Book excerpt: This first edition of New South Wales Legislative Council Practice brings together the history, practice and procedure of the New South Wales Legislative Council - the Upper House of the New South Wales Parliament, and the first and oldest legislative body in Australia.Since the advent of responsible government in New South Wales in 1856, the New South Wales Legislative Council has been the focus of continuous struggle regarding its composition, powers, role and very existence. However, from its tumultuous history, the Council has in recent years emerged as a democratically elected, powerful and effective upper house, in many ways mirroring the development of the Australian Senate. Today the Council performs key functions within the New South Wales system of government including representing the people and scrutinising the executive government as a 'House of Review'.The rich history of the New South Wales Legislative Council has brought with it a wealth of parliamentary precedent with which to guide modern practice and procedures in the House. While practitioners of parliamentary law and practice in New South Wales have long had access to authorities such as Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice and Odgers' Australian Senate Practice, the publication of New South Wales Legislative Council Practice will provide an essential reference book to understanding parliamentary privilege, practice and procedure in the New South Wales Upper House.