Damon Mcknight
The Australian Government, officially the Government of Australia, operates as a representative democracy with three levels of government: federal, state and local. The federal level consists of the monarch, currently King Charles III, who is the head of state, and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government and leads a Cabinet of ministers. The federal Parliament is bicameral, with the House of Representatives (lower house) and the Senate (upper house) sharing legislative power. The Australian Government also has executive power, with ministers exercising this power on behalf of the governor-general and the monarch. The Federal Executive Council advises the governor-general in the exercise of executive power. Below the federal level, the Australian Government consists of six states and two self-governing territories, each with its own parliament and leader. The local level of government is typically the city council or shire council, led by a mayor or shire president, responsible for local matters such as road maintenance and public health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the government | Government of Australia |
| Type of government | Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy, federation |
| Head of state | King Charles III |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Anthony Albanese |
| Number of government departments | 16 |
| Number of members in the House of Representatives | 151 |
| Number of members in the Senate | 76 |
| Number of members in the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory | 1 house |
| Number of states | 6 |
| Number of territories | 2 |
| Number of members each state elects to the Senate | 12 |
| Number of members each territory elects to the Senate | 2 |
| Federal government responsibilities | Foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, defence |
| State government responsibilities | Justice, consumer affairs, health, education, forestry, public transport, main roads |
| Local government responsibilities | Local road maintenance, garbage collection, building regulations, land subdivisions, public health, recreation facilities |
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What You'll Learn
Federal, state and local government
Australia has a federal system of government, which means power is shared between the federal government and the state governments. The Australian government, also known as the Government of the Commonwealth, is headquartered in the executive wing of Parliament House in Canberra, the nation's capital.
The Federal Parliament makes laws for the whole of Australia, while the six state parliaments and two territory parliaments make laws for their respective states or territories. The two territory parliaments are known as legislative assemblies and are located in the capital cities. Each state, except Queensland, has a parliament that consists of two houses. Queensland, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory have unicameral parliaments, with only one house called the Legislative Assembly.
The Australian Capital Territory combines the responsibilities of both a local and state government. The Federal Parliament has the power to make laws for the territories, and the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory were administered by the federal government until they were granted self-government.
There are over 500 local councils that make local laws (by-laws) for their region or district. Local Government areas vary in size and character. For example, the Sydney area is divided into about 35 cities, municipalities, or shires, each with its own local council.
The Australian Constitution outlines the responsibilities of the federal and state governments. The federal government is responsible for areas that affect the whole nation, while the states are responsible for everything not listed as a federal responsibility. However, there is sometimes overlap, and both levels of government may be involved in certain areas. Major state responsibilities include schools, hospitals, conservation, environment, roads, public transport, agriculture, fishing, industrial relations, community services, and emergency services.
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The role of the Prime Minister
The role of the Australian Prime Minister comes with a range of responsibilities and powers. Notably, the Prime Minister is the leader of the party or coalition that holds the confidence of the House of Representatives. They are appointed by the governor-general under Section 64 of the Australian Constitution. The Prime Minister is the public face and spokesperson for the government, both at home and abroad. They chair and set the agenda for the Cabinet, overseeing the work of the government. The Prime Minister also has the power of patronage, appointing positions such as Governor-General, judge of the High Court, and Chairman of the ABC.
The Prime Minister's role also comes with certain perks and amenities. They receive a salary, which as of 2023, is a total of A$586,950. This includes the base salary received by all members of parliament, plus additional compensation for their role as Prime Minister. The Prime Minister also has access to official residences, which are fully staffed and catered for both themselves and their family. These residences include security facilities and are used for official entertaining. For official travel, the Prime Minister is transported in a Royal Australian Air Force-operated Airbus KC-30A for longer flights and a Boeing 737 MAX 8 for shorter flights. For ground travel, an armoured BMW 7 Series model is provided.
In addition to these duties and privileges, the Prime Minister plays a crucial role in advising the governor-general. They also have the authority to choose election dates, exercising complete discretion in determining the timing of elections. The Prime Minister's role is subject to scrutiny by parliament to ensure accountability and responsible government.
It is important to note that the Australian Constitution does not specifically mention the role of the Prime Minister. However, the Constitution outlines the executive power of the Commonwealth, which is vested in the Queen and executed by the Governor-General as the Queen's representative. The Prime Minister's position has evolved over time through conventions and practices, including serving as the Governor-General's Chief Adviser.
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The Australian Constitution
The Australian Government is led by the Prime Minister, who is a member of the lower house. The Prime Minister and their sworn ministers form the cabinet, which is the key decision-making organ of the government. The cabinet makes policy and decides the government's agenda. The governor-general usually appoints the parliamentary leader who has the confidence of the majority of the members of the House of Representatives. The governor-general also presides over meetings of the Federal Executive Council, which formally advises the governor-general in the exercise of executive power.
Ministers drawn from the Australian parliament form the core of the Australian Government. Members of the government can exercise both legislative power (through their control of parliament) and executive power (as ministers on behalf of the governor-general and the monarch). The government's actions in its executive capacity are subject to scrutiny from parliament to ensure accountability.
The executive power of the Australian Government is limited to areas in which the Commonwealth is granted the power to legislate under the constitution, primarily under Section 51. The government also retains certain powers 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 during a financial crisis and to prevent "unlawful non-citizens" from entering the country.
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Powers and responsibilities
The Australian Government, also referred to as the Commonwealth Government or Federal Government, is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The Federal Parliament, located in Canberra, is responsible for making laws for the entire country. The Australian Parliament consists of 226 members – 76 in the Senate and 150 in the House of Representatives.
The Australian Constitution established a federal system of government, which means power is shared between the federal government and state governments. The six state parliaments and two territory parliaments, or legislative assemblies, are located in the capital cities. Each state, except Queensland, has a parliament consisting of two houses. The Queensland Parliament is unicameral, with only one house – the Legislative Assembly. The Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory parliaments are also unicameral. The Australian Capital Territory is unique as its parliament combines the responsibilities of both local and state government.
The Federal Parliament was given responsibility for areas that affect the entire nation. However, the states kept their own parliaments and most of their existing powers. State parliaments gave local councils the task of looking after the particular needs of their local communities.
The executive power of the government is limited to areas in which the Commonwealth is granted the power to legislate under the Constitution. The Federal Executive Council advises the governor-general in the exercise of executive power. The governor-general is the federal representative of the monarch of Australia and usually presides at council meetings. The prime minister, who is the head of the federal government, is appointed by the governor-general and, by convention, is a member of the lower house. The prime minister and their sworn ministers form the cabinet, the key decision-making organ of the government. The cabinet makes policies and decides the government's agenda. Ministers drawn from the Australian parliament form the core of the Australian Government.
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The Australian Governor-General
The Governor-General of Australia is His Majesty The King's representative. The current governor-general is Sam Mostyn. The Governor-General is the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force and is responsible for appointing the Chief of Defence Force and Service Chiefs, commissioning officers in the Navy, Army and Air Force, presenting Colours, Banners and other Honours to military units and personnel, and visiting military units to acknowledge the service of service personnel.
The Governor-General also has a ceremonial role in swearing in and accepting the resignations of members of Parliament. All members must make an oath or affirmation of allegiance to the King in the presence of the governor-general or someone appointed by them before taking their seats. On the day Parliament opens, the governor-general makes a speech in the Senate, similar to the King's Speech in the UK, which is written by the government.
The Governor-General is also responsible for issuing writs for elections, formally appointing government officials (including the prime minister, other ministers, judges and ambassadors), and bestowing Australian honours. The Governor-General normally appoints the parliamentary leader who commands the confidence of a majority of the members of the House of Representatives.
In certain limited circumstances, the governor-general can exercise reserve powers (powers that may be exercised without or against formal advice). The most prominent use of these powers occurred during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, when governor-general Sir John Kerr dismissed the government of Gough Whitlam and appointed opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as prime minister while an election was held.
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Frequently asked questions
There are three levels of government in Australia: federal government, state government and local government.
As of 13 May 2025, there are 16 departments of the Australian Government.
The federal government is responsible for foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency and defence.
