117-600: The Transport Matters Party was an Australian political party active in Victoria . The party was registered with the Victorian Electoral Commission on 30 April 2018, after an application was received by the VEC on 9 January 2018. Co-founder Rod Barton announced on 23 June 2023 that the party would disband after an unsuccessful membership drive. It was formally dissolved on 28 July 2023. The party
234-460: A governor-general ) formally appoints as the head of government whoever commands the confidence of the lower or sole house of the legislature and invites him or her to form a government. In the UK, this is known as kissing hands . Although the dissolution of the legislature and the call for new elections is formally performed by the head of state, the head of state, by convention, acts according to
351-476: A parliamentary republic like India, the president is the de jure executive, even though executive powers are essentially instituted by the prime minister and the Council of Ministers . In Israel , however, executive power is vested de jure and de facto in the cabinet and the president is de jure and de facto a ceremonial figurehead. As an example, the prime minister and cabinet (as
468-420: A semi-parliamentary system . The Westminster system has a very distinct appearance when functioning, with many British customs incorporated into day-to-day government function. A Westminster-style parliament is usually a long, rectangular room, with two rows of seats and desks on either side. Many chambers connect the opposing rows, either with a perpendicular row of seats and desks at the furthermost point from
585-541: A "Washminster mutation". Australia is a federation , with different powers and responsibilities for the three levels of government: the federal government, the states and territories and local government . The federal nature and the structure of the Parliament of Australia were the subject of protracted negotiations among the colonies during the drafting of the Constitution. The House of Representatives
702-669: A centre-left policy agenda; in addition to the party's core focus on transport, it also championed environmental issues and small business interests. The party advocated for major transport projects including the East West Link , the North East Link , the West Gate Tunnel , the Suburban Rail Loop and a fully publicly-owned Melbourne Airport rail line . The party's policy priorities included: At
819-891: A concept was reinforced in The English Constitution (1876) by Walter Bagehot , who distinguished between the separate "dignified" and "efficient" functions of government. The sovereign should be a focal point for the nation ("dignified"), while the PM and cabinet actually undertook executive decisions ("efficient"). The electoral system is often set out in a Representation of the People Act . Common ministerial titles include parliamentary secretary and under-secretary . Ministers are supported by private secretaries and government departments are run by permanent secretaries , principal secretaries or chief secretaries . The head of state or their representative (such as
936-533: A consultative body. In other Westminster countries, however, the upper house can sometimes exercise considerable power, as is the case for the Australian Senate. Some Westminster-derived parliaments are unicameral for two reasons: Hong Kong , a former British crown colony and currently a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China , has a unicameral Legislative Council . While
1053-566: A failure to vote attracting a $ 20 fine. All non-Indigenous women gained the right to vote in federal elections in 1902 and in all states by 1908. All seats in the House of Representatives are contested in each election. Members are elected using preferential voting , in which the winning candidate obtains over 50% of votes after distribution of preferences; therefore, preference flows from lower-polling candidates are frequently significant in electoral outcomes. Senate elections are contested by half
1170-515: A federal government at any time, loss of supply is sometimes, controversially, considered a suitable trigger for a dismissal (such as with the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis ). This is controversial because it conflicts with the Westminster tradition of government by a party with the confidence of the lower house (not an upper house like the Senate). Some political scientists have held that
1287-581: A hybrid system (like South Africa ) as their form of government. The Westminster system of government may include some of the following features: Most of the procedures of the Westminster system originated with the conventions , practices, and precedents of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , which form a part of what is known as the Constitution of the United Kingdom . Unlike the uncodified British constitution, most countries that use
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#17327982443661404-411: A power similar to that held in the UK until 1911 by the House of Lords , which has since then been impossible, in the Westminster system. A government that has lost supply is severely restricted in its abilities to act; unless a solution can be negotiated and supply can be restored, such an occurrence would normally trigger a federal election. Since the governor-general , technically speaking, can dismiss
1521-482: A specific policy area and reporting directly to a senior Cabinet minister. The Constitution of Australia does not explicitly mention Cabinet; it existing solely by convention, with its decisions not in and of themselves having legal force. However, it serves as the practical expression of the Federal Executive Council , which is Australia's highest formal executive governmental body. In practice,
1638-628: Is responsible to the Parliament , of which they must be (or shortly become) members. In the Senate, 12 senators are from each State and 2 senators from the ACT and the NT respectively are elected by an optional preferential single transferable vote system. State senators serve staggered fixed six year terms, with half up for election each three years. Territory senators serve a non fixed term equal to that of
1755-614: Is a president who functions similarly to a governor-general. An unusual case lies in Israel and Japan , where the respective prime ministers have the full legal power to implement executive decisions, and presidential (in Israel) or imperial (in Japan) approval is not required; the prime ministers of these nations are fully the de jure source of executive authority, and not the head of state. The head of state will often hold meetings with
1872-628: Is a significant power due to high levels of vertical fiscal imbalance arising because of the limited revenue raising capabilities of the states. In addition, Australia has several territories, two of which are self-governing: the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory . As these territories' legislatures exercise powers devolved to them by the Commonwealth, the Parliament of Australia has
1989-432: Is difficult to apply as many actions by executive agencies are wide ranging, binding and conducted independently of Parliament. Ultimately whether a power is executive or legislative is determined on a case by case basis, and involves the weighing up of various factors, rather than the application of a strict test. The Federal Executive Council is a formal body which exists and meets to give legal effect to decisions made by
2106-507: Is elected on a basis that reflects the differing populations of the states. Therefore, the most populous state, New South Wales , has 48 members, while the least populated, Tasmania , has only five. But the Senate is elected on a basis of equality among the states: all states elect 12 senators, regardless of population. This was intended to ensure that smaller states retained influence over legislation and that laws could not be passed with only
2223-403: Is exceptional because the government faces a fully elected upper house, the Senate , which must be willing to pass all its legislation. Although government is formed in the lower house, the House of Representatives, the support of the Senate is necessary in order to govern. The Australian Senate is unusual in that it maintains an ability to withhold supply from the government of the day –
2340-588: Is imminent, a lot of time is taken up in the conversations of politicians and in the news media, speculating on who will, or will not, be moved in and out of the Cabinet by the Prime Minister, because the appointment of ministers to the Cabinet, and threat of dismissal from the Cabinet, is the single most powerful constitutional power which a Prime Minister has in the political control of the Government in
2457-632: Is obliged to resign, e.g., when a re-elected Legislative Council passes again a bill that he or she had refused to sign. The waters of the Thames and of the Potomac both flow into Lake Burley Griffin . Australian constitutional law is, in many respects, a unique hybrid with influences from the United States Constitution as well as from the traditions and conventions of the Westminster system and some indigenous features. Australia
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#17327982443662574-516: Is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the states , and interprets the Constitution of Australia. The High Court is mandated by section 71 of the Constitution , which vests in it
2691-480: Is the council of senior ministers, responsible to the Parliament. The ministers are appointed by the governor-general, on the advice of the prime minister, who serve at the former's pleasure. Cabinet meetings are strictly private and occur once a week where vital issues are discussed and policy formulated. Outside the cabinet there is an outer ministry and also a number of junior ministers, called assistant ministers (formally parliamentary secretaries ), responsible for
2808-483: Is the principle the power of state should be shared between multiple bodies, in order to avoid the concentration of power in one entity. The legislature proposes and debates laws that the executive then administers, and the judicial arbitrates cases arising from the administration of laws and common law . However, in accordance with Westminster system , there is no strict separation between the executive and legislative branches, with ministers required to also be members of
2925-407: Is the world's sixth oldest continuous democracy and largely operates as a two-party system in which voting is compulsory . The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Australia a " full democracy " in 2022. Like other Westminster-style systems of government , Australia's federal system of government consists of three branches : the legislative ( Parliament ), the executive (the prime minister ,
3042-476: Is usually where ministers or members of the house come to speak. Other ceremonies sometimes associated with the Westminster system include an annual Speech from the Throne (or equivalent thereof) in which the head of state gives a special address (written by the government) to parliament about what kind of policies to expect in the coming year, and lengthy State Opening of Parliament ceremonies that often involve
3159-704: The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that ministerial positions are allocated to the Left and Right factions on a proportional basis according to their representation in Parliament. The Left selects their ministers nationally, whilst the Right assigns ministers according to state based quotas. The cabinet meets not only in Canberra but also in state capitals, most frequently Sydney and Melbourne. Kevin Rudd
3276-511: The de facto executive body in the system) generally must seek the permission of the head of state when carrying out executive functions. If, for instance the British prime minister wished to dissolve Parliament in order for a general election to take place, the prime minister is constitutionally bound to request permission from the sovereign in order to attain such a wish. However, the sovereign in modern times has virtually always followed
3393-441: The 1990 federal election The most recent Australian federal election, which took place on 21 May 2022 , saw the election of a historically large crossbench in the House of Representatives consisting of six minor party members and ten independents. Australia's six states and the two largest territories are structured within a political framework similar to that of the Commonwealth. Each state has its own bicameral parliament, with
3510-564: The 2018 Victorian state election , the party was the beneficiary of a highly convoluted series of preference flows in the group voting ticket for the Legislative Council organised by Glenn Druery . With these beneficial preferences it was estimated that the party could get elected on less than 0.3% of the vote in the Eastern Metropolitan Region . Ultimately, the party polled 0.62% of the vote and Barton
3627-641: The Australian system of government was consciously devised as a blend or hybrid of the Westminster and the United States systems of government , especially since the Australian Senate is a powerful upper house like the US Senate; this notion is expressed in the nickname "the Washminster mutation". The ability of upper houses to block supply also features in the parliaments of most Australian states . The Australian system has also been referred to as
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3744-479: The Cocos (Keeling) Islands , have never been self-governing. The third level of governance is local government , in the form of shires , towns or cities. The councils of these areas are composed of elected representatives (known as either councillor or alderman , depending on the state). Their powers are devolved to them by the state or territory in which they are located. The Australian Constitution sets down
3861-538: 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 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
3978-680: The Governor remained the head of government until the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, when the role was replaced by the Chief Executive . Secretaries had remained to be chosen by the Chief Executive not from the Legislative Council, and their appointments need not be approved by the Legislative Council. Although essentially more presidential than parliamentary, the Legislative Council had inherited many elements of
4095-503: The House of Commons (under various names), comprising local, elected representatives of the people (with the only exception being elected entirely by nationwide Proportional Representation). Most also have a smaller upper house, which is made up of members chosen by various methods: In the UK, the lower house is the de facto legislative body, while the upper house practices restraint in exercising its constitutional powers and serves as
4212-499: The Queen from the Constitution and replaced the governor-general with a president nominated by the prime minister, but subject to the approval of a two-thirds majority of both houses of Parliament. The proposal was defeated. The Australian Republican Movement continues to campaign for an end to the monarchy in Australia , opposed by Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and Australian Monarchist League . The Parliament exercises
4329-589: The Senate and the House of Representatives . Section 51 of the Constitution provides for the Australian government's legislative powers and allocates certain powers (known as heads of power ) to the federal government. All remaining legislative power is retained by the six states (previously separate colonies). Further, each state has its own constitution, so that Australia has seven parliaments, with legislative power shared between them. The High Court of Australia rules on legal disputes which arise between
4446-786: The US there is only one common law of the nation, rather than a common law for each state. Additionally, unlike Canada and the US, there is no distinct federal common law. Federal judicial power is vested in the High Court of Australia and such other federal courts created by the Parliament, including the Federal Court of Australia , the Family Court of Australia , and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia . Additionally,
4563-734: The Whitlam government . When the non-Labor parties are in power, the prime minister makes all Cabinet and ministerial appointments at their own discretion, although in practice they consult with senior colleagues in making appointments. 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
4680-455: The cabinet , other ministers , and government departments), and the judicature (the High Court of Australia and other federal courts ). The Australian government consists of the party or coalition that had majority support in the lower house and exercises both executive (as ministers) and legislative (through control of the House) power. The federal Parliament (as defined in section 1 of
4797-529: The judicial power of the Commonwealth of Australia. The High Court was constituted by the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) . The High Court is composed of seven Justices: the Chief Justice of Australia , presently Stephen Gageler , and six other Justices. The state supreme courts are also considered to be superior courts, those with unlimited jurisdiction to hear disputes and which are the pinnacle of
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4914-463: The legislative power of the Commonwealth by enacting legislation. It also supervises the executive actions of the government, through activities such as question time and Senate estimates. The Australian Parliament is bicameral and consists of the King of Australia , the 76 member Senate (the upper house ) and the 151 member House of Representatives (the lower house ). The Australian government
5031-697: The passage and adoption of the Statute of Westminster , the Monarch of Australia (along with the monarchies of the other dominions) is a separate office from the Monarch of the United Kingdom , despite being held by the same person. As such, in Commonwealth matters, the monarch is only advised by Commonwealth ministers. By the Royal Style and Titles Act 1953 , the Australian Parliament gave
5148-462: The presidential system that originated in the United States , or with the semi-presidential system, based on the government of France . The Westminster system is used, or was once used, in the national and subnational legislatures of most former colonies of the British Empire , upon gaining self-government (with the exception of the United States and Cyprus ), beginning with
5265-649: The British Parliament enacting laws to override the Australian Constitution was also removed. Federal elections are held at least once every three years. The prime minister can advise the governor-general to call an election for the House of Representatives at any time, but Senate elections can only be held within certain periods prescribed in the Australian Constitution . Although it is possible to hold elections for
5382-402: The Cabinet are collectively seen as responsible for government policy, a policy termed cabinet collective responsibility . All Cabinet decisions are made by consensus, a vote is rarely taken in a Cabinet meeting. All ministers, whether senior and in the Cabinet, or junior ministers, must support the policy of the government publicly regardless of any private reservations. When a Cabinet reshuffle
5499-700: The Cabinet, and to carry out various other functions. All ministers are members of the council and are entitled to be styled The Honourable for life. 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, the vice-president of the Federal Executive Council has been Senator Katy Gallagher . The Cabinet of Australia
5616-475: The Constitution ) comprises the monarch and is bicameral (has two chambers): the House of Representatives (lower house) and Senate (upper house). The House of Representatives has 151 members , each representing an individual electoral district of about 165,000 people. The Senate has 76 members: twelve from each of the six states and two each from Australia's internal territories, the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory . Separation of powers
5733-413: The Constitution. To become effective, the proposals must be put to a referendum of all Australians of voting age and must receive a double majority : a majority of all votes, and a majority of votes in a majority of states. Section 1 of the Australian Constitution creates a democratic legislature, the bicameral Parliament of Australia which consists of the monarch and two chambers of parliament,
5850-435: The Executive Council in the absence of the governor-general. Until 1956 all members of 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
5967-417: 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 the Executive Council. While the governor-general is nominal presiding officer, they almost never attends Executive Council meetings. A senior member of the Cabinet holds the office of vice-president of the Executive Council and acts as presiding officer of
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#17327982443666084-572: The House and Senate separately, it is the convention to hold simultaneous elections for both houses; every national election since 1974 has been for both the House and the Senate. Voting has been compulsory federally since 1924, except for Indigenous Australians. All restrictions on Indigenous people's right to vote were removed in 1962, but this right remained optional until both voting and enrolment became compulsory in 1984. Federal enrolment for non-Indigenous Australians has been compulsory since 1911. Compulsory voting laws are actively enforced, with
6201-405: The House in order to obtain a seat, minor parties have often focused their election efforts on the upper house. This is true also at state level (only the two territories and Queensland are unicameral ). Historically it has been comparatively rarer for minor parties and independents to win seats in the House of Representatives, although the size of the crossbench has been on an increasing trend since
6318-468: The House of Representatives, usually around three years. The most recent general election was on 21 May 2022 . In the House of Representatives, also known as the people's house, 151 members are elected using full preferential voting in single member electorates (also known as seats ). Elections are held once at least every three years, however the prime minister (historically the Cabinet) may request
6435-480: The House of Representatives. The Leader of the Opposition heads shadow cabinet, composed of shadow ministers who mirror, scrutinise and oppose government ministers and act as the government in waiting. Although the government, by virtue of commanding a majority of members in the lower house of the Parliament, can usually pass its legislation and control the workings of the House, the opposition can considerably delay
6552-554: The Legislative Councils in British Australasian and North American colonies were unelected upper houses and some of them had since abolished themselves, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong has remained the sole chamber and had in 1995 evolved into a fully elected house, yet only part of the seats are returned by universal suffrage. Responsible government was never granted during British colonial rule, and
6669-451: The Parliament has the power to enact laws which vest federal authority in state courts. Since the Constitution requires a separation of powers at the federal level, only courts may exercise federal judicial power; and conversely, non-judicial functions cannot be vested in courts. State judicial power is exercised by each state's supreme court, and such other courts and tribunals created by the state parliaments. The High Court of Australia
6786-599: The Queen the title Queen of Australia , and in 1973 titles with any reference to her status as Queen of the United Kingdom and Defender of the Faith as well were removed. Under the conventions of the Westminster system the governor-general's powers are almost always exercised on the advice of the Prime Minister or other ministers. However, the governor-general retains some reserve powers , being powers not subject to
6903-409: The Senate can still block supply (the annual bill authorising government expenditure), but this has only happened once, during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis . Parliamentarians belong to either the government, the opposition or sit on the cross-bench (which includes independents and members of minor parties). The opposition consists of members of the second largest party or coalition in
7020-406: The Senate. With the exception of a three-year period from 2005 to 2008, no party or coalition has held a majority in the Senate since 1981; this has required governments to frequently seek the support of minor parties or independent senators holding the balance of power in order to secure their legislative agenda. Because the Senate's system of single transferable voting requires a lower quota than
7137-489: The Speaker's Chair at the opposite end of the chamber (e.g. UK House of Lords or Israel Knesset) or the rows of chairs and desks are rounded at the end, opposite to the Speaker's Chair (e.g. Australian chambers, Ireland, South Africa, India). The chairs in which both the government and opposition sit, are positioned so that the two rows are facing each other. This arrangement is said to have derived from an early Parliament which
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#17327982443667254-465: The Westminster system have codified the system, at least in part, in a written constitution . However, uncodified conventions, practices, and precedents continue to play a significant role in most countries, as many constitutions do not specify important elements of procedure. For example, some older constitutions using the Westminster system do not mention the existence of the cabinet or the prime minister, because these offices were taken for granted by
7371-495: The Westminster system, including parliamentary powers, privileges and immunity, and the right to conduct inquiries, amongst others. Minutes are known as Hansards, and the theme colour of the meeting chamber is red as in other upper houses. Government secretaries and other officials are seated on the right hand side of the President in the chamber. The Chief Executive may dissolve the Legislative Council under certain conditions, and
7488-416: The Westminster system. The Official Opposition and other major political parties not in the Government, will mirror the governmental organisation with their own Shadow Cabinet made up of Shadow Ministers . In a Westminster system, some members of parliament are elected by popular vote, while others are appointed. Nearly all Westminster-based parliaments have a lower house with powers based on those of
7605-519: The advice of their prime minister without their own agency, this owes to the fact that the British sovereign is a constitutional monarch ; he or she abides by the advice of his or her ministers, except when executing reserve powers in times of crisis. The sovereign's power to appoint and dismiss governments, appoint cabinet ministers to serve in the government, appoint diplomats , declare war , and to sign treaties (among other powers de jure held by
7722-462: The approval of another person or institution. These are rarely exercised, but during the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975 Governor-General Sir John Kerr used them to dismiss the prime minister when he failed to secure supply. Australia has periodically experienced movements seeking to end the monarchy. In a 1999 referendum , the Australian people voted on a proposal to change the Constitution. The proposal would have removed references to
7839-435: The authority to override their legislation and to alter their powers. Australian citizens in these territories are represented by members of both houses of the Parliament of Australia, albeit with less representation in the Senate. Norfolk Island was self-governing from 1979 until 2015, although it was never represented as such in the Parliament of Australia. The other inhabited territories: Jervis Bay , Christmas Island and
7956-542: The authors of these constitutions. Sometimes these conventions, reserve powers , and other influences collide in times of crisis and in such times the weaknesses of the unwritten aspects of the Westminster system, as well as the strengths of the Westminster system's flexibility, are put to the test. As an illustrative example, in the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975 , the Governor-General of Australia, Sir John Kerr , dismissed Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and replaced him with opposition leader Malcolm Fraser . Usually
8073-531: 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
8190-437: The cabinet as a whole, along with more junior ministers , however, in effect, the head of government dominates the executive as the head of government is ultimately the person from whom the head of state will take advice (by constitutional convention) on the exercise of executive power , including the appointment and dismissal of cabinet members. This results in the situation where individual cabinet members in effect serve at
8307-498: The court hierarchy within their jurisdictions. They were created by means of the constitutions of their respective states or the self government Acts for the ACT and the Northern Territory . Appeals may be made from state supreme courts to the High Court of Australia . Inferior courts are secondary to superior courts. Their existence stems from legislation and they only have the power to decide on matters which Parliament has granted them. Decisions in inferior courts can be appealed to
8424-439: The day. In India, the prime minister is constitutionally bound to hold regular sessions with the president, in a similar manner to the aforementioned British practice. In essence, the head of state, as the theoretical executive authority, "reigns but does not rule". This phrase means that the head of state's role in government is generally ceremonial and as a result does not directly institute executive powers. The reserve powers of
8541-560: The entirety of Mainland Australia at the federal and mainland state levels simultaneously (leaving Tasmania as the only state with a Liberal government), a feat that had last been achieved in 2007. This would last until 24 August 2024 when Labor lost government in the Northern Territory to the Country Liberal Party (CLP) opposition. The Liberal–National Coalition has never achieved this feat (control of
8658-581: The entirety of Mainland Australia at the federal and mainland state levels simultaneously) as of 2024. Queensland is regarded as comparatively conservative . Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory are regarded as comparatively left of centre . New South Wales, the largest state by population, as well as South Australia have often been regarded as politically moderate bellwether states. Western Australia, by contrast, tends to be more politically volatile; regarded as
8775-558: The exception of Queensland and the two territories, whose parliaments are unicameral. Each state has a governor , who undertakes a role equivalent to that of the governor-general at the federal level, and a premier , who is the head of government and is equivalent to the prime minister. Each state also has its own supreme court, from which appeals can be made to the High Court of Australia. State and territory elections occur every four years using fixed terms (except for Tasmania, where
8892-417: The federal government and the states . The monarch , currently King Charles III , is the head of state and is represented locally by the governor-general , while the head of government is the prime minister , currently Anthony Albanese . The country has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system under its Constitution , the world's tenth oldest , since Federation in 1901. Australia
9009-462: The federal government and the states and territories, or among the states and territories themselves. The monarch is the symbolic head of Australia and is ceremonially involved in all branches of the government, as a constitutive part of Parliament, formal holder of executive power and the person in whose name most criminal offences are brought. In a broader sense, the Crown represents the authority of
9126-568: The first of the Canadian provinces in 1848 and the six Australian colonies between 1855 and 1890. It is the form of government bequeathed to New Zealand , and former British Hong Kong . Israel adopted a largely Westminster-inspired system of government upon declaring independence from the British Mandate of Palestine . However, some former colonies have since adopted either the presidential system ( Nigeria for example) or
9243-462: The floor in front of the government and opposition benches that members may cross only when exiting the chamber. At one end of the room sits a large chair, for the Speaker of the House . The speaker usually wears black robes, and in some countries, a wig . Robed parliamentary clerks often sit at narrow tables between the two rows of seats, as well. These narrow tables in the centre of the chamber,
9360-479: The following: One of five countries other than the UK to use a Westminster system with a native monarch , along with Japan, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Thailand. One of five countries other than the UK to use a Westminster system with a native monarch , along with Denmark, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Thailand. One of five countries other than the UK to use a Westminster system with a native monarch , along with Denmark, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. The Westminster system
9477-417: The formal powers of monarchs, governors-general, and presidents vary greatly from one country to another. However, as sovereigns and governors-general are not elected, and some presidents may not be directly elected by the people, they are often shielded from any public disapproval stemming from unilateral or controversial use of their powers. In many Commonwealth realms a governor-general formally represents
9594-572: The functions of the head of state, leading some commentators to contend that the governor-general is the head of state . As a constitutional democracy , the role is limited to constitutional and ceremonial duties. Although the governor-general is the King's representative, and exercises various constitutional powers in his name, other powers they independently exercise in their own right. The governor-general also represents Australia internationally, through making and receiving state visits. Since at least
9711-444: The governor-general call a new election at any time (however, they retain the discretion to refuse if inadequate reasons for the election are given). However, as Senate elections must occur only during certain periods and as it is generally politically advantageous (while not legally required) to hold House elections at the same time, elections are generally restricted to a ten month window between August and May every three years, with
9828-400: The head of government and cabinet, as a means of keeping abreast of governmental policy and as a means of advising, consulting and warning ministers in their actions. Such a practice takes place in the United Kingdom and India. In the UK, the sovereign holds confidential weekly meetings with the prime minister to discuss governmental policy and to offer his or her opinions and advice on issues of
9945-399: The head of state are sufficient to ensure compliance with some of their wishes. However, the extent of such powers varies from one country to another and is often a matter of controversy. Such an executive arrangement first emerged in the United Kingdom. Historically, the British sovereign held and directly exercised all executive authority. George I of Great Britain (reigned 1714 to 1727)
10062-494: The last split election in 1970 and 1972 . Unlike in the Senate, in which each state is represented equally, each state has a number of seats roughly proportional to its population. The prime minister is selected from the House, needing the support of the majority of members in order to be invited to form a government. Each chamber of Parliament has equal powers, with the exception that the Senate may not introduce "money bills" (new taxes or laws authorising expenditure). However,
10179-465: The leader of the largest party in the lower house (legislature if unicameral). Formed by the largest party/coalition in the lower house (legislature if unicameral), and led by the head of government. The pattern of executive functions within a Westminster system is quite complex. In essence, the head of state , usually a monarch or president, is a ceremonial figurehead who is the theoretical, nominal or de jure source of executive power within
10296-594: The legislature, and that is responsible to the legislature; the presence of parliamentary opposition parties; and a ceremonial head of state who is separate from the head of government . The term derives from the Palace of Westminster , which has been the seat of the Westminster Parliament in England and later the United Kingdom since the 13th century. The Westminster system is often contrasted with
10413-474: The legislature. Only the High Court can deem if a law is constitutional or not. The Australian system of government combines elements derived from the political systems of the United Kingdom ( fused executive , constitutional monarchy ) and the United States ( federalism , written constitution , strong bicameralism ), along with distinctive local features, and has therefore been characterised as
10530-463: 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 a predominant influence over who was elected to Labor ministries, although the leaders of the party factions also exercised considerable influence. Prior to the 2007 general election ,
10647-530: The monarch, who is usually absent from the realm. In such countries, the identity of the "head of state" may be unclear. In the book The English Constitution , Walter Bagehot emphasised the divide of the constitution into two components, the Dignified (that part which is symbolic) and the Efficient (the way things actually work and get done), and called the Efficient " Cabinet Government ". Members of
10764-503: The most conservative state during the 2000–10s, it has lately swung to rank amongst the most left-leaning states in the country. It is also known for historical secessionist sentiments. Local government in Australia is the lowest tier of government. Local governments are subject to the relevant states and territories . There is only one level of local government in Australia; with none of the distinctive local government types seen in other anglophone nations. Most local governments within
10881-404: 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,
10998-409: The parliament passes a motion of no confidence , or refuses to pass an important bill such as the budget , then the government must either resign so that a different government can be appointed or seek a parliamentary dissolution so that new general elections may be held in order to re-confirm or deny the government's mandate. Executive authority within a Westminster system is de jure exercised by
11115-519: The passage of legislation and obstruct government business if it chooses. The day-to-day business of the House of Representatives is usually negotiated between the Leader of the House , appointed by the prime minister, and the Manager of Opposition Business in the House , appointed by the Leader of the Opposition . The executive's primary role is to implement the laws passed by the Parliament. Unlike
11232-410: The pleasure of the prime minister. Thus the cabinet is strongly subordinate to the prime minister as they can be replaced at any time, or can be moved ("demoted") to a different portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle for "underperforming". In the United Kingdom, the sovereign theoretically holds executive authority, even though the prime minister and the cabinet effectively implement executive powers. In
11349-409: The polity itself. However, in all these functions they are represented by the governor-general, whose appointment is the only mandatory function of the monarch. The monarch of Australia , currently Charles III , is also the monarch of the other Commonwealth realms , and the sovereign of the United Kingdom. The monarch is the head of state , however in almost all matters the governor-general performs
11466-512: The powers and responsibilities of many of the institutions of the Australian Commonwealth. However, the prime minister, the cabinet and the other principles of responsible government are not explicitly mentioned in the document, along with most of the realities of exercise of executive power. This reflected the British influence on the document with its unwritten constitution . The Parliament of Australia can propose changes to
11583-634: The premier decides the date of the election). Thomas Playford served as Premier of South Australia and leader of the Liberal and Country League (LCL) from 5 November 1938 to 10 March 1965 (26 years). it was the longest term of any elected government leader in Australian history . Labor winning government in New South Wales on 25 March 2023 marked the second time in history that the Australian Labor Party gained control of
11700-460: The presentation of a large ceremonial mace . Some legislatures retain Westminster's colour-coded chambers, with the upper houses associated with the colour red (after the House of Lords) and the lower with green (after the House of Commons). This is the case in India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Barbados. Countries that use variations on the theme of the Westminster system, as of 2023, include
11817-534: The responsibility of the states. For example, the federal government has the responsibility for defence, inter-state trade and bankruptcy while the states have responsibility for healthcare and education. Additionally, the states can agree to refer any of their powers to the Commonwealth government via legislation, as has been done to allow the Commonwealth to regulate corporations. The federal government can also significantly influence state legislation by making tied grants (money which comes with certain conditions). This
11934-434: The senators from each state, except in the case of a double dissolution where all senators contest the election; senators representing the territories are elected and sworn into office simultaneously with the House of Representatives rather than the rest of the Senate. All senators are elected using the single transferable voting system of proportional representation, which has resulted in a greater presence of minor parties in
12051-419: The sovereign personally in the United Kingdom are instead exercised by the governor-general . In such nations, the prime minister is obligated to formally seek permission from the governor-general when implementing executive decisions, in a manner similar to the British system. An analogous scenario also exists in republics in the Commonwealth of Nations , such as India or Trinidad and Tobago , where there
12168-482: The sovereign) is known as the royal prerogative , which in modern times is exercised by the sovereign solely on the advice of the Prime Minister. This custom also occurs in other countries are regions around the world using the Westminster System, as a legacy of British colonial rule . In Commonwealth realms such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the day-to-day functions that would be exercised by
12285-482: The state. In May 2019, more than 6,000 taxi and car-hire drivers, operators and licence owners across four states commenced the class action in the Victorian Supreme Court. Transport Matters was registered federally on 24 March 2020. However, the party was voluntarily de-registered federally on 16 December 2021, having never competed at a federal election. The party described itself as possessing
12402-467: The states have equivalent powers to each other; styles such as shire or city have only historical meaning. Westminster system The Westminster system , or Westminster model , is a type of parliamentary government that incorporates a series of procedures for operating a legislature , first developed in England . Key aspects of the system include an executive branch made up of members of
12519-650: The superior court in that area, and then to the High Court of Australia. Until the passage of the Australia Act 1986 , by the Australian and UK parliaments, some Australian cases could be referred to the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for final appeal. With this act, Australian law was made fully independent, and the High Court of Australia was confirmed as the highest court of appeal. The theoretical possibility of
12636-400: The support of the more popular states. However due to the emergence of strong parties with senators that very rarely cross the floor , this role is much less visible. The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, the only territories represented in Senate, each elect only two. The federal government may only legislate on certain matters, with any remaining areas falling within
12753-409: The system. In practice, such a figure does not actively exercise executive powers, even though executive authority is nominally exercised in their name. The head of government , usually called the prime minister or premier , will ideally have the support of a majority in the responsible house, and must, in any case, be able to ensure the existence of no absolute majority against the government. If
12870-405: The then Leader of the Opposition, Kevin Rudd , said that he and he alone would choose the ministry should he become prime minister. His party won the election and he chose the ministry, as he said he would. However, in return for changes restricting the ability of Caucus to select the prime minister, in 2013 the right of Caucus to choose the ministry was restored. While Caucus rules are not public,
12987-517: The wishes of the head of government. A president, monarch, or governor-general might possess clearly significant reserve powers . Examples of the use of such powers include the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975 and the Canadian King–Byng affair in 1926. The Lascelles Principles were an attempt to create a convention to cover similar situations, but have not been tested in practice. Because of differences in their written constitutions,
13104-414: Was adopted by a number of countries which subsequently evolved or reformed their system of government departing from the original model. In some cases, certain aspects of the Westminster system were retained or codified in their constitutions. For instance South Africa and Botswana , unlike Commonwealth realms or parliamentary republics such as India, have a combined head of state and head of government but
13221-525: Was co-founded by Rod Barton and André Baruch, both hire car operators. Most of the party's members are taxi drivers or taxi licence owners involved in a class action lawsuit against Uber for loss of income between 2014 and 2017, when the company operated in Victoria as an illegal taxicab operation . Uber was legalised in Victoria in August 2017 following the deregulation of the taxi/ride-share industry in
13338-407: Was elected to the Legislative Council for a four-year term. Politics of Australia [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The politics of Australia operates under the written Australian Constitution , which sets out Australia as a constitutional monarchy , governed via a parliamentary democracy in the Westminster tradition . Australia is also a federation , where power is divided between
13455-456: Was held in a church choir . Traditionally, the opposition parties will sit in one row of seats, and the government party will sit in the other. In some countries, the mace will face the government’s side whilst lying on the table of the House. In most majority governments , the number of government-party MPs is so large that it must use the "opposition" seats as well. In the lower house at Westminster (the UK's House of Commons) there are lines on
13572-507: 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 . As a federation, in Australia judicial power is exercised by both federal and state courts. However, unlike the UK's multiple legal systems there is only one legal system and like Canada and unlike
13689-534: Was the first British monarch to delegate some executive powers to a prime minister and a cabinet of the ministers, largely because he was also the monarch of Hanover in Germany and did not speak English fluently. Over time, further arrangements continued to allow the execution of executive authority on the sovereign's behalf and more and more de facto power ended up lying in the Prime Minister's hands. Such
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