The antics of question time are the only thing many Australians see of Parliament, even if they don't explain much about the workings of democracy.
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For years children have been able to learn there's more to government, putting themselves in the shoes of their MPs with sessions of mock parliament on their school visits to Canberra.
To borrow a phrase, adults who have a go at the same game will get a go, as Parliament House hosts two events this month turning visitors into pretend senators and House of Representatives members.
Generations of school children have learnt that passing laws is nothing simple, debating questions such as voluntary voting or shorter school days in mock sessions teaching them about democracy.
Adults attending "People, Power, Politics: Parliament After Dark" on September 12 and 19 will have to collaborate and negotiate on their own bills, learning how new laws are made, or scuttled, on the way.
There will be wine and cheese to helps things along too, as they strive to reach a compromise.
The event is the first in recent years focused on letting members of the broader public play in Parliament's many roles.
Those finding themselves on the government's benches will have to choose their prime minister.
Anyone with a talent for managing meetings, or unruly children, might find themselves in the speaker's chair.
Parliament House staff had a dry run of the event on Thursday, dividing themselves into different camps and some taking to the crossbench in a session of mock debate over a pretend bill to shorten the working week.
Parliamentary educator Anne Kennedy said school children quickly learnt through mock sittings that democracy did not always offer MPs clear cut decisions.
"It's about compromise and negotiation, and kids get that," she said.
"I'm yet to have a group that doesn't know what that means. They have to do that at school."
Children also saw things with fresh eyes, asking questions that didn't have a straightforward answer.
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One student asked what would happen if the governor-general decided not to sign a bill passed in Parliament, a scenario that takes some unpacking even for politics nerds.
Parliamentary Education Office director Angela Casey said its role was to translate all the procedures of Parliament for the public, making it understandable and accessible.
"More important on top of that, making it interesting," she said.
The upcoming event, like the program offered for school children, aims to do that by offering a glimpse into democracy that is missed in media coverage and screenings of question time.
Most bills have a consensus in Parliament, for example, and despite the public clashes, a lot of MPs work across party lines behind the scenes.
- Tickets are limited and the event, running between 5.30pm and 7.30pm, is for people over 18 only as alcohol will be served. More information is available at aph.gov.au