House of Representatives (Austenasia)

House of Representatives
Empire of Austenasia
Leadership
Prime Minister	HIH Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, Duke of Bohemia since 4 March 2015
Speaker	Lord Admiral Eren Lewis, Baron of Terentia since 10 March 2016
Structure
Membership	8 Representatives
Elections
Last elections	For Shineshore and Terentia: 31 August 2015 For Palasia: 28 May 2016 For Ionathanopolis: 5 August 2016 For Wrythe and New Richmond: 9 February 2017 For Ionisia and Jovanovo: TBA
Meeting place
De facto: "Parliament of the Empire of Austenasia" Skype room De jure: Imperial Residence

The House of Representatives of Austenasia (formerly known as the Cabinet, but not to be confused with the present body of the same name) is the only house of the Parliament of Austenasia. The House of Representatives is a democratically elected body, consisting of a Representative elected from each Town and City in the Empire; at present, totaling eight. Representatives are elected using the first-past-the-post system, with each Town and City required to have an election for its Representative no less than every five years.

The House of Representatives meets with the Monarch and Prime Minister to make new laws. When in this legislative role, they are collectively known as Parliament.

Due to the nature of the office of Prime Minister, they are usually included in the House of Representatives as a locally elected Representative. However, even if the Prime Minister loses the office of Representative (as was the case with the then Crown Prince Jonathan between December 2011 and January 2013), they stay as Prime Minister and so while not being part of the House of Representatives may still attend Parliament meetings and cast a deciding vote if required. Representatives are the only people elegible to hold offices in the Cabinet of Austenasia, and the only people eligible to stand for the office of Prime Minister.

The office of Speaker of the House of Representatives was created by an Act of Parliament in October 2014 to preside over meetings of the House, with the first speaker, Lord Charle Clarke, Duke of Grantabridge, taking office on 6 September 2015 after the first local elections since the passing of the Act. The Speaker is elected by and from the Representatives. Upon the resignation of Lord Clarke from the role in March 2016, he was replaced with the incumbent Speaker, Lord Admiral Eren Lewis.