Government Directory Research Paper

Australia has been federated for 114 years, yet we still don’t have our own head of state. Yes, we have a head of state in the form of a Governor General, but this person does not represent the views of the Australian people, but rather serves as the representative of the Queen. A Queen that will never be a true Australian.

When you think of the “land down under” you don’t really think of the kind of government they have. I chose to write about the Australian government because I really don’t hear much about Australia. It currently has a pretty interesting story to tell when it comes to their government. I became a bit interested in Australian politics when I saw a political animated cartoon on the internet that depicted Kevin Rudd, the last Prime Minister, on a news television show and it was quite humorous. I am going to give a quick history lesson on Australia then go into how the government formed and came to be. Then I will talk about the Australian constitution, the Australian arms of government, their federal system, political parties and Australia’s

The Australian Constitution, passed by the British Parliament as part of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900. It was written in the 1890’s after a series of conventions with government officials. The Constitution is the legal framework for how Australia is governed and it can only be changed by referendum. Australians voted for the national constitution in a series of referendums. The Australian Constitution establishes the composition of the Australian Parliament, and describes how Parliament works, what powers it has, how federal and state Parliaments share power, and the roles of the Executive Government and the High Court. It took effect on 1 January 1901. In addition to the national Constitution, each Australian state has its own constitution. The Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory have self-government Acts which were passed by the Australian Parliament. The Constitution states that federal elections must be called at least

Australian Federation is basically the Federal government. Australian Federation was established as a constitutional monarchy, which consists of laws and rules.

Australia’s parliamentary democracy consists of the Queen, the Prime Minister, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament is the foundation of Australia’s government. The parliament makes laws and holds the government and ministers accountable. First, the Queen is known as the ‘head of state’. The Governor-General represents the Queen of Australia, presently Elizabeth II. Peter Cosgrove, the Governor-General has a wide range of powers. Some of his roles, exercised under the authority of the Australian Constitution include: “appointing ambassadors, ministers and judges, giving Royal Assent to legislation, and issuing writs for elections and bestowing honours. The Governor-General is also Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defense Force” ("Governors-General"). The Governor-General is to follow the conventions of the

Australia is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the head of state is a Monarch, who is bound and governed by the constitution. In centuries past, the monarch exercised direct political power and governed as a political and administrative figure. Australia’s head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. She is representing by the Governor-General. By contrast the Monarch is a figurehead who performs ceremonial functions, but does not exercise political power the power resides in the parliament. Duties which the governor General carries out the name of The Queen include opening and dissolving Australian Parliament. They give assent to laws when they have been passed by the two houses of Parliament. They also appoint ambassadors, Judges and

The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 when the six independent British colonies agreed to join together and become states of a new nation. The birth of our nation is often referred to as 'federation' because the Constitution created a 'federal' system of government and under a federal system, powers are divided between a central government and individual states. In Australia, power was divided between the Commonwealth government and the six state governments. Generally speaking there are many varied strengths in support of Federalism in Australia. The federal system allows policy to be customised to the meet the needs of specific areas and communities, in doing so it has the flexibility to embrace diverse populations in a single

Australia became a Federation on the 1 January 1901. It means Australia is controlled by a central government, but still independence in internal affairs. Before, Australia was separated into six colonies; New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia. The decisions, of being a nation had been influenced by different factors and forces such as Legal system, ways of importing goods, nationalism, economy and military power.

However, they now argue that it is no longer the most suitable system. Originally, Australia was made up of 6 colonies which struggled to support themselves. They needed high levels of assistance from the United Kingdom, as they were only relatively small and not fit for self-governance. Over time this changed, and in 1901, Australia federated to become one country, which was the first step towards Australian independence. After many more years, Australia reduced its dependence on the United Kingdom, and 85 years after federation the Australia Acts were passed. This turned Australia into what is known as a ‘crowned republic’, and removed the United Kingdom’s authority to legislate in Australia or for it to be involved in Australia’s governance. Republicans argue that the next necessary step is for Australia to remove its final governing ties with the United Kingdom by becoming a republic, which would be the final step in Australia’s

The Australian federal system is a system with a central or national government, sovereign states or regional governments, and a division of power between the national and state governments. One of the strengths of this system is it builds a good relationship between the people and the government. It allows state governments to better understand the needs of the people. As with most nations, local communities have certain necessities that may be outside the range of concerns or influence of national policy. In the Australian federal system, there are two ways this can be reconciled. There are local government councils that can achieve objectives in various policy areas and state or territory governments which are charged with decision making within the state or territory. Basically, the federal system provides a more accessible mode of operation as there are more chances for citizens to be involved in the decision making process. This allows policies to fit local demands.

The Australian Government system is based on a liberal democratic practice which supports freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of religion, the rights to property and privacy and equality before the law. However, it has not always been a democratic society as the law previously hadn’t given all citizens the same rights and opportunities. Examples of those who were not given equal rights and opportunities were the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people and also women. Marian Sawer and Norman Abjorensen and Philip Larkin, The State of Democracy (Federation Press, 2009) 148-150. However, all Australians have been protected regardless of gender, race or background since 1901; the Australia¬¬n Government has operated under the Supreme Law known as the constitution which is a legal document that sets out the rules and responsibilities of the government body.

Describe The Federal System Of Government In Australia. Evaluate The Advantages And Disadvantages Of This System.

Australia’s government is a federal system that contains different ‘levels’ consisted of Federal, State and Local government that work together to govern the nation (Andrewrobb, 2015). The system is very difficult to understand, thus gathering low attention by the public. For those who are observes how the government works can attain a sense of understanding how the system affects the lives of many people in the nation. Throughout the Abbott government period, it had proposed several plans that would not only provide benefits to the people of Australia, but also the nation itself. Although, the Abbott government came to an abrupt end after a near two-year term, it has achieved several achievements throughout its duration. However, the criticisms

In likeliness to the British concept, the legislative limb and the executive limbs are linked together; though paralleling the American system, a strict distinction between the judiciary and the other two limbs is carefully maintained. This is a Westminster based system. Australia operates a system of responsible governing and law making, this upholds fundamentals that the executive be authoritative to the legislature, however the ministers are members of the legislature and the executive. The separation of the powers is exercised through the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, it dictates that each arm of the government must operate and not obtain the powers or functions of the other branches. However Australian government does not exercise a rigid strict separation of power because the legislature and the executive are not completely separated. Like most modern Westminster systems, to a various degree, the doctrine of separation of powers is ignored. Australian government does not enforce a strict separation due to constraints placed through following a the more principle doctrine of responsible

Australia is an Oceanian nation containing the territory of the Australian landmass, the island of Tasmania, and various littler islands. It is the world 's 6th biggest nation by aggregate region. Neighbouring nations incorporate Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and East Timor toward the north; the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu toward the north-east; and New Zealand toward the south-east.( reference "Constitution of Australia". ComLaw. 9 July 1900. 5 August 2011 ) The central government is isolated into three branches: