Lexi Webster
Australia's system of government has been influenced by many other countries, but mostly by the British 'Westminster system' and the American 'federalist system'. This blend of systems has led to Australia sometimes being described as having a 'Washminster system'. Australia is a constitutional monarchy, a federation of states, and a representative democracy. The country's constitution, which is the world's tenth-oldest, was established in 1901, and it outlines the three groups that share power: the Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Democracy | Rule by the people |
| Representative democracy | Citizens choose people to represent them in a parliament |
| Constitutional monarchy | A king or queen is the head of state but has limited power |
| Federation | A group of states that have joined together to form a single country |
| Separation of powers | The Parliament, Executive and Judiciary |
| Federal system of government | Power is divided between three levels of government: federal, state or territory, and local |
| Parliamentary democracy | The people of Australia elect representatives to sit in parliament, where laws are made |
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What You'll Learn
The British Westminster system
Australia's system of government has been influenced by many other countries, mainly the United Kingdom. On 1 January 1901, six British colonies—New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania—united to create Australia. The country is officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Australian Constitution of 1901 established a federal system of government based on the British (Westminster) tradition. The Westminster system is used in the national and subnational legislatures of most former colonies of the British Empire, and Australia is no exception.
The Westminster system has a distinct appearance and function, with many British customs incorporated into the day-to-day workings of the government. A Westminster-style parliament usually consists of a long, rectangular room, with two rows of seats and desks on either side. The chairs in which both the government and the opposition sit are positioned facing each other.
In the UK, the lower house is the primary legislative body, while the upper house serves as a consultative body and exercises restraint in using its constitutional powers. In contrast, in other Westminster countries, like Australia, the upper house can exercise considerable power. The Australian Senate, for example, consists of 76 senators in total, with 12 from each of the six states and two from each territory.
In Commonwealth realms like Australia, the day-to-day functions typically carried out by the sovereign in the UK are instead performed by the governor-general. The prime minister must formally seek permission from the governor-general when implementing executive decisions, similar to the British system.
While the British constitution is uncodified, most countries that use the Westminster system have at least partially codified it in a written constitution. However, unwritten conventions, practices, and precedents continue to play a significant role in these countries.
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The American federalist system
Australia's federal system of government was modelled on the American federal system. The American federalist system is a government in which power is divided between state and national levels.
In the United States, the federal system is defined by a set of rules or laws known as the US Constitution, which is the oldest written constitution still in use. The US Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788, after being shaped and heavily influenced by The Federalist Papers—a collection of 85 essays and articles written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
The Australian federal system, established in 1901, shares several similarities with its American counterpart. Both systems feature a strong bicameral legislature, with a Senate in which states are equally represented despite population disparities. Australia's Senate consists of 76 senators, with 12 from each of the six states and two from each territory. This design ensures that all states have equal representation at the federal level, regardless of their population size.
Another similarity between the two federal systems is the establishment of a supreme court empowered to interpret laws, review actions of the government, and declare laws or actions unconstitutional. In Australia, this role is fulfilled by the High Court, which serves as the highest court in the land. The High Court of Australia is composed of seven judges, including a chief justice and six other members appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister.
In terms of differences, Australia's federal system has evolved to feature a more dominant Commonwealth government, particularly in areas like income taxation, where the Commonwealth has assumed greater financial control. Additionally, Australia's federation was achieved through peaceful referendums in each colony, in contrast to the American experience of fighting for independence and nation-building.
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Constitutional monarchy
Australia is a constitutional monarchy, which means it has a monarch (a king or queen) as its head of state. The current monarch of Australia is King Charles III, who lives in the United Kingdom and is represented in Australia by a governor-general. While the monarch is the formal head of state, they have limited power and share power with the Australian government, which is elected by the people. This is outlined in the Australian Constitution, which sets out how the power to make and manage laws is shared between the different groups in Australia.
Australia's system of government is influenced by its history as a British colony. In 1901, six British colonies—New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania—united to form the Commonwealth of Australia. This new country adopted a federal system of government, with power divided between the federal, state, and local levels. The federal government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or the Australian Government, is the highest level of government and is responsible for matters such as taxation, defence, foreign policy, immigration, customs, the post office, and broadcasting.
The Australian Constitution, established in 1901, is based on the British (Westminster) tradition. It sets out the three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judiciary. The legislative branch, also known as the Parliament, is responsible for making and changing laws. It consists of the House of Representatives, with 151 members, and the Senate, with 76 senators. The executive branch, headed by the Prime Minister, is responsible for enforcing the laws. The Prime Minister is a member of Parliament and the leader of the party with the most seats in Parliament. They work with a group of ministers to implement the government's policies and decisions. The judiciary branch, also known as the judicial system, is responsible for interpreting the laws and is made up of federal and state or territory courts. The High Court is the highest court in Australia and has the power to overrule the decisions of lower courts and declare executive actions unlawful.
As a constitutional monarchy, Australia's system of government is similar to that of other countries with a monarch as the head of state, such as Belgium, Tonga, and Sweden, and the United Kingdom. However, it is unique in that it combines the monarchy with a democratically elected government, reflecting Australia's diverse cultural influences and its commitment to democratic principles.
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Federation of states
Australia is a federation of states. This means that power is divided between the federal, or central, government and state governments. In 1901, six British colonies—New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania—united to form Australia. These colonies became Australian states, and a federal Australian Parliament was created.
The Australian Constitution, established in 1901, sets out how the Australian and state parliaments share the power to make laws. Three levels of government work together to make laws that provide Australians with the services they need. The three levels of government are federal, state or territory, and local. The federal government is the highest level of government and refers to the country as a whole.
The Parliament of Australia has the power to make and change laws. The Executive has the power to put laws into action, and the Judiciary has the power to make judgments on laws. These three groups are often referred to as the "three arms of government." Each group has its own responsibilities and powers, and each group has some power over the other two branches. This is called the separation of powers and helps ensure that no group has all the power.
The executive branch is headed by the prime minister, who is a member of Parliament and the leader of the party with the most seats in Parliament. The prime minister works with a group of people called ministers, and together they are responsible for all the government's policies and decisions. The judicial branch interprets the laws made by Parliament and is made up of federal and state or territory courts. The highest court in Australia is the High Court, which has the power to overrule the decisions of all lower courts and to declare actions of the executive as unlawful.
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Separation of powers
Australia's system of government is influenced by the British (Westminster) tradition. In 1901, the six British colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania united to create Australia, forming the Commonwealth of Australia.
Australia has a federal system of government, with power divided between three levels of government: federal, state or territory, and local. The federal government is the highest level of government.
Australia's system of government also includes the principle of the separation of powers, which means that the power to govern is divided between different groups, ensuring that no one branch has all the power. This is divided between a law-making body (the Parliament), an executive body (the Executive), and the courts (the Judiciary).
The Australian Constitution defines the roles of these three branches in making and managing laws in Australia. While each branch has its own area of responsibility, they also have some power over the other two branches. For example, the Parliament makes laws for all Australians, the Executive, which includes the Prime Minister and ministers, puts the laws into action, and the Judiciary, including the High Court of Australia, interprets and makes judgments on the laws. The Judiciary must remain independent from the other two branches and is responsible for ensuring that laws are fair and in accordance with the Constitution.
The Governor-General, who represents the British monarch, the head of state, is part of the Executive and has the power to appoint High Court judges, the Prime Minister, and ministers. However, the Prime Minister and ministers have day-to-day responsibility for governing Australia.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia's system of government has been influenced by many other countries, but mostly by the British Westminster system and the American federalist system.
Australia's system of government is called the Washminster system, a blend of "Washington" and "Westminster".
The key components of Australia's system of government are the Australian Constitution, which distributes power to make and manage laws, and a separation of powers between the Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary.
