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System of Government |
Key Facts:
Australia's Government operates as a democracy.
The Commonwealth of Australia was created in 1901 when the former British colonies, now Australia's six states, agreed to federate.
Although Australia is a fully independent parliamentary democracy, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is also formally the Queen of Australia.
Australia's government is based on a popularly elected parliament with two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Australia has a written constitution which defines the responsibilities of the federal government, which include foreign relations, trade, defence and immigration. Governments of states and territories are responsible for all matters not assigned to the Commonwealth, and they too adhere to the principles of responsible government.
The Australian Constitution can be amended only with the approval of the electorate through a national referendum in which all adults on the electoral roll must participate.
A national general election must be held within three years of the first meeting of a new federal parliament. The average life of parliaments is about two-and-a-half years. In practice, general elections are held when the Governor-General agrees to a request from the Prime Minister, who selects the date of the election.
For all citizens over the age of 18 it is compulsory to vote in the election of both federal and state governments, and failure to do so may result in a fine.
Australia has four main political parties. The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is a social democratic party founded by the Australian labour movement. The ALP has governed since late 2007. The Liberal Party is a party of the centre right. The National Party of Australia, formerly the Country Party, is a conservative party representing rural interests. The Australian Greens is a left-wing and environmentalist party.
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