▁ways ▁that ▁Minister s ▁must ▁respond ▁to ▁matters ▁raised ▁to ▁them ▁by ▁any ▁other ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Assembly . ▁ ▁It ▁consists ▁of ▁eight y - e ight ▁members ▁who ▁are ▁elected ▁for ▁four - year ▁terms ▁using ▁instant ▁run - off ▁prefer ential ▁voting . ▁Cas ual ▁vac an cies ▁in ▁the ▁Assembly ▁are ▁filled ▁by ▁a ▁by - e lection ▁within ▁the ▁elect or ate . ▁ ▁The ▁Assembly ▁functions ▁as ▁a ▁representation ▁of ▁Victoria ▁and ▁command ing ▁a ▁majority ▁within ▁the ▁Assembly ▁provides ▁a ▁mand ate ▁for ▁government ▁policies . ▁The ▁Assembly ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁chamber ▁author ised ▁to ▁draw ▁funds ▁from ▁the ▁public ▁tre as ury , ▁or ▁to ▁raise ▁tax es , ▁on ▁its ▁own ▁initi ative . ▁Ch anges ▁to ▁tax ation ▁or ▁fund ing ▁for ▁projects ▁can ▁still ▁be ▁blocked ▁by ▁the ▁Council , ▁but ▁the ▁Assembly ▁may ▁always ▁author ise ▁fund ing ▁for ▁the ▁ordinary ▁operation ▁of ▁government ▁without ▁need ing ▁Council ▁appro val . ▁This ▁means ▁that , ▁unlike ▁the ▁Australian ▁Senate , ▁the ▁other ▁chamber ▁of ▁Victoria ' s ▁parliament ▁cannot ▁block ▁supply ▁for ▁government ▁fund ing . ▁ ▁The ▁Assembly ▁has ▁increased ▁in ▁power ▁over ▁time ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council . ▁It ▁is ▁assumed ▁that ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁will ▁act ▁upon ▁the ▁initi atives ▁it ▁campaign ed ▁on ▁and ▁the ▁Assembly ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁direct ▁link ▁between ▁local ▁members ▁and ▁each ▁individual ▁constitu ency . ▁Furthermore , ▁while ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁requirement ▁that ▁minister s ▁come ▁from