Lyla Lindsey
Australia's federal system of government was established by the Australian Constitution, which came into force in 1901. The Constitution created a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy, uniting the six British colonies as a nation with a central government while allowing colonial parliaments to maintain their authority. The federal government, led by the Prime Minister, is responsible for areas that affect the whole nation, such as foreign affairs, defence, and immigration, while state governments retain significant autonomy in other areas. The Australian system of government, with its three levels, ensures representation for Australians at each level and provides a framework for effective governance across the vast and diverse country.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of levels of government | 3 |
| Federal government responsibilities | Foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, defence |
| State and 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 such as swimming pools |
| Number of members of the Australian Parliament | 226 |
| Number of members in the Senate | 76 |
| Number of members in the House of Representatives | 150 |
| Number of senators for each state | 12 |
| Number of senators for each territory | 2 |
| Number of territories | 2 |
| Number of states | 6 |
| Head of the Council | Mayor or Shire President |
| Head of the Federal Government | Prime Minister |
| Head of the Territory Government | Chief Minister |
| Head of State | King of Australia, His Majesty King Charles III |
| Number of departments of the Australian Government as of March 2024 | 16 |
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What You'll Learn
The Australian Constitution
The Constitution was drafted between 1891 and 1898 at a series of conventions led 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, leading to a lack of support from the other colonies. In 1895, the six premiers of the Australian colonies agreed to establish a new convention by popular vote. The convention met from 1897 to 1898, producing a new draft 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 July 9, 1900, and took effect on January 1, 1901. The Act authorised Queen Victoria to proclaim the act of federation on September 17, 1900. The six British colonies became a single federated nation, with the colonies becoming Australian states and the new Australian Parliament formed. The Constitution establishes the structure and powers of the three constituent parts of the federal level of government: the Parliament, the Executive Government, and the Judicature. It describes the structure, role, and powers of the Australian Parliament, outlining the power-sharing arrangements between the federal and state parliaments.
The Constitution does not cover all features of Australia's system of government. Notably, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet are not mentioned in the Constitution, operating instead by custom and tradition similar to the British system. Additionally, the Constitution does not include a bill of rights, and only a small number of constitutional rights are protected. It can only be changed with the approval of the Australian people through a referendum.
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Federation
The Australian Constitution created a federal system of government, with power shared between the national government and the governments of the six states. The federal government is headquartered in Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory. The Australian Constitution is an amalgam of the constitutional forms of the United Kingdom and the United States. It established a constitutional monarchy, with the British monarch as the Head of State, though the monarch's functions are mostly formal and decorative. The monarch is represented locally by a governor-general, who is the federal representative of the monarch and resides in Canberra. Each state also has its own governor, who is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Premier (head of government) of that state.
The federal government is also referred to as the Australian Government, the Commonwealth Government, or the Commonwealth of Australia. The federal government is led by the Prime Minister, who is the head of the federal government and is appointed by the governor-general. The Prime Minister is supported by the cabinet, which consists of the Prime Minister and senior ministers. The cabinet makes most of the important policy decisions of the government and serves as the practical expression of the Federal Executive Council, which is Australia's highest formal governmental body.
The Australian Parliament, located in Canberra, is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is often referred to as the 'state's house' or the 'house of review', and its members, called senators, represent a whole state or territory. The House of Representatives, meanwhile, is made up of members who each represent a separate division or electorate in Australia. The federal government is responsible for areas that affect the whole nation, such as foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, and defence.
The state and territory governments, on the other hand, are responsible for matters such as justice, consumer affairs, health, education, forestry, public transport, and main roads. Each state has its own parliament and laws, though the federal government also has certain powers in these areas, as established by the constitution. The states thus have a significant degree of autonomy, and the federal government does not have the legal power to influence many of their decisions.
Local governments, which are established by state governments, are responsible for local matters such as road maintenance, garbage collection, building regulations, and land subdivisions. They also have a role in providing recreational facilities, such as swimming pools, and promoting district attractions and amenities. Local governments receive funding from their respective states and collect taxes.
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Three levels of government
The Australian federal system of government was established in 1901 when the six British colonies of New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania united to form the Commonwealth of Australia. The Australian Constitution, which came into force in 1901, resolved the issue of uniting the colonies as a nation with a central government while allowing colonial parliaments to maintain their authority.
The three levels of government in Australia are:
Federal Government
The federal government, also referred to as the Australian Government, Commonwealth Government, or Commonwealth of Australia, is the national government of Australia. The federal government is led by the Prime Minister, who is the head of the government and is appointed by the governor-general. The current executive government is led by Anthony Albanese of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The federal government is responsible for areas that impact the entire nation, including foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, defence, foreign policy, customs, and excise. The federal Parliament, located in Canberra, is responsible for making laws for the whole of Australia. It consists of the Senate (the upper house) and the House of Representatives (the lower house).
State/Territory Governments
The six states and two territories of Australia have their own governments, with each state having a governor appointed by the King on the advice of the Premier (head of the state government). The Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory have a different arrangement, with each territory parliament having one house called the Legislative Assembly, led by a Chief Minister. State and territory governments have significant autonomy, as they retain powers in areas such as justice, education, health, consumer affairs, internal transport, and state-level matters.
Local Governments
Local governments, also known as local councils, are established by state governments to represent the needs of specific cities or local communities. They are led by a Mayor or Shire President and are responsible for local matters such as road maintenance, garbage collection, building regulations, land subdivisions, and local recreational facilities. Over 500 local councils make local laws (by-laws) for their respective regions or districts.
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Division of powers
Australia's federal system of government was established by the Australian Constitution, which came into force in 1901. This document outlines the division of powers between the federal, state, and local governments.
The Australian Constitution established a federal Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which are responsible for making federal laws. The federal government, led by the Prime Minister, holds responsibility for areas that impact the entire nation, including foreign affairs, social security, industrial relations, trade, immigration, currency, and defence.
The states, on the other hand, retained their own parliaments and a significant degree of autonomy. The state governments are responsible for matters such as justice, consumer affairs, health, education, forestry, public transport, and main roads. Each state has a governor, appointed by the King on the advice of the Premier (head of the state government).
Local governments, represented by city or shire councils, are tasked with addressing the specific needs of their communities. Their responsibilities include local road maintenance, garbage collection, building regulations, land subdivisions, and managing public health and recreational facilities.
In some cases, the responsibilities of these three levels of government overlap, and they work together to address certain issues. For example, in the case of the Great Barrier Reef, the federal government and the Queensland state government collaborated to ban oil drilling in their respective territorial waters and jointly administer a marine park to protect the reef.
The Australian Constitution also outlines "residual powers," which are powers not explicitly granted to the federal government and are therefore left to the states. These residual powers include areas such as justice, education, health, and internal transport. Any changes to the distribution of powers in the Constitution require the approval of majorities in both houses of the federal legislature, a majority of voters in a referendum, and a majority in at least four of the six states.
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The role of the British monarch and the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 when the six colonies of New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania united. Queen Victoria gave her assent to the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, marking the beginning of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The monarch of the United Kingdom is also the Head of State of Australia. The current monarch, King Charles III, is the sovereign of Australia and 14 other Commonwealth realms. The role of the British monarch in Australia is largely ceremonial and symbolic. The monarch is the locus of many oaths of allegiance, with various employees of the Crown, including members of Parliament, magistrates, judges, police officers, and justices of the peace, required by law to recite an oath of allegiance to the monarch. The prime minister, ministers, and parliamentary secretaries also make an oath or affirmation of office upon appointment, which traditionally includes a promise of allegiance to the monarch.
The monarch's role in the Australian political system is limited, and they are not directly involved in the day-to-day governing of the country. The monarch's powers, such as the appointment of governors and governors-general, are exercised with the advice of Australian federal ministers of state or state ministers, and not British ministers. All laws in Australia, except those in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), require royal assent from the governor-general, relevant state governor, or administrator in the case of the Northern Territory. The governor-general may withhold consent to a bill and present it to the sovereign for their personal decision.
While Australia is a sovereign nation within the Commonwealth, the historical ties to the British monarchy remain. However, there is a growing movement in Australia, led by the Australian Republic Movement (ARM), advocating for the country to become a republic and choose an Australian head of state.
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Frequently asked questions
Federalism is a system of government that divides power between a central, national government and various state governments. In Australia, the federal government is responsible for areas that affect the whole nation, such as foreign affairs, defence, and immigration. The state governments retain their own parliaments and powers in areas such as justice, education, and health.
The Australian Constitution, which came into force in 1901, established a federal system of government in Australia. The Constitution resolved the issue of uniting the colonies as a nation with a central government while allowing colonial parliaments to maintain their authority.
The three levels of government in Australia are the federal Parliament, six state/territory parliaments, and over 500 local councils. Each level of government has its own responsibilities, with some powers shared between the federal and state governments.
