This document provides an overview of the Australian government system. It describes that Australia has a representative democracy and constitutional monarchy. The government has three levels - federal, state, and local - each with their own roles and responsibilities. Laws are made through a bill process that involves both the House of Representatives and Senate. Citizens vote in elections using a preferential voting system to support democracy.

1. Government Research Project
By Alanah Bell

2. What is democracy?
Democracy is a government “of the people, by
the people, for the people.”
The most common form of democracy is
representative democracy, in which citizens
elect officials to make political decisions,
formulate laws, and administer programs for
the public good.

3. Australia’s system of Government
Australia’s formal name is the Commonwealth
of Australia. The form of government used in
Australia is a constitutional monarchy –
‘constitutional’ because the powers and
procedures of the Australian Government are
defined by a written constitution, and
‘monarchy’ because Australia’s head of state is
Queen Elizabeth II.

4. Federal Government
Roles & Responsibilities:
There are three ‘arms’ of the Australian Government:
 The parliament is responsible for debating and voting
on new laws to be introduced.
 The executive is responsible for enacting and upholding
the laws established by the parliament.
 The judiciary is the legal arm of the Australian
Government. It is independent of the other two arms,
and is responsible for enforcing the laws and deciding
whether the other two arms are acting within their
powers.

5. State Government
Roles & Responsibilities:
 Each state has its own state Constitution, which divides
the state's government into the same divisions of
legislature (parliament), executive, and judiciary as the
Australian Government.
 The six state parliaments are permitted to pass laws
related to any matter that is not controlled by the
Commonwealth.
 The monarch's powers over state matters are exercised
by a Governor in each state. The head of each state
government is known as the Premier.

6. Local Government
Roles & Responsibilities:
 The six states and the Northern Territory have
established one further level of government.
 Local governments (also known as local councils)
handle community needs like:
 waste collection
 public recreation facilities
 town planning

7. How are Australian laws made?
 The parliaments in Australia are responsible for making laws. The
Australian system is based on the process developed in England
within what is called the Westminster System.
 Westminster Parliaments are divided into a lower house and an
upper house.
 At a federal level, the lower house is known as the House of
Representatives and the upper house is known as the Senate
 Before an item of legislation becomes a law, it exists as a bill
proposed to parliament. A bill is a proposal for a new law, or a
proposal to change an existing law.
 In most cases, bills are introduced into the lower house of
parliament.
 Bills are then discussed and either rejected or passed to the upper
house. In the upper house the bill is discussed again and is either
made a new law or thrown out.

8. How does the Australian voting system
work?
 Australia uses a voting system called preferential
voting. Under this system, voters rank each candidate
in order of their preference.
 When votes are tallied, if no candidate has a majority
of votes, the candidate with the fewest first
preferences is eliminated from the count, and his or
her votes are re-allocated according to the preferences
on the ballot papers.
 After this has occurred, the process is repeated until
one candidate receives a majority of all votes cast, at
which point they are declared elected.

9. How does the Australian voting system
support democracy?
In Australia everyone who is over 18 votes
when we have an election. This means that
everyone has the opportunity to make a
difference in who is elected.
 Australian’s are very lucky because they get to
vote for our leaders.