State governments also have their own constitutions, as well as a structure of legislature, executive and judiciary. Territories are areas within Australia's borders that are not claimed by one of the six states.
Territories can be administered by the Australian Government, or they can be granted a right of self-government. Most have an appointed Administrator. Norfolk Island is no longer self-governing. Unlike the states, whose powers are defined through the Constitution, the powers of these territories are defined in Commonwealth law which grants them the right of self-government.
This also means that the Parliament can alter or revoke these powers at will. Under Section of the Australian Constitution , territories can become states with the approval of the Parliament. State and territory government provides more information on the six state governments, the federal-state relationship, and the government of Australia's territories.
However, in other than exceptional circumstances, the Governor-General will follow the advice of a Prime Minister who retains the confidence of the House. Constitutional experts do not agree on their precise extent or on the nature of the exceptional circumstances in which they may be exercised. The Federal Executive Council. The Federal Executive Council is the constitutional mechanism for providing ministerial advice to the Governor-General.
It is not a forum for policy debate or deliberation and its proceedings are entirely formal. In practice the minimum number of Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries that is, two in addition to the person presiding are rostered to attend.
Meetings of the Council are presided over by the Governor-General or a deputy appointed by the Governor-General usually the Minister with the title Vice President of the Executive Council. The matters dealt with at each meeting are recommendations by Ministers, for the approval of the Governor-General in Council, that something be done—for example, that a regulation be made, a treaty be ratified, or a person be appointed to a position.
The role of the Queen. Australia is a constitutional monarchy. A monarchy is a country where the position of head of state is inherited. A constitutional monarchy is one where the powers of the monarch or sovereign—the King or Queen—are limited by law or convention, and generally exercised only according to the advice of an elected government.
The head of state is a formal, symbolic and ceremonial position, as opposed to the position of head of government, which has the administrative power to govern the country. In some systems of government the head of state and head of government are the same person—for example, in the United States the President has both functions. Queen Elizabeth is also Queen of the United Kingdom and several other countries which used to be part of the former British Empire.
In Australia the powers of the Queen have been delegated by the Australian Constitution to her representative in Australia, the Governor-General. The Constitution gives the Queen the power to disallow an Australian Act of Parliament, but this has never been done and it is extremely unlikely that it would ever be done. The Judiciary. The Constitution vests the judicial power of the Commonwealth—the power to interpret laws and to judge whether they apply in individual cases—in the High Court and other federal courts.
The High Court is established by the Constitution. Other federal courts are created by legislation of the Parliament. Judges can only be removed from office by the Governor-General following a request for the removal from both Houses of Parliament on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.
One of the major functions of the High Court is to interpret the Constitution. The High Court may rule a law to be unconstitutional—that is, beyond the power of the Parliament to make—and therefore of no effect. The Constitution cannot be changed by an Act of Parliament alone—a referendum of the people is necessary. The High Court of Australia. For more information.
Table 1 — The Executive Government of Australia. Formal appointment pursuant to Constitution. Head of Executive Government and one of constituent parts of the Parliament, but these functions are delegated to the Governor-General.
May disallow an Act of Parliament but this has never been done. Only necessary personal function is to appoint the Governor-General. May on occasion perform acts normally carried out by the Governor-General, such as opening a session of Parliament or assenting to an Act of Parliament.
It is also a federation of states. In a representative democracy, citizens choose candidates to represent them in a parliament. In Australia, federal elections are held approximately every 3 years to select members of parliament to represent Australians and make laws on their behalf. Examples of other representative democracies include the United States, the United Kingdom and Argentina. The Queen appoints the Governor-General to act on her behalf.
A federation is a group of states that have joined together to form a single country. In , 6 British colonies united to form the country of Australia.
Prior to this and for at least 50 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lived on the Australian continent and practised traditional cultures and languages.
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.
All responsibilities remaining are retained by previously separate colonies, referred to as the six states. Each state has its own constitution, so Australia itself has seven sovereign parliaments which cannot impede with the functions of another. Coat of Arms of Commonwealth of Australia.
Grades each country on a scale of 0 to , based on ten freedoms, with representing the greatest amount of economic autonomy from government intervention.
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