Legislative Council casual vacancies in Australia

Casual vacancies occur when a Member resigns or retires or dies, before the end of the term for which he or she has been elected. In the House of Assembly, a casual vacancy is filled when a new Member is elected by the voters of the electorate at a byelection, but in the Legislative Council a casual vacancy is filled when a new Member is chosen by an assembly of the Members of both Houses of the Parliament. This paper addresses the following questions: · What is the background to this procedure for filling vacancies in the Legislative Council? · Who can be nominated to fill a casual vacancy? · Who decides who will be nominated to fill the vacancy? · Who votes on the nomination? · Can someone who resigns from the Legislative Council and causes a vacancy, be nominated to fill their own vacancy? [Introduction]