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Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories, with a significant degree of autonomy. The national government is referred to as the Australian Government, or the federal government, and while the constitution gives it certain powers, other powers are shared with the states and territories, and some remain exclusively with the states and territories. Each state has its own constitution, legislature, executive government, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies, and may legislate on matters concerning its citizens, within the limits of the federal constitution. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory are not constitutionally states but operate similarly to states, with representation in Parliament and the Senate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of states | 6 |
| Number of territories | 10 |
| Number of internal territories | 3 |
| Number of external territories | 7 |
| Degree of autonomy | Significant |
| Self-governing | Yes |
| Own constitutions | Yes |
| Own legislatures | Yes |
| Own executive governments | Yes |
| Own judiciaries | Yes |
| Own law enforcement agencies | Yes |
| Can legislate on matters concerning their citizens | Yes |
| Can administer and deliver public policies and programs | Yes |
| Can be overridden by federal government | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
- States and territories are the second level of government in Australia
- States are partially sovereign and self-governing
- Territories can be autonomous but are subordinate to federal government
- States and territories have their own constitutions, legislatures, and judiciaries
- The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Northern Territory operate similarly to states
States and territories are the second level of government in Australia
Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories, with the national government being referred to as the Australian Government, or the federal government. The states and territories are the second level of government in Australia and are partially sovereign, administrative divisions that are self-governing, although they have ceded some sovereign rights to the federal government.
The states have their own constitutions, legislatures, executive governments, judiciaries, and law enforcement agencies that administer and deliver public policies and programs. Each state and internal territory (except the Jervis Bay Territory) has its own legislature, although the Federal Parliament can override territorial legislation. The federal High Court of Australia acts as the final court of appeal for all matters and can override any state judiciary.
The territories are legally subordinate to the federal government but can be autonomous and administer local policies and programs much like the states in practice. Every state and internal territory (except the Jervis Bay Territory) is self-governing with its own independent executive government, legislature, and judicial system. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Northern Territory operate very similarly to the states, with representation in Parliament since 1948 and in the Senate since 1975.
Each external territory is regulated by an Act of the federal Parliament, which contains provisions determining the legal and political structure of that territory. Commonwealth laws apply automatically to the territories unless expressly stated otherwise.
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States are partially sovereign and self-governing
Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories. The national government is referred to as the Australian Government, or the federal government. The states are partially sovereign, administrative divisions that are self-governing, but they have ceded some sovereign rights to the federal government.
The states have their own constitutions, legislatures, executive governments, judiciaries, and law enforcement agencies. They administer and deliver public policies and programs. The federal government has the power to override territorial legislation and state judiciary decisions through the federal High Court of Australia, which acts as the final court of appeal.
Each state and internal territory (except the Jervis Bay Territory) has its own legislature and judicial system, although these are subject to the limits of the federal constitution and can be overridden by the federal government. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory operate similarly to the states, with representation in Parliament and the Senate, even though they do not have constitutional status as states.
External territories are regulated by Acts of the federal Parliament, which determine their legal and political structure. These territories are constitutionally part of Australia, but they are governed by federal departments and do not have the same level of autonomy as the states and internal territories.
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Territories can be autonomous but are subordinate to federal government
Australia has three levels of government that work together to provide services to its citizens. The federal parliament, located in Canberra, makes laws for the whole country. There are six state parliaments and two territory parliaments that make laws for their respective states or territories. Additionally, there are over 500 local councils that make local laws (by-laws) for their specific regions or districts.
The states and territories are the national subdivisions and the second level of government in Australia. The states are partially sovereign, having ceded some sovereign rights to the federal government. They have their own constitutions, legislatures, executive governments, judiciaries, and law enforcement agencies, allowing them to administer and deliver public policies and programs.
The territories in Australia can also be autonomous and administer local policies and programs much like the states. However, they are legally subordinate to the federal government. The Federal Parliament can override territorial legislation, and the federal High Court of Australia acts as the final court of appeal for all matters, with the authority to override any state judiciary.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory operate similarly to the states, with representation in Parliament and the Senate. They have their own legislatures and judicial systems, but their territorial legislation can be overridden by the federal government. The ACT combines the responsibilities of both a local and state government.
Each external territory is regulated by an Act of the federal Parliament, which determines its legal and political structure. Under Section 122 of the Australian Constitution, the federal Parliament has the power to make laws for all territories, including external territories. Commonwealth laws apply automatically to the territories unless expressly stated otherwise.
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States and territories have their own constitutions, legislatures, and judiciaries
Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories. The Australian Government, also referred to as the federal government, does not have the legal power to influence many of the decisions made by the states and territories. The states and territories are the second level of government in Australia and are self-governing polities, having ceded some sovereign rights to the federal government.
The states and territories have their own constitutions, legislatures, executive governments, judiciaries, and law enforcement agencies. They administer and deliver public policies and programs. Each state and internal territory (except the Jervis Bay Territory) has its own legislature, although the Federal Parliament can override territorial legislation.
The federal High Court of Australia acts as the final court of appeal for all matters and can override any state judiciary. While all states and internal territories have their own judicial systems, they are subject to appeal to the High Court. Most external territories are subject to the judiciary and legislature of either a state or internal territory.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory operate similarly to the states, with representation in Parliament since 1948 and in the Senate since 1975. However, they do not have constitutional status as states, and their legislation can be overridden.
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The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Northern Territory operate similarly to states
Australia has six federated states and ten federal territories, three of which are internal territories: the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Jervis Bay Territory, and the Northern Territory. While the states are partially sovereign, the territories are legally subordinate to the federal government. However, the ACT and the Northern Territory operate similarly to the states.
The ACT, an internal territory of Australia, is home to Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The territory has been governed by a locally elected legislative assembly since 1988. The executive power of the territory rests with the ACT government, headed by the Chief Minister, who is currently Andrew Barr of the Labor Party. The Chief Minister is equivalent to a State Premier and sits on the National Cabinet. The ACT has representation in the Parliament and the Senate.
The Northern Territory, also an internal territory, shares its borders with Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland. The Northern Territory has a unique culture and spirit and was once part of South Australia. It achieved self-governance in 1978 after more than half a century of lobbying. The territory has its own independent executive government, legislature, and judicial system. It also has representation in the Parliament and the Senate.
Despite the similarities in their operations, the ACT and the Northern Territory do not have constitutional status as states. Their legislation can be overridden by the Federal Parliament and the High Court of Australia, respectively.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian states are partially sovereign and have a significant degree of autonomy. They have their own constitutions, legislatures, executive governments, judiciaries, and law enforcement agencies. However, they have ceded some sovereign rights to the federal government.
The territories in Australia can be autonomous and administer local policies and programs much like the states. However, they are still legally subordinate to the federal government. Each external territory is regulated by an Act of the federal Parliament, which contains provisions determining the legal and political structure of that territory.
Australia has six federated and autonomous states: New South Wales (including Lord Howe Island), Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania (including Macquarie Island), Victoria, and Western Australia.
Australia has ten federal territories, three of which are internal territories: the Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay Territory, and the Northern Territory. There are also seven external territories, including the Australian Antarctic Territory, Christmas Island, and Norfolk Island.
