86-524: The Minister for Indigenous Australians in the Government of Australia is a position which holds responsibility for affairs affecting Indigenous Australians . Previous ministers have held various other titles since the position was created in 1968, most recently Minister for Indigenous Affairs . Since July 2024, the position has been held by Malarndirri McCarthy in the Albanese ministry . McCarthy
172-546: A "Capitol" building would be placed on Capital Hill, that would hold the national archives and act as a public assembly. Placing Parliament beneath the Capitol building would then represent the people standing above their representatives. Debate over the site continued over the years, with Menzies in 1958 supporting a site on the shore of the lake. However, there remained support for the Capital Hill site, which culminated in
258-424: 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
344-579: A desk microphone. As can be seen from the illustrations, unlike the House of Representatives, there is no distinction between the front and back benches in the Senate chamber; Senate ministers and their opposition counterparts have the same two-seat benches as all other senators. The press gallery is located above the Senate chamber. The presiding officer of the Australian Senate is the president of
430-556: A former finance minister in the Hawke government has said the building is "an antiseptic, isolated and impersonal place, compared with its predecessor". The new Parliament House is a central hub for events in Canberra, hosting many of the nation's largest and most important function events. The Parliament House is a place for meetings, conferences (government, and private), celebrations, and other miscellaneous uses. The Parliament House
516-465: A microphone on their desk and merely stand to speak (unless they cannot stand), in accordance with standing order 60. The table contains a row of books containing laws the Parliament has passed. Also on the table are copies of the standing orders, dictionaries, House of Representatives Practice and Hansard . The clerk and deputy clerk sit in front of the speaker and are responsible for ringing
602-403: A place where politicians could mingle with the public and the press gallery. In contrast, the new building situates the library and refreshment rooms at great distance from the two chambers, and Member's Hall, the foyer that connects the House and the Senate, is not open to the public. As a consequence, Member's Hall lies empty, as parliamentarians have no reason to be there. Similarly, while in
688-642: 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
774-445: A provisional building, to serve for a predicted 50 years until a new, permanent House could be built. In the end, Old Parliament House was Parliament's home for 61 years. In the last decade of its use as a parliament, the building had a chronic shortage of available space. In Walter Burley Griffin's original design for Canberra, Parliament House would be located on Camp Hill, located between Old Parliament House and Capital Hill. Instead
860-547: A reversal of the traditional roles in Australia. Rolland played a pivotal role in the design, development and coordination of all surface elements including pool design, paving, conceptual lighting and artwork locations. Horticultural experts from the Australian National Botanic Gardens and a government nursery were consulted on plant selection. Permanent irrigation has been limited to only
946-440: A total of 240 with temporary seating. From the perspective of the image, the press gallery is ahead, with public galleries containing 388 seats to the left and right. Soundproofed galleries for school groups are directly above these, as no talking is permitted when the House members are present. Frontbench (Cabinet) members approach the table with the ornate box (pictured), known as the despatch box , to speak. Backbenchers have
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#17327835663971032-413: A vote in the senate while ringing for four minutes to give all members throughout the building time to get to the chamber. After the hourglass stops, the House's attendants will lock the doors and the whips will count the votes. Members vote by either moving to the government side of the house for a vote for a bill or the opposition side for a vote against a bill. If there are successive divisions, and there
1118-473: Is a similar size to the Bayeux Tapestry , which despite its name is also an embroidery. It depicts early Australian history through changes to the landscape with the arrival of settlers. It was created by thousands of ordinary embroiderers who each worked on small sections of the work, to be later created into a whole. Functions that have parliamentary and federal relevance often take place here, but
1204-418: 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
1290-518: Is expected to rise to $ 17,000 annually. The system received an award from the Clean Energy Council in 2012 for "Best design and installation of a grid-connect power system greater than 10 kW". Both the old and new Parliament House received an Engineering Heritage National Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program . There have been repeated allegations of criminal acts committed in
1376-585: Is no debate after the first division, the middle one-minute hourglasses are turned and the bells are rung for one minute. As is the custom with Westminster parliaments, members of the governing party sit to the Speaker 's right, and the Opposition sits to the Speaker's left. Independents and minor parties sit between them. The long benches (the front benches ) closest to the despatch boxes are reserved for
1462-582: 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
1548-523: Is one of the few parliament houses in the world where private events are permitted. The Parliament House has 14 event spaces that can be used for special events. In 2011, the Department of Parliamentary Services commissioned a pilot 43.3 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of Parliament House in Canberra . The system is split between two locations, with 192 panels installed on the Senate wing with
1634-758: Is responsible for the National Indigenous Australians Agency . In the Government of Australia , the Minister administers the portfolio through the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and a range of other government agencies, including: The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Indigenous Affairs, or any precedent titles: Notes Government of Australia [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Australian Government , also known as
1720-681: Is the meeting place of the Parliament of Australia , the legislative body of Australia's federal system of government . The building also houses the core of the executive , the Australian Government , and contains the Cabinet room and offices of the Prime Minister and other federal ministers. Located in Canberra , Parliament House is situated on the southern apex of the National Triangle atop Capital Hill , at
1806-465: Is the second Indigenous woman and third Indigenous Australian appointed to the role. Her predecessor, Linda Burney , was the first Indigenous woman to be appointed to the role. Burney's predecessor, Ken Wyatt , was the first Indigenous Australian appointed to the role, and the first minister named as Minister for Indigenous Australians. The role assumes responsibility for matters concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, and
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#17327835663971892-455: Is visible by day from outside and inside Parliament House and floodlit at night. The flag itself weighs approximately 15 kg (33 lb). The site covers 80 acres (32 hectares). The building was designed to sit above Old Parliament House when seen from a distance. The building is four metres (13 feet) higher than the original height of the hill. About one million cubic metres (35,000,000 cubic feet) of rock had to be excavated from
1978-666: 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
2064-484: 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
2150-482: The Australian War Memorial , but there were successful representations for the preservation of the historic building, which now houses a parliamentary museum. The original idea was for Parliament House to be open free to the public, and the sweeping lawns leading up to the entrances were intended to symbolise this. The design of Parliament House is anchored around two large curved walls that divides
2236-572: The Cabinet on the government's side and the Shadow Cabinet on the Opposition's side. Uniquely amongst other national Westminster system parliaments, the prime minister and opposition leader (or most senior present government and opposition member respectively) sit separately at the central table, facing each other. The Senate chamber matches the colour scheme of the House of Lords , decorated in red, but muted to tints of ochre , suggesting
2322-675: The Commonwealth Government or simply as the Federal government , 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
2408-658: The National Capital Development Commission , made available to competitors a brief and competition documents. The design competition drew 329 entries from 29 countries. The competition winner was the Philadelphia -based architectural firm of Mitchell/Giurgola, with the on-site work directed by the Italian-born architect Romaldo Giurgola , with a design which involved burying most of the building under Capital Hill, and capping
2494-478: The Old Parliament House members of various political parties would inhabit offices that shared the same corridors, New Parliament House segregates opposing parties in different corners of the building, decreasing interaction between members. Members would often only meet their opponents in the adversarial environment of the debating chamber, and many former parliamentarians believe this has heightened
2580-450: The "badly designed" structure lacks "collision space [that] brings people together to ... compromise and agree and discuss. I think the design of the building definitely contributes to the fact that there are less cross-party friendships than there were in the old parliament". These concerns have been echoed by many former parliamentarians, including Malcolm Fraser , Tom Uren , Peter Walsh , Barry Jones , and Bob Carr . Walsh,
2666-423: The 81-metre (266-foot) flagpole is 12.8 by 6.4 m (42 by 21 ft), about the size of half a tennis court . The flagpole weighs 250 tonnes and is made of polished stainless steel from Newcastle , with the steel ball resting at the top of the flagpole manufactured by Leussink Engineering. It was designed to be the pinnacle of Parliament House and is an easily recognisable symbol of national government. It
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2752-661: The Australian Parliament met in the 19th-century edifice of Parliament House, Melbourne , while the Victorian State Parliament met in the nearby Royal Exhibition Building for 26 years. After World War I the Federal Capital Advisory Committee was established to prepare Canberra to be the seat of government, including the construction of a Parliament House. The committee decided that it would be best to erect
2838-462: 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
2924-551: 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
3010-680: 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
3096-525: The Great Hall is also open to functions for the general public, such as weddings, and the nearby University of Canberra hosts graduation ceremonies here. Below the tapestry of the Great Hall is a removable division that opens onto the Members' Hall, which has a water feature at its centre. This is an area restricted to security-classified occupants of the building and special visitors. Directly ahead of
3182-478: The Great Hall, which has a large tapestry on display based on the Arthur Boyd painting Untitled (Shoalhaven Landscape) . The House of Representatives chamber is decorated green, while the Senate chamber has a red colour scheme. At the centre of the building between the two chambers is the Members' Hall, which has a water feature directly beneath a glass roof and the large central flag. The public may not access
3268-515: 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
3354-668: The Members' Hall is the Ministerial Wing, housing the office suites of the Prime Minister and government ministers . The Members' Hall has access to the House of Representatives and the Senate buildings to the left and right of the main entrance to the halls respectively. Public access to the visitors' galleries and the Main Committee Room is via an upper level reached by marble staircases ascending from
3440-490: 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
3526-632: The Senate , who occupies a position in the Senate chamber similar to that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Behind the seat of the President of the Senate are two large seats which are used during the opening of parliament. The larger is the vice-regal chair, used by the governor-general during the opening of Parliament, with the smaller used by distinguished guests, such as foreign leaders. The Parliament House Art Collection of over 6,000 works includes commissioned (and purchased) portraits of every prime minister, governor-general, president of
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3612-588: 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
3698-488: 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
3784-444: 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
3870-399: The artwork. The main entrance opens into the foyer, the most monumental and luxuriously decorated space in the building. As this is the primary public space in the building, this again represents the greater importance of the people as compared to their representatives. The floor is of polished black and white marble, in which on one step a fossilised ancient prawn can be seen. In contrast to
3956-556: The bar, stood side by side at urinals, in the new building the Opposition is separated from the Government by a divide as great as any which separates all of them from their constituents. As with dogs which meet only through a fence and cannot sniff each other's backsides, it deepens the everyday animus. Paul Keating has lamented walking the corridors of New Parliament House "not feeling like you were part of anything". Another former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull , expressed concern
4042-406: The bells during a division (voting). In front of the clerk are the hour glasses . The outer glasses measure four minutes and the middle glass measures one minute. These glasses are turned when there is a division ; one of the four-minute glasses is turned and the bells will ring throughout the building. All of the almost 2600 clocks in the building will flash green for a vote in the House and red for
4128-414: 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,
4214-599: 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
4300-490: The central circle, representing that Canberra is a gathering place. The style is reminiscent of the traditional sand paintings of the artists tribe, located near Papunya . Three stonemasons took 18 months to two years to hand-cut the 90,000 granite setts which were used in the 196-square-metre (2,110 sq ft) artwork. The mosaic was digitised in April 2019 from a series of photographs taken from five metres above
4386-418: 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
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#17327835663974472-399: The corridors of parliament, increasing a sense of detachment between the two groups. The heart of Old Parliament House was King's Hall , an entrance hall open to the public that connected the House of Representatives and the Senate to the parliamentary library and the refreshment rooms. Inevitably, due to its central location, Kings Hall became a bustling hub where people met and talked, and
4558-553: 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
4644-581: The country, but the long history of rivalry between them meant that neither city would accept the other as the national capital. However a comprise was reached and implemented in section 125 of the Australian Constitution , whereby the capital would be in a federal territory located in NSW; however it had to be located at least 100 miles from Sydney. The Parliament would sit in Melbourne until
4730-455: The deadline nor the budget was met. The building was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 9 May 1988, the anniversary of the opening of both the first Federal Parliament in Melbourne on 9 May 1901 by the Duke of Cornwall and York (later King George V ), and of Provisional Parliament House in Canberra on 9 May 1927 by the Duke of York (later King George VI ). The flag flown from
4816-405: The earth and the colours of the outback . There currently 76 senators, however the chamber was designed to accommodate 120 senators. The gallery arrangement is almost identical to that of the House of Representatives. Unlike the House of Representatives, only the leader of the government or opposition in the Senate approaches the lectern ; other frontbench senators and all backbench senators have
4902-472: The edifice with an enormous spire topped by a large Australian flag . The facades, however, included deliberate imitation of some of the patterns of the Old Parliament House, so that there is a slight resemblance despite the massive difference of scale. Giurgola placed an emphasis on the visual aesthetics of the building by using landscape architect Peter G Rolland to direct civil engineers,
4988-513: The entrance foyer. There are also 19 committee rooms that are open to the public and a highly secure Cabinet Room on the ground floor. In a reflection of the colour scheme of the British House of Commons , the House of Representatives is decorated in green. However, the colour is muted to suggest the colour of eucalyptus leaves, or the Australian bush. The chamber itself is designed to seat up to 172 members, with room to accommodate
5074-709: The expanse of the forecourt, the foyer is filled with grey-green columns, the colour of gum trees. These are inspired by various column supported temples, such as the Hypostyle Hall of the Great Temple of Ammon, Karnak and the Hall of the Hundred Columns in the Palace of Persepolis . The columns also provides a reference point to visitors, with the columns acting as a human size natural gathering point. To
5160-419: 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,
5246-479: The foyer is replaced with soft woods; the cramped columns become a vast open space filled with light. The end of the hall features a tapestry based on a painting by Arthur Boyd , the original of which is also displayed in the building. Once again, this tapestry does not depict any people, but emphasises the importance of land and place. On the eastern wall of the gallery of the great hall is an embroidery, designed by Kay Lawrence, measuring 15 m long and 65 cm high. This
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#17327835663975332-457: The government. The entire structure is surmounted by an 81-metre (266 ft) flagpole flying the Australian flag . The flag is the largest in the country, measuring 6.4 metres (21 feet) by 12.8 metres (42 feet) around the size of a double-decker bus . The Parliament House contains 4,700 rooms, and many areas are open to the public. The main foyer contains a marble staircase and leads to
5418-484: The grass-covered roof that allows visitor access. Member for Fenner , Andrew Leigh has praised the way "the building was constructed to emerge out of Capitol Hill – rather than sitting atop it as an imposing structure". The new Parliament House is recognised as being more spacious and light-filled than its predecessor, and much less cramped. The building has received criticism for the way in which its design discourages collegiality amongst members. New Parliament House
5504-438: The green fountain represents the outback, the bush and the billabong, all symbolic of Australia. This and a large mosaic, Possum and Wallaby Dreaming , emphasises the enduring Aboriginal connection to the land. The mosaic is 196-square-metre (2,110 sq ft) forecourt mosaic and was designed by Indigenous Australian artist Michael Nelson Jagamarra . It depicts the tracks of several native animals (in white) moving towards
5590-403: The hall, but may view it from above on a balcony. The executive wing houses the cabinet room, the Prime Minister's Office and other ministerial offices. Visitors enter Parliament House through the forecourt, surrounded on each side by a slowly rising wall and approaching the entrance which mirrors that of Old Parliament House, despite the massive increase in scale. The gravel of sunburnt red and
5676-404: The hill” to the so-named New Parliament House. The current Parliament House was officially opened on 9 May 1988 by Elizabeth II , Queen of Australia . It cost more than $ 1.1 billion (equivalent to about $ 4.9 billion in 2022) to build. In 1901, when the six British colonies in Australia federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne and Sydney were the two largest cities in
5762-541: The intersection of Commonwealth, Adelaide, Canberra and Kings Avenues enclosed by the State Circle. Parliament House was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp Architects and constructed by a joint venture comprising Concrete Constructions and John Holland . The building replaced Old Parliament House , where the Federal Parliament sat from 1927 until 1988, when members and their staff moved “up
5848-512: The land. Six of the panels depicts the animal, flower and bird emblems of each of the states, a concept that evolved from a previous proposal to depict the coats of arms of the states . Other panels shows plants used by Aboriginal people and those important to early settlers The public entrance to Parliament House opens into the main foyer leading into the Great Hall , which represents the period of early European settlement. The rich marble of
5934-510: The left and right are two enormous staircases facing each other, modelled on the those of the Doge's Palace in Venice. Collectively, these ancient European styles represent the influence on European culture in Australia and specifically the ancient Greek and Roman notions of democracy. Around the room are 20 timber marquetry panels depicting Australian flora and fauna, once again proving a link to
6020-790: 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
6106-464: 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
6192-420: The more formal areas. Irwinconsult was commissioned to provide structural engineering, including quality assurance of all structural elements, to deliver a building with a designed lifespan of 200 years. Construction began in 1981, and the House was intended to be ready by Australia Day , 26 January 1988, the 200th anniversary of European settlement in Australia. It was expected to cost $ 220 million. Neither
6278-399: 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
6364-407: The new capital was completed. In 1909, after much argument, the Parliament decided that the new capital would be in the southern part of New South Wales, on the site which is now Canberra. The Commonwealth acquired control over the land in 1911, but World War I intervened, and nothing was done for some years to build the city. Federal Parliament did not leave Melbourne until 1927. In the meantime
6450-404: 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,
6536-418: 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
6622-762: The passage of the Parliament Act 1974 with a free vote, which determined that the Capital Hill site should be used. In 1978 the Fraser government decided to proceed with a new building on Capital Hill , and the Parliament House Construction Authority was created. A two-stage competition was announced, for which the Authority consulted the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and, together with
6708-551: The remaining 42 panels on the roof of the Gardeners' Compound. At the time of construction, the system was one of the largest installed for solar power in Australia . According to the Department of Parliamentary Services, the system was switched on in June 2011 and has performed as expected by providing enough power for lighting in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This equates to an approximate saving of $ 9,000 which
6794-425: The sectarian nature of parliamentary politics in Australia. Don Watson , speech-writer for former Prime Minister Paul Keating , writes: The place lacks red blood cells. Beyond the chambers there is no sign of the great contest of ideas for which a national parliament exists. Unlike the old Parliament House where opponents bumped past each other in the corridors, met each other's eyes, exchanged brutalities in
6880-503: The senate and speaker of the house, as well as other works of art significant to Australia. Beneath Parliament House there is a web of basements and offices. Originally a bomb shelter was included in the design of the House, but it was not built due to cost reasons. It was intended that a large room in the basement would be converted into a bomb shelter, but this has not been built either. New Parliament House has been warmly received for its beauty and democratic symbolism, particularly
6966-474: The site. It was used to fill low-lying areas in the city. Most of the granite used was sourced from Australia. Twice the amount needed was quarried as a very high standard of granite was required particularly for the curved walls. It was proposed originally to demolish Old Parliament House so that there would be an uninterrupted vista from the New Parliament House to Lake Burley Griffin and
7052-512: 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,
7138-412: The structure into four quadrants. Clockwise these are: the formal entrance and event space, the House of Representatives , the executive wing and the Senate . These walls are sunken into the hill so that the building appears to emerge from the land, rather that towering over those beneath it. The ability for people to walk on the grass roofs over their representatives also represents the people being above
7224-459: 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
7310-584: 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: Parliament House, Canberra Parliament House , also known as Capital Hill ,
7396-592: Was designed in the late 1970s, in the context of the Sydney Hilton Hotel bombing and the tense political climate following the Dismissal of the Whitlam government , and thus one of the key elements of the design brief was providing security for the executive. The winning design's solution was to fence off the executive in its own ministerial wing. In practice, this meant it was no longer possible for backbenchers to bump into ministers while passing through
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