Leslie Massey
Australia has a history of democracy and stable government, with a federal system established by the Constitution of 1901, based on the British (Westminster) tradition. The country's politics operates as a two-party system, with the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and a non-Labor bloc emerging as the dominant forces in 1909. The country's government is a constitutional monarchy, with the British monarch as the head of state, though their functions are mostly ceremonial and are often carried out by a governor-general. The prime minister, as the leader of the victorious party or coalition in the general election, is the head of the government and forms the cabinet, which is the key decision-making organ.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of levels of government | 3 |
| Type of democracy | Representative democracy |
| Voting age | 18 |
| Voting compulsory | Yes |
| Type of government | Constitutional monarchy |
| Head of state | King Charles III |
| Represented locally by | Governor-general |
| Head of government | Prime Minister |
| Current prime minister | Anthony Albanese |
| Current government | Australian Labor Party (ALP) |
| Election frequency | Every three years |
| Number of senators | 12 from each state, 2 from the ACT and NT |
| Senate term length | Six years |
| House of Representatives members | 151 |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's three levels of government
Australia has a federal system of government, with three tiers: federal, state or territory, and local. The country has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system under its Constitution, which is the world's tenth oldest, since Federation in 1901.
The federal government is the highest level of power in Australia. The decision-making body of the federal government is the Federal Parliament, which consists of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives has 151 members, each representing a separate division or electorate in Australia. Elections for the House of Representatives are held at least once every three years, although the prime minister can advise the governor-general to call an election at any time. The Senate has 12 senators from each state and two senators from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT), respectively. Senators from the states serve six-year terms, with half up for election every three years, while senators from the territories serve terms of around three years. The federal government's responsibilities include foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, and defence.
The second level of government in Australia is the state or territory level. Each state has its own parliament, which meets in the Parliament House of the particular state. State parliaments are made up of two houses, except for the Queensland Parliament, which has only one house. Representatives elected to state parliaments are generally known as 'Members' – Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Members of the House of Assembly (MHA), or Members of the Legislative Council (MLC). The leader of each territory government is called the Chief Minister. State and territory government responsibilities include justice, consumer affairs, health, education, forestry, public transport, and main roads.
The third and lowest tier of government in Australia is the local level. Local governments are subject to the relevant states and territories, and their powers are derived from state parliaments. Local councils are not mentioned in the Australian Constitution, but each state has a local government Act that provides the rules for the creation and operation of councils. Councils are established by state governments to look after the particular needs of a city or local community. The decision-making body of local government is usually called the city council or shire council, and the people's representatives who form the Council are called aldermen or councillors. The head of the Council is the Mayor or Shire President. Local government responsibilities include local road maintenance, garbage collection, building regulations, land subdivisions, and public health and recreation facilities.
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The Australian Constitution
Australia is a federation with a written constitution, which sets out the rules by which the country is governed. The Australian Constitution, also known as the Commonwealth Constitution, is the fundamental law that establishes the country as a federation under a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. It describes the structure, role, and powers of the Australian Parliament and sets out how the federal and state governments share the power to make laws.
The Constitution was drafted between 1891 and 1898 at a series of conventions attended by representatives of the six self-governing British colonies in Australia: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. The 1891 draft was submitted to colonial parliaments, but it lapsed in New South Wales, and the other colonies were then unwilling to proceed. In 1895, the six premiers of the Australian colonies agreed to establish a new convention by popular vote. This convention met from 1897 to 1898 and produced a new draft with substantially the same principles of government as the 1891 draft, but with added provisions for responsible government. The final draft was then approved by each state in a series of referendums from 1898 to 1900.
The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act became law after receiving royal assent on 9 July 1900. The Act authorised Queen Victoria to proclaim the act of federation, which she did on 17 September 1900, to take effect on 1 January 1901. On this date, the six British colonies became a single federated nation, and the colonies became Australian states with the formation of the new Australian Parliament.
The Constitution is divided into eight chapters and 128 sections. It establishes the three constituent parts of the federal level of government: the Parliament, the Executive Government, and the Judicature. The Parliament is bicameral, with two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The High Court of Australia is the final court of appeal and interprets the Constitution, deciding its meaning and settling disputes between the federal and state governments.
The Constitution can only be changed with the approval of the Australian people. A proposed change must be approved by Parliament and then voted on by Australians in a referendum.
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Representative democracy
Australia is a representative democracy, a system in which groups of people vote for individuals to represent them at the government level. In this system, all eligible citizens can vote for a select number of people to carry out the government's business on their behalf. This means that, unlike in a direct democracy, not everyone has to attend meetings about laws and policies.
In Australia, voting for elected members occurs every four years for state government and every three years for federal government. Federal elections are held at least once every three years, and the prime minister can advise the governor-general to call an election for the House of Representatives at any time. However, Senate elections can only be held within certain periods prescribed in the Australian Constitution. Although it is possible to hold elections for the House and Senate separately, it is the convention to hold simultaneous elections for both houses. Every national election since 1974 has been for both the House and the Senate.
The Australian government is responsible to the Parliament, of which they must be (or shortly become) members. The Parliament consists of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. In the House of Representatives, 151 members are elected using full preferential voting in single-member electorates (also known as seats). In the Senate, 12 senators are from each state, and 2 senators from the ACT and the NT respectively are elected by an optional preferential single transferable vote system. State senators serve staggered fixed six-year terms, with half up for election every three years. Territory senators serve a non-fixed term equal to that of the House of Representatives, usually around three years.
Australia is also a federation, where power is divided between the federal government and the states. The country has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system under its Constitution, in place since Federation in 1901. Australia is the world's sixth-oldest continuous democracy and largely operates as a two-party system in which voting is compulsory for all Australians over 18 years of age.
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Constitutional monarchy
Australia is a constitutional monarchy, with a written constitution that outlines its system of government. This system was chosen when the British colonies in Australia federated to form the nation of Australia in 1901.
The monarch, currently King Charles III, is Australia's head of state and acts in accordance with the Australian Constitution. The monarch's role is largely ceremonial, and they are advised by and appoint a Governor-General who acts as their representative in Australia and exercises certain powers on their behalf. The Governor-General is responsible for appointing the Prime Minister, who is the head of government. The Governor-General also gives Royal Assent to laws passed by the Australian Parliament and can start the process for a federal election.
The Australian Constitution delegates powers to the Governor-General, who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and ministers. The Governor-General is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. The monarch also appoints state governors on the advice of the respective state premiers. These are the only mandatory constitutional functions of the monarch of Australia.
The Australian monarchy is distinct from that of the United Kingdom, and the monarch acts exclusively upon the advice of Australian state and federal ministers. The UK and Australia have separate laws, and Australian law gained full independence from the UK with the Australia Act 1986. This Act also removed the theoretical possibility of the British Parliament enacting laws to override the Australian Constitution.
Australia is a federation, with power divided between the federal government and the states. There are three levels of government in Australia: federal, state or territory, and local. The federal government's decision-making body is the Federal Parliament, which consists of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each state has equal representation in the Senate, while the number of seats in the House of Representatives is roughly proportional to the state's population.
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Federal Parliament
Australia is a federation with three levels of government: federal, state or territory, and local. The Federal Parliament, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament, is the decision-making body of the federal government and is located in Canberra, the nation's capital. It consists of two houses: the House of Representatives (also known as the lower house or the people's house) and the Senate. The Federal Parliament is responsible for making laws for the whole of Australia, including its territories, and has the power to grant financial assistance to states.
The House of Representatives has 151 members, who are elected using full preferential voting in single-member electorates. Elections for the House of Representatives must be held at least once every three years, although the Prime Minister can advise the governor-general to call an early election at any time. The Prime Minister, currently Anthony Albanese, is selected from the House of Representatives and needs the support of the majority of its members. The House of Representatives also confirms the cabinet ministers, who, along with the Prime Minister, form the executive branch of the government.
The Senate, on the other hand, has 12 senators from each state and 2 senators from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT), elected by an optional preferential single transferable vote system. State senators serve staggered fixed six-year terms, with half up for election every three years, while territory senators serve a non-fixed term of around three years. The Senate has certain limitations, such as not being able to introduce "money bills" (new taxes or laws authorising expenditure). However, it can block supply, although this has only happened once during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
The Federal Parliament's powers have evolved over time to address the challenges posed by social and technological advancements, such as the digital revolution. For instance, in 1997, the Federal Parliament passed the Euthanasia Laws Act, overturning the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act that had legalised euthanasia in the Northern Territory. This action demonstrated the Federal Parliament's ability to intervene in territory laws when necessary.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. It operates as a de facto two-party system, with the two parties being the Liberal Party and the National Party.
No, in the early years of Federation, the Australian Parliament was a fragmented "substantial arena" of various political parties.
Federal, state or territory, and local.
The federal government is responsible for foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, and defence.
