Editing Caucus (section)

===Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa===
The term is also used in certain [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] nations, including [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[New Zealand]] and [[South Africa]]. When used in these countries, "caucus" is more usually a collective term for all members of a party sitting in Parliament, otherwise called a [[parliamentary group]], rather than a word for a regular meeting of these [[Member of Parliament|members of Parliament]]. Thus, the Australian Federal Parliamentary Labor Party is commonly called "the [[Australian Labor Party Caucus|Labor Caucus]]".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://australianpolitics.com/2001/05/09/establishment-of-federal-labor-caucus.html |title=The Establishment Of The Federal Labor Caucus |website=australianpolitics.com |access-date=2016-02-26 }}</ref>

The word was used in New Zealand from at least the 1890s, when organized political parties began to emerge: the largest of them, the [[New Zealand Liberal Party|Liberal Party]], used it to refer to its parliamentary members.<ref>{{cite news| title=The Liberal Caucus |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS18930627.2.42 |newspaper=The Star |issue=4681 |page=3 |date=27 June 1893 |access-date=23 April 2017}}</ref>

In New Zealand, the term is now used by all political parties,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/about-parliament/how-parliament-works/ppnz/00HOOOCPPNZ_71/chapter-7-parties-and-government |title=Chapter 7 Parties and Government |website=www.parliament.nz |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |language=en-NZ |access-date=2016-02-26 |archive-date=4 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604152559/http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/about-parliament/how-parliament-works/ppnz/00HOOOCPPNZ_71/chapter-7-parties-and-government |url-status=dead }}</ref> but in Australia, it continues to be used only by the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]]. For the Australian [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]], [[National Party of Australia|National]] and [[Australian Greens|Green]] parties, the usual equivalent term is "party room". In [[South Africa]] all parties use the term "caucus".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.anc.org.za/caucus/show.php?ID=1963 |title=The ANC Parliamentary Caucus |website=www.anc.org.za |publisher=Parliament of the Republic of South Africa |access-date=2016-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309210340/http://www.anc.org.za/caucus/show.php?ID=1963 |archive-date=2016-03-09 }}</ref> In Canada, "caucus" refers to all members of a particular party in Parliament, including senators, or a [[province|provincial]] legislature.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/parliament-101-what-s-a-caucus-anyway-1.2515858 |title=What's a caucus anyway? 3 things to know |website=www.cbc.ca |access-date=2016-02-26 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/WeekInHouse/index-e.asp |title=Parliament of Canada – A Week in the House of Commons |website=www.lop.parl.gc.ca |access-date=2016-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225211158/http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/WeekInHouse/index-e.asp |archive-date=2016-02-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref> These members elect among themselves a [[caucus chair]] who presides over their meetings. This person is an important figure when the party is in [[parliamentary opposition|opposition]], and is an important link between [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] and the [[backbencher|backbench]] when the party is in [[government]].

In such contexts, a party caucus can be quite powerful, as it can elect or dismiss the party's parliamentary leader. The caucus system is a departure from the [[Westminster system|Westminster tradition]] in giving members of the upper house a say in the election of the party leader, who may become head of government. The caucus also determines some matters of policy, parliamentary tactics, and disciplinary measures against disobedient MPs. In some parties, the caucus also has the power to elect MPs to Cabinet when the party is in government. For example, this is traditionally so in the [[Australian Labor Party]] and the [[New Zealand Labour Party]].