48-482: The Australian National Railways Commission was an agency of the Government of Australia that was a railway operator between 1975 and 1998. It traded as Australian National Railways ( ANR ) in its early years, before being rebranded as Australian National . AN was widely used from 1980, the logotype being registered as a trade mark. The commission was established following an election commitment made during
96-626: A joint venture with National Rail to operate Roadrailers under the Trailerail brand. In November 1994, the first service commenced operating between Adelaide and Perth followed in November 1995 by a service from Adelaide to Melbourne . In 1996, Australian National withdrew from the joint venture with National Rail taking over its share. Following the formation of National Rail , Australian National's interstate freight operations and rolling stock were transferred in 1994. In November 1996,
144-534: A break from the traditional railway practice of making such appointments from within the organisations. The commission's first corporate plan in 1979 set out six ways that the commission was to pursue if it was to survive. These were: In 1980, a delegation of senior staff and led by the General Manager visited North America to examine current railway practices. In Canada, the delegation had talks with Canadian National Railway (which like Australian National
192-424: A cabinet minister. The cabinet consists of the prime minister and senior ministers and makes most of the important policy decisions of the government. Members of the cabinet are selected by the prime minister and may be added or removed at any time, usually through a cabinet reshuffle . Cabinet meetings are strictly private and occur once a week where vital issues are discussed and policy formulated. The cabinet
240-958: A class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering , Rosewater for Australian National in 1976–1977. They were mechanically similar to the CL class but instead of a bulldog nose had two flat ended cabs, similar to the 422 class built for the New South Wales Government Railways in 1969. The AL class initially operated services on the Trans-Australian Railway from Broken Hill to Kalgoorlie , their sphere of operation being extended to Alice Springs and Adelaide when these lines were converted to standard gauge in 1980 and 1983. Although capable of hauling passenger services, they tended to be restricted to slower freight trains to minimise track pounding due to their weight. Three were loaned to
288-551: A contract to remanufacture the ALs at its Whyalla factory. As part of the deal Morrison Knudsen purchased the locomotives and leased them back to Australian National for 12 years. The rebuilding in the first half of 1994 involved stripping back to the frame. Changes included the EMD 645 E3 engines being replaced with overhauled EMD 645E3C engines imported from Morrison Knudsen in the US, removing
336-642: A predominant influence over who was elected to Labor ministries, although the leaders of the party factions also exercised considerable influence. However, in 2007 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd , assumed the power to choose the ministry alone. Later, the caucus regained this power in 2013. According to reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald , ministerial positions are allocated by the Left and Right factions proportionally according to their representation in
384-499: A result, the class were not seen on National Rail operated trains, and did not venture onto the wider national standard gauge network until Australian National won hook and pull contracts for private operator SCT Logistics in July 1995. In November 1997, the AL class were sold to Australian Southern Railroad with Australian National's remaining freight operations. With the splitting up of
432-418: Is difficult to apply as many actions by executive agencies are wide-ranging, binding and conducted independently of Parliament. The executive can also be delegated legislative power through provisions allowing for statutory instruments and Henry VIII clauses . Ultimately whether power is executive or legislative is determined on a case-by-case basis, and involves the weighing up of various factors, rather than
480-582: Is not a legal entity; it exists solely by convention. Its decisions do not in and of themselves have legal force. However, it serves as the practical expression of the Federal Executive Council , which is Australia's highest formal governmental body. In practice, the Federal Executive Council meets solely to endorse and give legal force to decisions already made by the cabinet. All members of the cabinet are members of
528-528: Is the national executive government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy . The executive consists of the prime minister and other cabinet ministers that currently have the support of a majority of the members of the House of Representatives (the lower house) and also includes the departments and other executive bodies that ministers oversee. The current executive government consists of Anthony Albanese and other ministers of
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#1732775447940576-742: The Indian Pacific in partnership with the Public Transport Commission and Westrail and The Overland in partnership with the Victorian Railways . It took over the running of these services in full in February 1993 and 1994 respectively. Australian National also operated the Trans Australian until June 1991 and The Alice between November 1983 and mid-1988. Australian National entered
624-661: The 1972 federal election by the Whitlam federal government . The Whitlam government invited the state governments to hand over their railway systems to the federal government. On 1 July 1975, the Australian National Railways Commission took over responsibility for the operations of the federal government owned Commonwealth Railways and branded itself Australian National Railways. The state governments of South Australia and Tasmania , whose railway systems were deeply in debt, accepted. During
672-768: The AL , BL , DL , EL and AN classes all for standard gauge use. Also purchased were five T class locomotives from V/Line in 1993 that were reclassed as CKs. In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders of the former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, e.g. 600 became 607. Australian National operated passenger services within South Australia, mainly using Bluebird railcars . In December 1986, Australian National reintroduced services to Whyalla and Broken Hill using CB railcars . The remaining services were withdrawn in 1990. It also operated The Ghan . It also operated
720-722: The Australian Capital Territory . The head offices of all the federal departments are located in Canberra, along with Parliament House and the High Court . The name of the government in the Constitution of Australia is the "Government of the Commonwealth". This was the name used in many early federal government publications. However, in 1965 Robert Menzies indicated his preference for
768-484: The Australian Labor Party (ALP), in office since the 2022 federal election . The prime minister is the head of the federal government and is a role which exists by constitutional convention, rather than by law. They are appointed to the role by the governor-general (the representative of the monarch of Australia ). The governor-general normally appoints the parliamentary leader who commands
816-598: The Australian Railroad Group in June 2006, 6 went to Aurizon . Aurizon operate the ALF Class locomotives on multiple different trains based out of Adelaide (Motive Power Centre). Such services include Intermodal services between Adelaide and Darwin, Grain (from multiple locations throughout South Australia and Western Victoria) and previously on Ore (on the 1911S/9112S Wirrida Ore train). Overhauls of
864-690: The Federal Government announced a major rail reform package that included the sale of Australian National. On 1 November 1997, The Ghan , Indian Pacific and Overland passenger services were sold to Great Southern Rail , the South Australian intrastate services to Genesee & Wyoming Australia and AN Tasrail to the Australian Transport Network . In July 1998, the railway infrastructure operated by Australian National's Track Access division,
912-542: The Fraser government made it clear it was expected to achieve a financial break-even point during the next 10 years. This decision was unique in Australia's railway history because with the exception of Commonwealth Railways , all the state systems were running at a loss, being financially supported by their respective governments. The commission appointed a professional engineer with overseas experience as General Manager in
960-462: The Constitution . These were defined by High Court Justice Anthony Mason , as powers "peculiarly adapted to the government of a nation and which cannot otherwise be carried on for the benefit of the nation". They have been found to include the power to provide financial stimulus payments to households during a financial crisis and the power to prevent "unlawful non-citizens" from entering
1008-551: The Dismissal of 1975. In that case, the Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed the prime minister and government due to his conclusion that the government had failed to secure supply. The propriety of the use of the powers during that event remain highly contested. The Federal Executive Council is the body that formally advises the governor-general in the exercise of executive power. Decisions of
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#17327754479401056-680: The Executive Council. A senior member of the cabinet holds the office of vice-president of the Executive Council and acts as presiding officer of the Executive Council in the absence of the governor-general. The cabinet meets not only in Canberra but also in state capitals, most frequently Sydney and Melbourne. Kevin Rudd was in favour of the cabinet meeting in other places, such as major regional cities. There are Commonwealth Parliament Offices in each state capital, with those in Sydney located in 1 Bligh Street . Until 1956 all members of
1104-515: The King and the governor-general must follow the advice of the prime minister or other ministers in the exercise of his powers. Powers subject to the governor-general’s discretion are known as reserve powers. While certain reserve powers, such as the ability to choose the prime minister most likely to command the confidence of the lower house, are uncontroversial, others are subject to much greater debate. The most notable example of their use occurring in
1152-492: The NSW Public Transport Commission in 1979 resulting in 80 mechanically similar class 81s being ordered in 1980. From July 1990, through working into New South Wales was introduced resulting in ALs operating services beyond Broken Hill to Lithgow . In 2004, they began to operate to Darwin following this line opening. In August 1992, Australian National awarded Morrison Knudsen Australia
1200-526: The No 2 end cab and being reclassified as the ALF class. After rebuilding the locomotives did not retain their numbers, for example the first locomotive converted was AL21 which emerged as ALF18. In 1994, Australian National's interstate services were transferred to National Rail . The lease with Morrison Knudsen meant the locomotives could only be used on Australian National trains, or a higher lease fee would apply. As
1248-549: The Parliament. The King is not involved with the day-to-day operations of the government, belonging (according to the Bagehot formulation) to the "dignified" rather than the "efficient" part of government. While the executive power of the Commonwealth is formally vested in the monarch, the Constitution requires those powers to be exercisable by a governor-general, appointed by the monarch as their representative (but since
1296-588: The allocation of their portfolios. When Labor first held office under Chris Watson , Watson assumed the right to choose members of his cabinet. In 1907, however, the party decided that future Labor cabinets would be elected by the members of the Parliamentary Labor Party, the Caucus , and the prime minister would retain the right to allocate portfolios. This practice was followed until 2007. Between 1907 and 2007, Labor prime ministers exercised
1344-488: The application of a strict test. As most executive power is granted by statute, the executive power of the government is similarly limited to those areas in which the Commonwealth is granted the power to legislate under the constitution (primarily under section 51 ). They also retain certain powers traditionally part of the royal prerogative , such as the power to declare war and enter into treaties. Finally, there exists certain "nationhood powers", implied from section 61 of
1392-444: The appointing of Sir Isaac Isaacs in 1931, always appointed according to the advice of federal ministers, rather than British ministers). Members of the government do not exercise executive power of their own accord but are instead appointed by the governor-general as ministers, formally as the "Queen's [or King's] Ministers of State". As such, while government ministers make most major decisions in cabinet, if those decisions require
1440-414: The body give legal effect to decisions already deliberated at cabinet. All current and formers ministers are members of the council, although only current ministers are summoned to meetings. The governor-general usually presides at council meetings, but in his or her absence another minister nominated as the vice-president of the Executive Council presides at the meeting of the council. Since 1 June 2022,
1488-599: The bottom layer includes public servants , police, government departments and independent statutory bodies who directly implement policy and laws. Executive power is also difficult to clearly define. In the British context, it was defined by John Locke as all government power not legislative or judicial in nature. The key distinction is that while legislative power involves setting down rules of general application, executive power involves applying those rules to specific situations. In practice, however, this definition
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1536-468: The class commenced during 2020 with all members of the class bar ALF22 receiving an overhaul. ALF23 was overhauled at the MPC during 2022, emerging in an Aurizon livery upon return to service. ALF24 received the same treatment in 2023 with all other class members wearing Aurizon logos over the former GWA paint scheme. On June 14th, 2023 ALF21 along with GWA003 and a handful of wagons, was written off following
1584-470: The confidence of a majority of the members of the House of Representatives. Also by convention, the prime minister is a member of the lower house. The prime minister and their sworn ministers form the cabinet , the key decision-making organ of the government that makes policy and decides the agenda of the government. Members of the government can exercise both legislative power (through their control of
1632-553: The country . Ministers drawn from the Australian parliament form the core of the Australian Government. A subset of these ministers form the cabinet, the de facto highest executive body of the government. Ministers not part of cabinet belong to the outer ministry. Additionally, there are also assistant ministers (formally parliamentary secretaries ), responsible for a specific policy area, reporting directly to
1680-419: The formal endorsement of the governor-general in council, those decisions do not have legal force until approved by the Federal Executive Council , which is presided over by the governor-general. Similarly, laws passed by both houses of parliament require royal assent before being enacted, as the monarch is a constituent part of the Parliament. However, in all these cases, except for certain reserve powers,
1728-790: The ministry differs depending on their party. When the Liberal Party and its predecessors (the Nationalist Party and the United Australia Party ) have been in coalition with the National Party or its predecessor the Country Party , the leader of the junior Coalition party has had the right to nominate their party's members of the Coalition ministry, and to be consulted by the prime minister on
1776-410: The ministry were members of the cabinet. The growth of the ministry in the 1940s and 1950s made this increasingly impractical, and in 1956 Robert Menzies created a two-tier ministry, with only senior ministers holding cabinet rank, also known within parliament as the front bench . This practice has been continued by all governments except the Whitlam government . The prime minister's power to select
1824-399: The name "Australian Government" in order to prevent confusion with the new Commonwealth of Nations . The Whitlam government legislated the use of "Government of Australia" in 1973 in line with its policy of promoting national goals and aspirations. However, academic Anne Twomey argues that the government was also motivated by a desire to blur the differences between the Commonwealth and
1872-694: The narrow gauge Central Australian Railway which closed in December 1980. In December 1982, the Adelaide to Crystal Brook line was converted to standard gauge. Ownership of the Queanbeyan to Canberra railway line was transferred to the State Rail Authority in May 1985. Australian National Railways inherited the following diesel locomotive classes: Built new for Australian National were
1920-715: The next two years, following discussions between the two states and the federal government new staffing and operating agreements enabled the transfer in March 1978 of all South Australian Railways services (except the Adelaide metropolitan passenger network) and all Tasmanian Government Railways services to Australian National Railways, the latter being branded AN Tasrail . Overnight, Australian National Railways went from an organisation with 4000 employees operating routes of just over 2000 kilometres (1200 miles) – 20 per cent of Australia's rail network – to just over 12,000 to employees operating 7890 km (4900 mi). Reflecting
1968-404: The other two branches of government, however, membership of the executive is not clearly defined. One definition describes the executive as a pyramid, consisting of three layers. At the top stands the king, as the symbolic apex and formal repository of executive power. Below him lies a second layer made up of the prime minister, cabinet and other ministers who in practice lead the executive. Finally,
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2016-418: The parliament) and executive power (as ministers on behalf of the governor-general and the monarch). However, in accordance with responsible government , and to ensure accountability, actions of the government in its executive capacity are subject to scrutiny from parliament. The Australian Government is headquartered in the executive wing of Parliament House , located in the nation's capital, Canberra , in
2064-446: The persistence of three mainline gauges that had afflicted Australia since 1865, the total comprised 2395 km (1488 mi) of 1600 mm ( 5 ft 3 in ) broad gauge , 2812 km (1747 mi) of 1435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge and 2683 km (1667 mi) of narrow gauge track. Australian National Railways was a federal government owned corporation and in 1978,
2112-512: The states in an attempt to increase federal power. The Parliament of Australia website also notes that the name "Australian Government" is preferable in order to avoid confusion with the Commonwealth of Nations and the US federal government by those not familiar with Australia's system of government. This terminology remains preferred by the government. However, the terms Commonwealth Government and federal government are also common. In some contexts,
2160-459: The term "government" refers to all public agencies that exercise the power of the State , whether legislative, executive or judicial. The government's primary role, in its executive capacity, is to implement the laws passed by the parliament. However, laws are frequently drafted according to the interests of the executive branch as the government often also controls the legislative branch. Unlike
2208-613: The vice-president has been senator Katy Gallagher . As of 17 August 2024 , there are 16 departments of the Australian Government. Additionally, there are four departments which support the Parliament of Australia : The following corporations are prescribed by Acts of Parliament: As of March 2024 , the following Corporate Commonwealth entities are prescribed as Government Business Enterprises (GBEs): The following Commonwealth companies are prescribed as GBEs: Australian National AL class The AL class are
2256-529: Was government-owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway . In the United States, contact was made with Chessie System and Southern Pacific Railroad . The areas looked at included marketing and pricing, finance and planning, engineering and staff training. On 12 March 1980, a new green and yellow corporate identity was launched with GM1 the first locomotive painted. In October 1980, a new standard gauge line from Tarcoola to Alice Springs opened replacing
2304-545: Was transferred to the federal government owned Australian Rail Track Corporation . In October 2000, following the resolution of outstanding issues relating to property and employee compensation, Australian National was wound up. Government of Australia [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Australian Government , also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the Federal government ,
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