Damon Mcknight
Western Australia is a state with a constitutional monarchy and a bicameral parliamentary system. It is represented by 12 senators in the Australian Senate and has 15 federal electoral divisions. Western Australia has been described as a relatively left-wing state, with Western Australians identifying as more left-wing than the average Australian. However, the state has the second-highest support for the conservative government's turn back the boats policy. The main political parties in Western Australia are the governing Labor Party and the opposition National and Liberal Parties.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political leanings | Left-wing |
| Political parties | Labor Party, National Party, Liberal Party, Greens, Western Australia Party, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Legalise Cannabis WA Party, Pauline Hanson's One Nation, Australian Christians, Animal Justice Party, Democratic Labor Party, Sustainable Australia Party – Anti-corruption |
| Premier | Roger Cook |
| Premier's role | Leads the executive branch of the Government of Western Australia and is accountable to the Parliament of Western Australia |
| Number of federal electoral divisions | 15 |
| Number of Senators | 12 |
| Number of members of the Legislative Assembly (lower house) | 59 |
| Number of members of the Legislative Council (upper house) | 36 |
| Judicial body | Supreme Court of Western Australia |
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What You'll Learn
Western Australia is a relatively left-wing state
The Labor Party is the main governing party in Western Australia, with the National Party and the Liberal Party forming the opposition. The Labor Party has historically been more popular in Western Australia than in other Australian states, and the state has played a crucial role in helping Labor candidates get elected to federal office. For example, in the 2010 federal election, a state Nationals candidate who did not identify with the federal party won a seat in Western Australia, allowing Julia Gillard to stay in office with a minority government. More recently, in the 2022 federal election, significant swings to Labor in several Western Australian electorates helped Anthony Albanese become prime minister.
While Western Australians tend to identify as more left-wing than the average Australian, it is worth noting that the state is still relatively conservative compared to other jurisdictions within Australia. For example, Western Australia is the second most supportive state of the government's "turn back the boats" policy, which refers to the idea of turning away boats carrying asylum seekers. In 2013, 51% of Labor voters in Western Australia agreed with turning back the boats, and this number increased to 71% for those who switched their votes from Labor to Liberal that year.
The Western Australian Parliament is a bicameral body, consisting of a Legislative Council as its upper house and a Legislative Assembly as its lower house. The upper house has 36 members, six of whom are elected from each of the state's six electoral regions using a proportional voting system. The lower house has 59 members, each representing a single electoral district and elected using a preferential voting system. The Premier of Western Australia, currently Roger Cook, leads the executive branch of the state government and is accountable to the Parliament of Western Australia. The Premier is appointed by the Governor of Western Australia, who is currently represented by the King of Australia.
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The state's party system mirrors the federal level
Western Australia has a bicameral parliamentary system and is part of the federation known as the Commonwealth of Australia. The state's party system mirrors that of the federal level, with conservatives generally voting for the Liberal Party or the National Party (formerly known as the Country Party). The left-wing is represented by the Labor Party, which is currently the governing party in Western Australia, along with smaller parties such as the Greens and the Australian Democrats.
The Western Australian Legislative Assembly, or the lower house, consists of 59 members of parliament, each representing a single electoral district. The leader of the party with the majority in this assembly is appointed as the premier of Western Australia by the governor. The premier, currently Roger Cook, leads the executive branch of the state's government and is accountable to the Parliament of Western Australia.
The Western Australian Legislative Council, or the upper house, has 36 members representing six electoral regions. General elections are held every four years, during which the entire Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council are elected. Smaller parties often hold the balance of power in the upper house, and a compulsory proportional voting system allows independents and minor parties to gain some legislative seats.
Western Australia is divided into 15 federal electoral divisions, each represented by a seat in the Australian House of Representatives. The state is also represented by 12 Senators in the Australian Senate, with six Senators elected for two three-year terms during each half-Senate election. While Western Australia has typically already been "decided" by the time polls close in federal elections, there have been a few notable exceptions in recent years, including the elections in 1998, 2010, and 2022.
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The state's highest judicial body is the Supreme Court
Western Australia is a relatively left-wing state, with Western Australians identifying as more left-wing than the average Australian. The main parties in Western Australia are the governing Labor Party and the two Opposition parties, the National Party and the Liberal Party. The Labor Party represents the left wing, while conservatives generally vote for the Liberal Party.
The Parliament of Western Australia is bicameral, consisting of a lower and an upper house. The lower house, the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, has 59 members, each representing a single electoral district and elected using a preferential voting system. The leader of the party with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed by the Governor as the premier of Western Australia. The premier leads the executive branch of the Government of Western Australia and is accountable to the Parliament.
The upper house, the Western Australian Legislative Council, has 36 members, with six members elected for each of the six electoral regions using a proportional voting system. General elections are held every four years, electing members to both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. The British crown is represented by a governor, who appoints the premier based on the support of the majority of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.
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Western Australia is part of the federation known as the Commonwealth of Australia
Western Australia is a part of the federation known as the Commonwealth of Australia. The state has a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliamentary system, similar to other Australian states. Western Australia gained self-governance in 1890 with the Constitution Act of 1889, which established its parliament. The state's government is based in Perth, and Western Australians are represented at the federal level in Canberra.
The Parliament of Western Australia consists of a lower and upper house, with the Western Australian Legislative Assembly forming the lower house and the Legislative Council as the upper house. The Legislative Assembly has 59 members, each representing a single electoral district, while the Legislative Council has 36 members representing six electoral regions. General elections are held every four years, with the next one scheduled for March 2025.
The premier of Western Australia leads the executive branch of the state's government and is accountable to the Parliament. The premier is appointed by the governor, who represents the British crown in the state. The current premier is Roger Cook, who assumed office in June 2023. The premier's role is similar to the prime minister of Australia at the federal level.
Western Australia is divided into 15 federal electoral divisions, each represented in the Australian House of Representatives. The state is also represented by 12 Senators in the Australian Senate, with six elected for two three-year terms at each half-Senate election. While Western Australia is considered relatively left-leaning, it has supported conservative policies, such as the "turn back the boats" policy. The main political parties in the state include the Labor Party, the National Party, and the Liberal Party.
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The state's constitution has been modified many times since 1890
Western Australia has a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliamentary system. The state's constitution, the Western Australia Constitution Act 1889, predates the Commonwealth and does not mention the division of powers between state and federal governments. The Act sets out the purpose, powers, and makeup of the Western Australian Parliament. It was based on Imperial Legislation from England and was enacted to ensure better governance of the colony of Western Australia, defining the legislative process in the state.
Since its inception in 1889/1890, the Western Australian Constitution has been modified numerous times. The document itself was the result of a slow transition from rule by the Governor with an appointed Legislative Council to a representative democracy. The Legislative Council, which initially consisted only of officials, evolved to include non-official members, and eventually, from 1870 to 1890, it transitioned into a system of representative government with a Legislative Council partly elected by voters. This process culminated in the Constitution Act of 1890, which received Royal Assent on 15 August 1890 and came into operation on 21 October of the same year.
Western Australia has had self-governance since 1890, and in the years since, the state has seen 31 premiers lead its executive branch of government. The current premier is Roger Cook, who was appointed on 8 June 2023. The premier is accountable to the Parliament of Western Australia and is appointed by the governor of the state. The Legislative Assembly (lower house) consists of 59 members, each representing a single electoral district and serving fixed four-year terms.
The Western Australian Constitution has likely undergone amendments and revisions over the years to accommodate changes in governance, the evolution of democratic practices, and the shifting political landscape. While the specific details of each modification are beyond the scope of this response, the state's constitution has undoubtedly evolved since its original enactment in 1889/1890 to adapt to the changing needs and complexities of Western Australia's political system.
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Frequently asked questions
Western Australia is not conservative relative to the rest of the country. On a scale of 0 (left) to 10 (right), Western Australians identify as more left-wing (4.89) compared to the average Australian (5.03).
Western Australia has a bicameral parliamentary system with a lower and upper house. The lower house, or Legislative Assembly, has 59 members, each representing a single electoral district. The upper house, or Legislative Council, has 36 members, with 6 members elected from each of the 6 electoral regions.
The main parties are the governing Labor Party and the two Opposition parties, the National Party and the Liberal Party.
Some key issues for Western Australian voters include management of the economy, education, healthcare, and Medicare, refugees, and taxation. Western Australia has also been a key state in several federal elections due to its relatively high support for the government's "turn back the boats" policy.
