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The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories. The national government is the Australian Government, also referred to as the federal government or Commonwealth government. The name of the government in the Constitution of Australia is the Government of the Commonwealth. However, in 1965, Robert Menzies indicated his preference for the name Australian Government to prevent confusion with the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth and has been an active participant in Commonwealth organisations, programs, and meetings for over 60 years. The Commonwealth of Australia supports the Commonwealth of Nations in promoting human rights, democratic norms, and good governance among member countries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the government in the Constitution of Australia | Government of the Commonwealth |
| Name used in early federal government publications | Australian Government |
| Name used to prevent confusion with the Commonwealth of Nations | Government of Australia |
| Australia's highest formal governmental body | Federal Executive Council |
| Australia's Head of State | King of Australia, His Majesty King Charles III |
| Australia's national anthem | Advance Australia Fair |
| Australia's contribution to the Commonwealth budget | Third-largest contributor |
| Commonwealth development programs supported by Australia | Sustainable economic development, youth and civil society engagement, education, the rule of law, public sector development, and democracy |
| Commonwealth initiatives supported by Australia | Queen's Commonwealth Canopy, Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, Commonwealth Election Professionals Initiative, Reaching the Unreached, Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, Small States Offices in New York and Geneva, Partnership for Enhanced and Blended Learning in West Africa, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
- Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories
- Commonwealth Government agencies and their contact details
- Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
- Commonwealth's work supporting inclusive growth and sustainable development
- Commonwealth's role in promoting human rights, democratic norms and good governance
Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories. The six states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. The two self-governing territories are the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
The national government is the Australian Government, also referred to as the federal government or Commonwealth government. The Australian Government does not have the legal power to influence many of the decisions made by the states and territories, which have a significant degree of autonomy. The Constitution of Australia, which came into force on 1 January 1901, grants certain powers to the federal government, while some powers are shared with the states and territories, and others remain exclusively with the states and territories.
The process of federation in Australia involved the six separate British self-governing colonies agreeing to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia, establishing a system of federalism. The colonies of Fiji and New Zealand were originally part of this process but ultimately decided not to join the federation. Following federation, the former colonies kept their independent systems of government, but also agreed to have a federal government responsible for nationwide matters.
The Commonwealth of Australia is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth and has been an active participant in its organisations, programs, and meetings for over 70 years. Australia supports the Commonwealth in promoting human rights, democratic norms, and good governance among member countries. Australia is the third-largest contributor to the Commonwealth budget and is represented on the Commonwealth Secretariat's Board of Governors and its Executive Committee by the High Commissioner for Australia to the United Kingdom.
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![Australian Scenes. Issued under the Direction of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. July, 1914 1914 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/617DLHXyzlL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Commonwealth Government agencies and their contact details
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories. The national government is referred to as the Australian Government, or the Commonwealth Government. The Australian Government Directory provides contact details for the offices and personnel of the Governor-General and the Commonwealth Parliament, courts, departments, and agencies.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government can be contacted via the Senior Manager of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Community Services Directorate (telephone (02) 6207 0555 or fax (02) 6207 5862). The Australian Government encourages diplomatic and consular missions to conduct official business directly with the relevant departments and agencies. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) should be consulted on matters of policy that could affect trade or foreign relations.
The Protocol and International Visits Division (PIVD) of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is responsible for guest-of-government matters. Contact details for PIVD and other Commonwealth Government agencies are available in the Australian Government Directory. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website also provides information on Australian national flag protocols.
The Federal Executive Council is Australia's highest formal governmental body. The cabinet, which forms the core of the Australian Government, meets in Canberra and state capitals, most frequently in Sydney and Melbourne. There are Commonwealth Parliament Offices in each state capital, including the original Commonwealth Offices Building at 4 Treasury Place, Melbourne, and the Commonwealth Parliament Offices, Sydney, located in 1 Bligh Street.
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Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is a biennial summit meeting of the governmental leaders from all Commonwealth nations. Every two years, the meeting is hosted by a different member country on a rotating basis and is chaired by that nation's respective prime minister or president, who becomes the Commonwealth Chair-in-Office until the next meeting.
CHOGMs are the highest institution of action in the Commonwealth and rare occasions on which Commonwealth leaders all come together. The core of the CHOGM are the executive sessions, which are the formal gatherings of the heads of government to do business. However, the majority of the important decisions are made not in the main meetings themselves, but at the
The scope of the CHOGM has expanded beyond the meetings of the heads of governments themselves, and so the CHOGMs have become progressively shorter, and their business compacted into less time. The 1971 CHOGM lasted for nine days, while the 2005 and subsequent conferences were held over two to two-and-a-half days. Recent CHOGMs have also featured several days of pre-summit Commonwealth Forums on business, women, and youth, as well as the Commonwealth People's Forum and meetings of foreign ministers.
The 2024 CHOGM, held in Apia, Samoa, was the first to be held in a Pacific Small Island Developing State. The meeting was chaired by King Charles III, who gave a speech addressing the need to understand the Commonwealth's history to guide future choices. Leaders deliberated on global economic, environmental, and security challenges, and discussed how Commonwealth countries can work together to build resilience, boost trade, innovation, and growth, and empower the Commonwealth's 1.5 billion young people for a more peaceful and sustainable future. One outcome of the meeting was the 'Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future', which called on all 56 Commonwealth nations to protect the ocean in the face of rising sea levels, pollution, and over-exploitation.
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Commonwealth's work supporting inclusive growth and sustainable development
Australia is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth and has been an active participant in its programmes, meetings and organisations for over 70 years. The Commonwealth's work supporting inclusive growth and sustainable development is underpinned by the values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, as outlined in the 2012 Commonwealth Charter.
Australia's contribution to the Commonwealth's development programmes is twofold. Firstly, it provides funding for various initiatives and, secondly, it supports the Commonwealth's work where it aligns with Australia's development priorities, such as promoting prosperity, reducing poverty, and enhancing stability.
In 2019-20, Australia provided an estimated $7.2 million in funding to Commonwealth development programmes, including the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth Youth Program, the Commonwealth of Learning, and the Commonwealth Equality Network. Australia also supports the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) and has contributed $2.5 million over five years to help fund a new Commonwealth Unit dedicated to countering violent extremism.
Australia's development assistance through the Commonwealth supports efforts to build a stable and prosperous world. This includes a focus on infrastructure, trade facilitation, agriculture, fisheries, water, governance, education, health, and gender equality. The Commonwealth's work also recognises the intrinsic connection between the security and stability of governments and economic development, as well as the role of civil society and youth engagement.
In addition, Australia is committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to eradicate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure equality and prosperity for all. Australia's first Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the 2030 Agenda was delivered in 2018, highlighting the country's achievements and challenges in advancing this agenda.
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Commonwealth's role in promoting human rights, democratic norms and good governance
The Commonwealth plays a significant role in promoting human rights, democratic norms, and good governance among its member countries. The Commonwealth Secretariat, through its Governance and Institutional Development Division (GIDD), helps member governments develop administrative structures that facilitate economic development while adhering to the five principles of good governance: accountability, transparency, predictability, capacity, and participation.
To promote democratic norms, the Commonwealth deploys independent observer groups to member countries during elections to offer impartial assessments and recommendations for improvement. These observer groups, known as Commonwealth Observer Groups (COGs), are chaired by former Heads of Government or senior political figures and composed of eminent persons from a range of fields, including a youth representative. COGs observe and consider factors affecting the credibility of the electoral process, judging whether elections have been conducted according to democratic standards, national legislation, and relevant regional, Commonwealth, and international commitments.
The Commonwealth Electoral Network (CEN) also plays a crucial role in promoting good electoral practices. It facilitates experience sharing, fosters a sense of community among Commonwealth election management bodies, and promotes good practices in election management. The Commonwealth Secretariat publishes guides and handbooks for election administrators and fosters knowledge sharing and capacity building through initiatives like the Commonwealth Election Professionals Initiative.
In terms of human rights, the Commonwealth Secretariat's Human Rights Unit supports member countries' efforts to promote, protect, and respect internationally recognised human rights principles, standards, and practices. This includes providing technical assistance to build effective national human rights institutions and assisting Small States in engaging with international human rights mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The Human Rights Unit also facilitates collaboration, networking, and exchanges of good practice through the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions. Additionally, the Secretariat collaborates with member states, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Commonwealth Accredited Organisations, and civil society organisations to discuss human rights challenges and develop solutions and protection frameworks.
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Frequently asked questions
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories. The national government is the Australian Government, also referred to as the federal government or Commonwealth government. The name of the government in the Constitution of Australia is the "Government of the Commonwealth".
The Commonwealth Government of Australia has certain powers granted by the constitution, with some powers shared with the states and territories, and others remaining exclusively with the states and territories. The Commonwealth Government of Australia supports the Commonwealth in promoting human rights, democratic norms, and good governance among member countries, and inclusive growth and sustainable development.
The Commonwealth Government of Australia has supported various Commonwealth and Commonwealth-affiliated initiatives, including:
- The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) projects within Australia and in other countries
- The Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, to help small island developing states and least-developed states access climate funds
- The Commonwealth Election Professionals Initiative, which helps train election officials across the Commonwealth in effectively managing election processes
- The Commonwealth of Learning's "Reaching the Unreached" project, which provides education and training to girls in Southeast Asia
