition of the Upper House - Information on Parliament and Government in Queensland]
* {{cite web|url=http://www.democraticaudit.anu.edu.au/papers/20070213_aronprass_upphqld.pdf|title=An upper house for Queensland: an idea whose time has come|publisher=Democratic Audit of Australia (ANU)|last=Aroney|first=Nicholas|author2=Prasser, Scott |access-date=25 April 2009}}

{{Members of the Parliament of Queensland}}
{{Parliaments of Australia}}

[[Category:Queensland Legislative Council| ]]
[[Category:Defunct upper houses]]
[[Category:Historical legislatures]]
[[Category:Parliament of Queensland]]
[[Category:State upper houses in Australia|Queensland]]
[[Category:1922 disestablishments in Australia]]
[[Category:1860 establishments in Australia]]

Queensland Legislative Council - Revision history

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