Lexi Webster
Australia has a federal system of government, with power shared between the federal government and state governments. The federal government makes laws for the whole of Australia, while the six state and two territory parliaments make laws for their respective states or territories. The federal government is responsible for matters such as foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, and defence. State and territory government responsibilities include justice, consumer affairs, health, education, forestry, public transport, and main roads. Local councils, which are established by state governments, are responsible for local matters such as town planning, garbage collection, building regulations, and local road maintenance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of levels of government | 3 |
| Federal government leader | Prime Minister |
| Federal Parliament | House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Number of members in the Australian Parliament | 226 |
| Number of members in the House of Representatives | 150 |
| Number of members in the Senate | 76 |
| Federal government responsibilities | foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, defence, Medicare |
| State/territory government responsibilities | justice, consumer affairs, health, education, forestry, public transport, main roads |
| Local government responsibilities | local road maintenance, garbage collection, building regulations and land subdivisions, public health and recreation facilities |
| Number of local councils | Over 500 |
| Number of people each council looks after | 28,400 |
| Largest council by population | Brisbane City Council |
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What You'll Learn
Foreign affairs
Australia has three levels of government: federal, state or territory, and local. The federal government is responsible for areas that affect the whole nation.
The Australian Constitution gives certain powers to the federal government, with some powers shared with the states and territories, and others remaining exclusively with the states and territories. The federal government makes laws for the whole of Australia, while the state and territory parliaments make laws for their respective state or territory.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, also known as DFAT, plays a crucial role in Australia's foreign affairs. DFAT represents Australia's interests internationally and provides services to Australians overseas. It works to strengthen Australia's security, enhance its prosperity, and promote its international relations. DFAT also provides advice and support to the Australian government on a range of international issues, including trade, development, and consular matters.
The federal government's role in foreign affairs extends to international agreements and treaties. It has the power to negotiate and sign treaties on behalf of Australia, as well as to ratify and implement these agreements. This ensures that Australia's international commitments are honoured and adhered to.
Additionally, the federal government is responsible for immigration policy and border control. This includes managing the entry of people into Australia, such as tourists, students, and refugees, as well as the departure of Australian citizens and residents. The federal government also oversees citizenship and passport-related matters, further emphasising its role in foreign affairs.
In summary, the federal government of Australia plays a crucial role in the nation's foreign affairs. Through its various departments and agencies, it navigates Australia's relationship with the international community, promoting its interests and values while also addressing global challenges and opportunities.
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Social security
The Australian Constitution grants the Commonwealth power to legislate for maternity allowances, widows' pensions, child endowment, unemployment, pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services, and student and family allowances. The federal government is responsible for ensuring that all individuals and families have access to a minimum essential level of benefits that will enable them to acquire at least essential health care, basic shelter and housing, water and sanitation, foodstuffs, and the most basic forms of education.
The Social Security Act 1991 and the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 govern entitlement to and administration of a number of benefits, including the age pension, disability support pension, child disability assistance, carer payment and allowance, parenting payment, youth allowance, Austudy, Newstart allowance, sickness allowance, special needs pensions, farmers hardship bonus, crisis and disaster recovery payment, concession cards, and the student financial supplement scheme.
In the 2011 Australian federal budget, changes were introduced to the Disability Support Pension, including stricter eligibility criteria. People under 35 were placed on the Newstart Allowance, which pays $170 less per week. In 2018, the Newstart Allowance was raised by 50 cents per day, which was criticised as inadequate.
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Industrial relations
Australia has a federal system of government, which means that power is shared between the federal government and state governments. The federal government is responsible for making laws for the whole of Australia, while the state governments make laws for their respective states or territories.
The national system covers those who work or employ people in a constitutional corporation in the private sector in New South Wales, Queensland, or South Australia. It is important to note that some employers and employees are outside the national system. For example, those based in Western Australia who are not a constitutional corporation, or those in the state public sector or local government in certain states, are not part of the national system.
Before 2009, the Commonwealth (Australian Government) and the states operated separate but overlapping industrial relations systems. However, the Australian Constitution gave the federal Parliament the power to prevent and settle interstate industrial disputes and to make laws for financial and international corporations. This allowed the establishment of national industrial relations tribunals and the creation of national workplace laws.
The Fair Work Commission, Australia's workplace tribunal, plays a crucial role in the national industrial relations system. It creates awards, approves enterprise agreements, and helps resolve issues at work. Additionally, each state has its own industrial relations commission or tribunal, such as the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and the Tasmanian Industrial Commission, which deal with industrial matters within their respective states.
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Trade
Australia has a federal system of government, with power shared between the federal government and state governments. The federal government is the decision-making body of the country, and its responsibilities include foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, and defence.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) promotes and protects Australia's international interests, tackling global challenges, increasing trade and investment opportunities, and keeping the region stable. DFAT works with international partners and other countries to achieve these goals.
The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) is another government body that works to grow Australia's prosperity by delivering trade and investment services to businesses, accelerating growth in the tourism sector, and promoting Australia's education system worldwide. Austrade has representatives across the globe who help Australian businesses succeed in trade and investment and assist with sourcing goods and services from Australia.
Austrade also helps maximise trade and economic opportunities for Indigenous Australians and First Nations businesses, connecting Australian businesses to the world and vice versa.
Australia has several free trade agreements (FTAs) in place with various countries and regions, including New Zealand, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP). These FTAs reduce or eliminate certain barriers to trade in goods and services, as well as investment, benefiting Australian exporters, importers, producers, and investors.
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Immigration
The Australian government has shown a commitment to attracting skilled migrants, with 70% of the 185,000 places in the 2024-2025 permanent Migration Program dedicated to skilled migrants. The Skilled Independent Visa is a points-based system that assesses an applicant's eligibility for skilled migration. The Australian government has also introduced the National Innovation Visa, which aims to attract talented migrants in sectors of national importance.
The federal government has allocated significant resources to enhancing immigration operations and compliance. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, AUD 100 million has been allocated to the Department of Home Affairs to strengthen the Australian Border Force and improve immigration compliance. Additionally, AUD 18.3 million will be invested over four years to reform the migration system, focusing on economic growth and system integrity.
The Office of Immigration Australia plays a crucial role in simplifying complex skilled immigration issues and providing guidance to applicants. They offer eligibility assessments and resources to help individuals navigate the immigration process.
Overall, the federal government in Australia has a significant role in managing immigration, from setting policies and allocating resources to ensuring compliance and attracting skilled migrants to contribute to the country's economic growth.
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Frequently asked questions
The three levels of government in Australia are the federal government, state and territory governments, and local councils.
The federal government of Australia is responsible for areas that affect the whole nation, such as foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, defence, and Medicare.
The federal government works with the state and local governments through a division of powers, with each level of government having its own responsibilities. In some cases, these responsibilities overlap, and the federal government provides funding to the state and local levels. The federal government can also override state and territory laws in certain situations. Additionally, the federal government has the power to veto or change territory laws without the approval of federal Parliament.
