Our government: 14. governing australia

14.1 How is Australia governed?

Australia is governed by three levels of government that work together to provide Australians with the services they need.

• Federal government provides goods, services and policy direction that relates to the broad needs of Australia as a nation.
• State governments provide goods, services and policy direction that relate to the state-based needs of each of Australia's six states and two territories.
• Local governments provide goods, services and policy direction that relate to the specific needs of over 650 council divisions across Australia.

Federal and state governments are made up of democratically elected representatives drawn from the parliament. The senior members of federal and state governments are also known as the Executive or executive government.

top

14.2 What is federal executive government?

Executive government is made up of parliamentarians appointed as ministers who manage government departments.

Federal executive government is a subset of the federal Parliament. Its members are elected to the Parliament of Australia and belong to the party with the majority of seats in the House of Representatives. Federal executive government:

• suggests ideas for new laws and proposes changes to current laws
• puts ideas for new or altered laws to the parliament as bills
• leads government departments and agencies
• administers (manages) all areas of law passed by the Parliament.

top

14.3 Who is responsible for making federal law work?

The federal executive government administers the laws passed by the Parliament of Australia, through major government departments and agencies. This means that the federal executive is responsible for putting law into action—for making it work throughout the country.

Section 51 of the Australian Constitution lists the matters in which the Parliament of Australia can make law. Areas of law are administered by executive government through large government departments, staffed by public servants. These include, but are not limited to:

EXAMPLES OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS
Department of Trade	Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet	Department of Finance and Administration
Department of Defence	Department of the Attorney-General
Department of Transport and Regional Services	Department of Health and Ageing
Department of Immigration and Multi-cultural services	Department for the Environment and Heritage
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry	Department of Education, Science and Training

top

14.4 What are state and territory governments?

State and territory governments are formed by members elected to state and territory parliaments who belong to the party with the majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly (House of Assembly in Tasmania and South Australia) and who are appointed as state ministers.

State and territory governments receive more than half their money including all the GST, (goods and services tax) from the federal government. They also receive grants from the federal government and raise money from taxes on goods and services such as land tax, payroll tax and stamp duty paid on the purchase of a residence.

top

14.5 Who is responsible for making state laws work?

State executive governments are made up of the premier and Cabinet. Territory executive governments are made up of the chief minister and Cabinet. State and territory executives administer laws passed by their state parliaments.

Australian state and territory governments are currently led by the following premiers and chief ministers:

• Premier of New South Wales (NSW) the Hon. Kristina Keneally MP
• Premier of Tasmania (Tas) the Hon. David John Bartlett MHA
• Premier of South Australia (SA) the Hon. Michael David Rann MP
• Premier of Western Australia (WA) the Hon. Colin Barnett MLA
• Premier of Victoria (Vic) the Hon. John Mansfield Brumby MP
• Premier of Queensland (QLD) the Hon. Anna Bligh MP
• Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Mr Jon Stanhope MLA
• Chief Minister of the Northern Territory (NT) the Hon. Paul Raymond Henderson MLA

State and territory parliaments are entitled to make laws in any area not listed in the Australian Constitution. Areas of law administered by state executive government are administered through state government departments, the names of which vary from state to state. Examples of these include, but are not limited to:

EXAMPLES OF STATE DEPARTMENTS
Department of Child Safety	Department of Justice
Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water	Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation
Department of Public Works	Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Department of Housing	Department of Industrial Relations
Department of Emergency Services	Department of Communities
Department of Corrective Services	Department of State Development

top

14.6 What are local governments?

Local governments are made up of councillors elected to represent the people in their shire council.

Local governments make decisions on local, town or city matters by making by-laws. Local governments collect a range of taxes, including rates, from landowners. These taxes, together with grants from the state and federal governments (federal grants must go through the state), pay for services.

At present there are over 650 local councils in Australia of varying areas and populations. For example in 2004 the population density of the City of Melbourne in Victoria was 1700 residents per square kilometre across an area of 33 square kilometres while the shire of Halls Creek, a rural remote council in Western Australia, had on average one resident per 34 square kilometres across a total area of nearly 143 000 square kilometres!

top

14.7 Who is responsible for making local law work?

Council by-laws are administered by chief executive officers of the council who are employees of the council or city. These councils operate with the power and authority of local government Acts in each state. Areas of by-law administration vary in name from place to place. Examples of these areas of control include, but are not limited to:

EXAMPLES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
Local government administration	Animal control
Environment standards control	Vehicle parking regulation
Food, water standards control	Parking and traffic control
Building inspection	Health inspection
Town planning	Beach inspection

top

• Our Federation

  • 1. Federation
    • 1.1 What is a federation?
    • 1.2 How did Federation occur?
  • 2. The Constitution
    • 2.1 What is the Australian Constitution?
    • 2.2 How was the Australian Constitution agreed?
    • 2.3 What are the main features of the Australian federal system?
    • 2.4 Can the Australian Constitution be changed?
    • 2.5 How many referendums have been held in Australia?
  • 3. Historical Firsts
    • 3.1 When and where was the first meeting of the Parliament of Australia?
    • 3.2 What was the first name of the Parliament of Australia?
    • 3.3 When was the first double dissolution of both houses of parliament?
    • 3.4 When and where was the first meeting of the Parliament in Canberra?
    • 3.5 When did the Parliament first meet in new Parliament House?
    • 3.6 What was the first Act of the Australian Parliament?
    • 3.7 Who sat on the first Bench of the High Court of Australia?
    • 3.8 Who was the first minister to be suspended from the Parliament?
    • 3.9 Who was Australia’s first leader of the opposition?
    • 3.10 What question triggered the first referendum?
    • 3.11 What issues led to the first plebiscite?
    • 3.12 Who was the first indigenous parliamentarian?
    • 3.13 When did women first vote in a federal election?
    • 3.14 Who was the first woman elected to the House of Representatives?
    • 3.15 Who was the first woman elected to the Senate?
    • 3.16 Who was the first woman appointed as a cabinet minister?
    • 3.17 Who was the first woman to lead a political party?
    • 3.18 Which party formed Australia’s first government?
    • 3.19 Who was in the first federal ministry?
    • 3.20 When was the first cabinet meeting in Canberra?
    • 3.21 Who was Australia’s first prime minister?
    • 3.22 Who was the first and only prime minister to be sacked by the governor-general?
    • 3.23 How many Australian prime ministers have died in office?
    • 3.24 Who was the first prime minister to serve less than a year?
    • 3.25 Who was Australia’s first Head of state?
    • 3.26 Who was Australia’s first governor-general?
    • 3.27 Who was Australia’s first Australian-born governor-general?
  • 4. Australia's Parliament House
    • 4.1 Why is Australia’s Parliament House located in Canberra?
    • 4.2 When was Australia’s Parliament House opened?
    • 4.3 Who designed Australia’s Parliament House?
    • 4.4 How much did Australia’s Parliament House cost to build?
    • 4.5 Why was the new Parliament House built?
    • 4.6 Who works in Australia’s Parliament House?
    • 4.7 Who visits Australia’s Parliament House?
    • 4.8 What are some facts about the Parliament House flagpole?
    • 4.9 Which timbers are used in Parliament House?
    • 4.10 What is in the Parliament House art collection?
    • 4.11 Why are there so many gardens?
    • 4.12 What gives the building its sense of space and light?
    • 4.13 Why are there so many clocks?
    • 4.14 What stone is used throughout the building?

• Our Parliament

  • 5. How the Parliament Works
    • 5.1 What is the Parliament of Australia?
    • 5.2 What does the Parliament of Australia do?
    • 5.3 Where is the Parliament of Australia?
    • 5.4 When does the Parliament of Australia meet?
    • 5.5 Who are members of parliament?
    • 5.6 What is the House of Representatives?
    • 5.7 What is the Senate?
    • 5.8 What happens in the two chambers?
    • 5.9 What is the main committee?
    • 5.10 What are the standing orders?
    • 5.11 How is the government formed?
    • 5.12 What is the role of the government backbench?
    • 5.13 How is executive government formed?
    • 5.14 What is the role of executive government?
    • 5.15 How is the opposition formed?
    • 5.16 What does the opposition do?
    • 5.17 Who is the Prime Minister of Australia?
    • 5.18 What does the Prime Minister do?
    • 5.19 Who is the Leader of the Opposition?
    • 5.20 What does the Leader of the Opposition do?
    • 5.21 Who is the Leader of the Government in the Senate?
    • 5.22 Who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate?
    • 5.23 What do ministers do?
    • 5.24 What do shadow ministers do?
    • 5.25 What do frontbenchers do?
    • 5.26 What do backbenchers do?
    • 5.27 Why are some members and senators called ‘Honourable’?
    • 5.28 What is the significance of the Australian Coat of Arms?
    • 5.29 How do the Parliament and executive government work together?
    • 5.30 What is a minority government?
  • 6. Representation
    • 6.1 What is representative democracy?
    • 6.2 How do you become a representative in the Parliament of Australia?
    • 6.3 What is an election?
    • 6.4 Who calls an election?
    • 6.5 How is an election won?
    • 6.6 What happens after an election?
    • 6.7 What is an electorate?
    • 6.8 What is a state?
    • 6.9 What is a territory?
    • 6.10 What is a plebiscite?
    • 6.11 How many plebiscites have been held in Australia?
    • 6.12 What is a referendum?
    • 6.13 What is a hung parliament?
  • 7. House of Representatives
    • 7.1 What does the House of Representatives look like?
    • 7.2 What is the role of the House of Representatives?
    • 7.3 Who is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives?
    • 7.4 What does the Clerk of the House of Representatives do?
    • 7.5 What does the Serjeant-at-Arms do?
    • 7.6 What is the Mace?
    • 7.7 What do members do?
    • 7.8 How many members are in the current House of Representatives?
    • 7.9 What is the current composition of the House of Representatives?
    • 7.10 Who is the current Prime Minister of Australia?
    • 7.11 Who is the current Leader of the Opposition?
    • 7.12 How many women are currently in the House of Representatives?
  • 8. Senate
    • 8.1 What does the Senate look like?
    • 8.2 What is the role of the Senate?
    • 8.3 Who is the current President of the Senate?
    • 8.4 What does the Clerk of the Senate do?
    • 8.5 What does the Usher of the Black Rod do?
    • 8.6 What is the Black Rod?
    • 8.7 What do senators do?
    • 8.8 How many senators are in the current Senate?
    • 8.9 What is the current composition of the Senate?
    • 8.10 Who is the current Leader of the Government in the Senate?
    • 8.11 Who is the current Leader of the Opposition in the Senate?
    • 8.12 How many women are currently in the Senate?
  • 9. Presiding Officers
    • 9.1 Who are the presiding officers?
    • 9.2 What does the President do?
    • 9.3 How is the President elected?
    • 9.4 Where did the title President come from?
    • 9.5 What does the Speaker do?
    • 9.6 How is the Speaker elected?
    • 9.7 Why is there a Speaker?
    • 9.8 Who are parliamentary officers?
  • 10. Political Parties
    • 10.1 What is a political party?
    • 10.2 What do political parties do?
    • 10.3 What is a parliamentary party?
    • 10.4 What do parliamentary parties do?
    • 10.5 What is 'crossing the floor'?
    • 10.6 What is the role of a party whip?
    • 10.7 What political parties exist at the federal level?
    • 10.8 What is an Independent?
    • 10.9 What is a coalition?
  • 11. Laws and Bills
    • 11.1 What is a law?
    • 11.2 What power does the Parliament have to make law?
    • 11.3 What power do state and territory parliaments have to make law?
    • 11.4 What power do local representative bodies have to make law?
    • 11.5 What is a bill?
    • 11.6 How are bills drafted?
    • 11.7 What is the first reading of the bill?
    • 11.8 What is the second reading debate?
    • 11.9 What is a division?
    • 11.10 What is the second reading of the bill?
    • 11.11 What is consideration in detail and committee of the whole?
    • 11.12 What is the third reading of the bill?
    • 11.13 How do the chambers differ in their law-making roles?
  • 12. Parliamentary Committees
    • 12.1 What is a parliamentary committee?
    • 12.2 What do parliamentary committees do?
    • 12.3 How do parliamentary committees work?
    • 12.4 What is a senate committee?
    • 12.5 What is a House of Representatives committee?
    • 12.6 What are joint committees?
    • 12.7 What are Senate Estimates hearings?
  • 13. Information about Parliament
    • 13.1 What is Hansard?
    • 13.2 What is the parliamentary press gallery?
    • 13.3 How do members of parliament get publicity?
    • 13.4 What is the role of the media?
    • 13.5 What are parliamentary publications?

• Our Government

  • 14. Governing Australia
    • 14.1 How is Australia governed?
    • 14.2 What is federal executive government?
    • 14.3 Who is responsible for making federal law work?
    • 14.4 What are state and territory governments?
    • 14.5 Who is responsible for making state laws work?
    • 14.6 What are local governments?
    • 14.7 Who is responsible for making local law work?
  • 15. Parliamentary Principles
    • 15.1 What is responsible government?
    • 15.2 What is the principle of separation of powers?
    • 15.3 What is ministerial responsibility?
    • 15.4 What is the principle of rule of law?
  • 16. Executive Government—the Cabinet
    • 16.1 What is executive government?
    • 16.2 What does executive government do?
    • 16.3 How does executive government make decisions?
    • 16.4 Where does executive government meet?
    • 16.5 Who attends Cabinet?
    • 16.6 Why are Cabinet meetings secret?
  • 17. Alternative Government—the Opposition
    • 17.1 What is the opposition?
    • 17.2 What is the role of the opposition?
    • 17.3 What is the role of the Leader of the Opposition?
    • 17.4 How can the Leader of the Opposition become the Prime Minister?
    • 17.5 Where does the opposition meet?
    • 17.6 What is the Shadow Cabinet?
    • 17.7 Who are Australia's past leaders of the opposition?
  • 18. Governor-General
    • 18.1 Who is the Governor-General?
    • 18.2 How is the Governor-General chosen?
    • 18.3 What power does the Governor-General have?
    • 18.4 What are the Governor-General’s duties?
    • 18.5 What is the Federal Executive Council?
    • 18.6 Who is the current Governor-General?
    • 18.7 Who were the past Governors-General?
  • 19. Prime Minister
    • 19.1 Who is the prime minister?
    • 19.2 How is the prime minister appointed?
    • 19.3 What is the role of the prime minister?
    • 19.4 How long can the prime minister stay in office?
    • 19.5 Who are Australia’s past prime ministers?
  • 20. The Budget
    • 20.1 What is the Budget?
    • 20.2 Where does the money for the budget come from?
    • 20.3 What is the budget speech?
    • 20.4 What happens once the Budget bills have been introduced?
    • 20.5 How is the money shared?
  • 21. Government Departments
    • 21.1 What are government departments?
    • 21.2 What do government departments do?
    • 21.3 How do government departments pay for the services they provide?

• Our Judiciary

  • 22. Interpreting the Law
    • 22.1 What is the role of the courts?
    • 22.2 What is the difference between statute and common law?
    • 22.3 How can judges make law?
    • 22.4 What if the parliament is unhappy with a court’s interpretation of the law?
    • 22.5 Can common law override an Act of Parliament?
  • 23. Australian Courts
    • 23.1 What role do the courts play in Australian governance?
    • 23.2 Do the police belong to the Judiciary?
    • 23.3 What is the judicial hierarchy?
    • 23.4 Why is a hierarchy important?
    • 23.5 Who appoints judges and magistrates?
  • 24. High Court of Australia
    • 24.1 What is the High Court?
    • 24.2 Where is the High Court?
    • 24.3 What does the High Court do?
    • 24.4 Where does the High Court get its power?
    • 24.5 What is the role of the Chief Justice?
    • 24.6 How are chief justices appointed and dismissed?
    • 24.7 What happens when the High Court makes its decision?
  • 25. Judicial Independence
    • 25.1 How does the judicial system support our democracy?
    • 25.2 Why must the judicial system be independent?
    • 25.3 What is the principle of judicial review?