Australia’s Government

Australia’s Government

• Federal parliamentary democracy.

• There are three key factors that determine Australia’s government:– form of leadership– type of legislature– role of the citizen

Form of Leadership

• Head of state– Queen Elizabeth II (England)

• Just a figurehead– She does not run the country– she signs laws– approves elections– commander-in-chief of the military.

Form of Leadership

• Governor General– The prime minister selects someone to

represent the Queen in Australia. This is necessary because the Queen lives in London!!!!

Form of Leadership

• Prime minister – head of the government– has the most political power– leader of the biggest political party in

Parliament

Type of Legislature

• Commonwealth Parliament-elected government that makes laws.– Every 4 years, citizens vote for members

• 2 houses of the Commonwealth Parliament: – House of Representatives– Senate

Type of Legislature

• House of Representatives: Selects Prime Minister– Australia is divided into areas called

electorates– people living in each electorate vote for

a person to represent them in parliament.

– elected person becomes the MP of the House of Representatives for that area

Type of Legislature

• Senate: 76 members – 12 people from each of the 6 states – 2 people from each of the 2 territories

Role of the Citizen• Democracy: voters choose the lawmakers

– 18 or over is required by law to vote.

• Citizens vote for members in Senate and House of Representatives.

• Voters do not vote for – head of state (Queen)– governor-general– directly for the prime minister.

Role of the Citizen

• Australians enjoy many freedoms.– freedom of religion, speech, job

choice, travel, etc.

• Their level of freedom is similar to what people have in the United Kingdom & the United States.