Leslie Massey
Australia has a federal government with a constitutional monarchy, with the British monarch as the country's reigning sovereign, represented locally by a governor-general. The country's constitution, which came into force in 1901, is a blend of the constitutional forms of the United Kingdom and the United States. The government's headquarters are in Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory, and its key decision-making organ is the cabinet, led by the prime minister. The cabinet makes most of the important policy decisions and includes senior ministers, who are selected by the prime minister.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Government Type | Federal |
| Government Name | Government of the Commonwealth |
| Government Headquarters | Canberra |
| Legal System | Based on common law of England |
| Government Composition | Prime Minister and sworn ministers |
| Government Powers | Legislative, executive, and nationhood powers |
| Political Parties | Liberal Party of Australia, National Party, ALP, Australian Democrats, Australian Greens |
| Governor-General | Presence questioned in 1975, subject to debates and proposals |
| Relationship with UK | Constitutional monarchy retained in 1999 referendum |
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What You'll Learn
The Australian Government's executive powers
Australia has a government, and its executive powers are spread across various entities. The Australian Government is headquartered in the executive wing of Parliament House, located in the nation's capital, Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory. The head offices of all the federal departments are also located in Canberra.
The cabinet, consisting of the prime minister and senior ministers, makes most of the important policy decisions for the government. The prime minister can select and remove members of the cabinet, usually through a cabinet reshuffle. Cabinet meetings are private and occur once a week, where policy is discussed and formulated. The cabinet is not a legal entity, and its decisions do not have legal force. However, it serves as the practical expression of the Federal Executive Council, which is Australia's highest formal governmental body.
The Federal Executive Council meets to endorse and give legal force to decisions made by the cabinet. All members of the cabinet are also members of the Executive Council, and a senior member of the cabinet acts as the presiding officer of the Executive Council in the absence of the vice-president.
The prime minister and their sworn ministers form the cabinet and exercise executive power as ministers on behalf of the governor-general and the monarch. However, their actions in this capacity are subject to scrutiny from parliament to ensure accountability.
The Australian Government also retains certain powers that are traditionally part of the royal prerogative, such as the power to declare war and enter into treaties. There are also certain "nationhood powers", implied from section 61 of the Constitution, which include the power to provide financial stimulus payments to households during a economic downturns and prevent "unlawful non-citizens" from entering the country.
The Australian legal system is based on English common law, and many laws are identical to those laid down in acts of the British Parliament. The administration of the law is largely handled by the states, each of which has a series of courts, including a supreme court. These courts have comprehensive responsibilities over all matters of state and most matters of federal jurisdiction.
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The Federal Executive Council
The Governor-General, who is not a member of the council, presides over the meetings of the Executive Council. A member of the Cabinet is appointed to hold the position of Vice-President of the Executive Council to act as presiding officer in the Governor-General's absence. The Governor-General has the power to dismiss any member of the Executive Council, but this is rarely exercised in practice. Meetings of the Executive Council do not require the Governor-General's attendance, but the Governor-General must be notified of the meeting for it to be valid. A quorum for meetings is the Governor-General and two serving ministers or assistant ministers.
The Executive Council has de facto executive power as the Governor-General is bound by convention to follow its advice on almost all occasions. In practice, this power is used to legally enact the decisions already made by the Federal Cabinet, which is the key decision-making organ of the government. The Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and senior ministers, who formulate policies and decide the government's agenda. The Federal Executive Council meets solely to endorse and give legal force to the Cabinet's decisions.
The Australian Government is headquartered in the executive wing of Parliament House, located in the nation's capital, Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory. The name of the government in the Constitution of Australia is the "Government of the Commonwealth".
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The Prime Minister's role
Australia has a government, and the role of the prime minister is central to it. The prime minister of Australia is the leader of the Australian Government and the Cabinet of Australia. The role of prime minister is not mentioned in the Constitution of Australia, but the prime minister is appointed by the governor-general, who has the executive power to appoint ministers of state. The governor-general is appointed by the monarch of Australia, based on the advice of the incumbent prime minister.
The prime minister is the head of government and must be able to command a continuous majority in the legislature to remain in office. This is usually the lower house in a bicameral system. The prime minister is responsible for selecting the other cabinet ministers, who are sworn in as ministers on behalf of the governor-general and the monarch. The cabinet is the key decision-making organ of the government, making policy and setting the government agenda. The prime minister can also make independent policy decisions, known colloquially as "captain's calls".
The prime minister has significant influence over foreign policy, through their role as chair of the National Security Committee, a subcommittee of cabinet. They are also one of the responsible ministers for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which has tasks including general policy development, intergovernmental communications, honours and symbols policy, and Indigenous programmes. The prime minister's role has been enhanced by the emergence of international summits and heads of government meetings as key events in international diplomacy.
In practice, the prime minister most often changes after an election results in a different party gaining control of the lower house or when the majority party changes its leader internally between elections. Prime ministers do not have fixed terms and generally serve the full length of their term unless they lose the majority of the House or are replaced as the leader of their party.
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The Australian Government's headquarters
The Australian Government is headquartered in the executive wing of Parliament House, located in the nation's capital, Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory. The head offices of all the federal departments are also located in Canberra. The name of the government as outlined in the Constitution of Australia is the "Government of the Commonwealth".
The cabinet, which includes the prime minister and senior ministers, makes most of the important policy decisions for the government. The prime minister has the power to select the cabinet members, who may be added or removed at any time, usually through a cabinet reshuffle. Cabinet meetings are strictly private and occur once a week, where vital issues are discussed and policies are formulated. The cabinet is not a legal entity and its decisions do not carry legal force. However, it acts as the practical expression of the Federal Executive Council, which is Australia's highest formal governmental body.
The Australian Government's executive power is limited to areas in which the Commonwealth has the power to legislate under the constitution, primarily under Section 51. The government also retains certain powers that are traditionally part of the royal prerogative, such as declaring war and entering into treaties. Additionally, there are certain "nationhood powers" implied from Section 61 of the Constitution, which include the power to provide financial stimulus payments during a financial crisis and prevent "unlawful non-citizens" from entering the country.
The Australian political landscape includes parties such as the Liberal Party of Australia, the National Party, the social democratic ALP, the Australian Democrats, and the environmentalist Australian Greens. The country's constitution, a blend of UK and US constitutional forms, established a constitutional monarchy with the British monarch as the sovereign, represented locally by a governor-general.
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Australia's political parties
Australia's political landscape is dominated by two major parties, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the Liberal Party, which form a de facto two-party system. However, there are several other political parties in the country that have gained prominence and influenced the country's politics.
Australian Labor Party (ALP)
The Australian Labor Party, commonly known as Labor, is a centre-left political party that is formally linked to the Australian labour movement. It was formed in 1893 and has been a major party at the federal level since 1901. The ALP is currently in government in several Australian states and territories, including New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. The party has traditionally been supported by the working class and has a left wing that advocates for various brands of socialism. However, the party generally favours practical reforms over socialist theories.
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia, founded in 1944 by Sir Robert Menzies, is a generally conservative party that promotes the interests of private enterprise. It is the modern form of a conservative group that has existed since the combination of the Protectionist Party and the Free Trade Party. The Liberal Party has been in coalition with the National Party (formerly the Country Party), representing rural and agricultural interests. This coalition has formed the federal government for most years since 1949.
National Party
The National Party, previously known as the Country Party, is a rural-focused political party that has received support from farmers, ranchers, and other groups in rural constituencies. The party's ideology is generally more socially conservative than that of the Liberal Party. While the National Party typically does not directly compete with the Liberal Party, it has, on occasion, aspired to become the majority party in the coalition.
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats, formed in 1977, have drawn support away from the major parties, particularly in federal elections. They have gained representation in the Senate, appealing to traditional Labor voters who prioritize issues like climate change, gender equity, and political corruption.
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens are an environmentalist party that has found success in federal Senate elections. They have attracted voters concerned with environmental issues and those who typically support Labor or the Democrats.
Independent Politicians
In addition to the established political parties, support for independent politicians in Australia has grown. Independents have, at times, played a crucial role in forming governments, as seen in the 2010 Australian federal election.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Australia has a federal form of government with a national government for the Commonwealth of Australia and individual state governments. The name of the government in the Constitution of Australia is the "Government of the Commonwealth".
The Australian government is formed by the prime minister and their sworn ministers, who together form the cabinet. The cabinet is the key decision-making organ of the government that makes policy and decides the agenda of the government. The cabinet consists of the prime minister and senior ministers, who are selected by the prime minister and can be added or removed at any time.
The Australian government exercises both legislative power (through their control of the parliament) and executive power (as ministers on behalf of the governor-general and the monarch). The government's executive power is limited to areas in which the Commonwealth is granted the power to legislate under the constitution, such as declaring war and entering into treaties.
