Australia has what type of government

The three levels of government developed in Australia at different times. By , there were six self governing Australian colonies the two territories - the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory - gained self-government later. Local governments began to be established in the second half of the nineteenth century. In the six states joined together to form the new nation of Australia with a new Federal or Commonwealth Government which added a third level of government.

Each level of government is different. Often they are fully responsible for certain services or regulations, but in many cases two or three levels of government share some responsibility for a similar area, e.

The National or Federal Government collects most taxes. It directly provides many services such as defence and pensions, and has an important role in providing funding for many other areas. State governments also raise revenue but depend very much on Federal funding to carry out their programs. Local governments raise much of their funds through rates but also depend on State and some Federal funding. Each government understands its own powers and responsibilities, and ways have been worked out for the three levels to work together.

The prime minister is appointed by the governor-general having been judged by the governor-general to be capable of commanding the support of a majority of members of the house of representatives. Judicial high courts arbitrate on any disputes that arise between the commonwealth and the states or among the states in terms of their specific function.

The high courts have judicial review over laws passed by both the commonwealth and states' parliaments. The high courts vice-regal is appointment upon nomination by the prime minister who follows the advice of the attorney-general and cabinet. Senate powers are equal to those of the house of representatives except that it cannot introduce or amend proposed laws that authorize expenditure for the ordinary annual services of the government or that impose taxation.

They may request that the house of representatives make amendments to financial legislation and it can refuse to pass any bill. The house of representatives determines the government, debates and passes laws, watches over government administration and expenditure, and provides a forum for public debate on issues of national importance.

The senate has 76 members who are elected through a single transferable vote STV proportional representation system. The house of representatives has members who are elected through an alternative voting system. The separation of powers. Political theory recognises three powers of government—the legislative power to make laws; the executive power to carry out and enforce the laws; and the judicial power to interpret laws and to judge whether they apply in individual cases.

The principle of the separation of powers is that, in order to prevent oppressive government, the three powers of government should be held by separate bodies—the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary—which can act as checks and balances on each other.

With parliamentary government the legislative and executive functions overlap, as the members of the Executive Government—the Ministers—are drawn from the Parliament. However, in the Australian system there are still checks and balances between the Executive and Legislature—Ministers are subject to the scrutiny of other Members of the Parliament led by an officially recognised opposition.

In addition, the Executive does not necessarily control both Houses of the Parliament see below. Infosheet No. The Parliament. The Constitution gives the legislative power of the Commonwealth—the power to make laws—to the Parliament. The Parliament passes legislation. Proposed laws have to be agreed to by both Houses of Parliament to become law.

The two Houses have equal powers, except that there are restrictions on the power of the Senate to introduce or directly amend some kinds of financial legislation. The Governor-General has a role in the legislative process by assenting to Acts. See later in this infosheet for more information about the role of the Governor-General. The Parliament also authorises the Executive Government often simply called the government or the Executive to spend public money by agreeing to government proposals for expenditure and taxation, scrutinises the administrative actions of the government and serves as a forum for the debate of public policy.

Another function of the Parliament under the Australian system is to provide from its membership the members of the Executive Government. After a general election the political party or coalition of parties with the support of a majority of members in the House of Representatives becomes the governing party and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. The composition of the House also determines who will form the official opposition.

The party or coalition of parties which has the most non-government Members in the House of Representatives becomes the opposition party and its leader becomes the Leader of the Opposition. The opposition has the officially recognised function, established by convention, of opposing the government. This subject is discussed in more detail in Infosheet No. While the government has, by definition, the support of a majority of Members in the House of Representatives, the system of voting used for Senate elections gives greater opportunity to minority parties and independents, and the government often does not have majority support in the Senate.

The Executive Government. Constitutional provisions. The Executive Government in practice. In reality, the executive power is possessed by the Prime Minister and Cabinet senior Ministers.

Their power derives:. Neither the Prime Minister nor the Cabinet are mentioned in the Constitution—the framers of the Constitution took their existence for granted, as they did the various conventions of the Westminster system of government inherited from the United Kingdom. Table 1 below gives a comparison of the constitutional provisions and the actual practice according to the conventions which have operated in Australia. Composition of the Ministry.

The Prime Minister is the head of the government. They achieve this position by being the elected leader of the party in government in the case of a coalition government, the major party. Major policy and legislative proposals are decided by the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister selects Ministers for Cabinet positions. Ministers are selected by the Prime Minister. Legislation currently allows for up to 30 Ministers. About 20 or so senior Ministers administer the major departments and are, usually, members of Cabinet. Other Ministers are responsible for particular areas of administration within a major department, or may be in charge of a small department. Ministers are appointed from both Houses of Parliament, although most about two thirds are Members of the House of Representatives.

Up to 12 Members and Senators are appointed by the Prime Minister as Parliamentary Secretaries also referred to as Assistant Ministers to assist or represent Ministers in their administrative responsibilities.

The role of the Governor-General. The Governor-General performs the ceremonial functions of head of state on behalf of the Queen. The Governor-General also has executive powers under many Acts of Parliament—for example, the power to proclaim legislation that is, bring it into effect and to make regulations and other kinds of delegated legislation that is, legislative powers that the Parliament has delegated to the Executive Government.

Most of the executive actions taken by the Governor-General are of this kind.