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VI. Work with a partner. Take it in turns to interview each other, asking questions about trade and currency in Australia.VII. Compare Australia’s economic structure with that of your country.
IX. POLITICAL LIFE The Australian system of government has its beginnings in two great democratic traditions. Following British settlement in 1788, the Westminster model was used as the basis of government in the six separate colonies established across the continent in the 19th century. When those colonies met to discuss the formation of a national government in 1890 they opted for a relationship between the national and state governments similar to that of the United States. At the same time they opted to retain the Westminster model as the basis for the legislature, the executive government and the judiciary at the national and state level. The American tradition is expressed through a written constitution defining the powers of the national government. Australia was declared a federation in 1901 with the concurrence of the British Parliament, and now has a Federal Government, six State Governments and two Territories which are largely self-governing. 1. Constitution Like the United States and unlike Britain, Australia has a written constitution. The Australian Constitution 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. In the states, the Queen is represented by a Governor for each state. This document, drawn up in constitutional conventions in the 1890s and ratified at referenda in all six colonies, reserves for the Federal Government power over defence, foreign affairs, trade and commerce, taxation, customs and excise duties, pensions, immigration and postal services. Other powers are left with the States, but federal law prevails if there is a conflict over concurrent powers. The Federal Government also has the power to ensure observance at the state level of Australia’s international treaty obligations. The Constitution vests the executive powers of government in a Governor-General representing Queen Elizabeth II of England (also the Queen of Australia), but they are exercised by tradition on behalf of the elected government. Only once, in 1975, has the Governor-General dismissed an elected national 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 bill containing the amendment must first be passed by both houses of parliament or, in certain limited circumstances, by only one house of parliament. Any constitutional changes must be approved by a double majority—a national majority of electors as well as a majority of electors in a majority of the states (at least four of the six). Where any state or states are particularly affected by the subject of the referendum, a majority of voters in those states must also agree to the change. This is often referred to as the ‘triple majority’ rule. The double majority provision makes alterations to the Constitution difficult. Since federation in 1901, only eight out of 44 proposals to amend the Constitution have been approved. Voters are generally reluctant to support what they perceive as increases in the power of the federal government. States and territories may also hold referendums. Parliamentary sovereignty The Australian Constitution sets out the powers of government in three separate chapters—the legislature, the executive and the judiciary—but insists that members of the legislature must also be members of the executive. In practice, parliament delegates wide regulatory powers to the executive. Government is formed in the House of Representatives by the party able to command a majority in that chamber. Minority parties often hold the balance of power in the Senate, which serves as a chamber of review for the decisions of the government. Senators are elected for six-year terms, and in an ordinary general election only half the senators face the voters. In all Australian parliaments questions can be asked without notice, and there is a strict alternation between government and Opposition questions to ministers during Question Time. The Opposition uses its questions to pursue the government. Government members give ministers a chance to put government policies and actions in a favourable light, or to pursue the Opposition. Anything said in parliament can be reported fairly and accurately without fear of a suit for defamation. The rough-and-tumble of parliamentary Question Time and debates is broadcast and widely reported. This has helped to establish Australia’s reputation for robust public debate, and serves as an informal check on executive power. Frequent elections 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. The governing party has changed about every five years on average since federation in 1901, but length of hold on government has varied greatly. The Liberal Party led a coalition with the longest hold on government—23 years—from 1949 to 1972. Prior to World War II, several governments lasted less than a year, but since 1945 there have been only seven changes of government. Voting 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 or prosecution. Parties Relative to some other countries, Australia’s political parties and their internal operations are comparatively unregulated, but internal party discipline is extremely tight. There is an official system of party registration and reporting of some party activities through the Australian Electoral Commission and its state and territory equivalents. 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. Australia’s major political parties have structured ways to involve their members in developing party policy on issues. Elected politicians rarely vote against their parties in parliament. Although Australian commentators observe that elections have become more ‘presidential’ in the sense that some American campaign methods are used, the basic structure of the Australian system tends to emphasize policy stances rather than the character of individual politicians. As in other democracies, the cost of election campaigns and the source of funds for political activity are issues in Australia. Since 1984, a system of public funding (administered by the Australian Electoral Commission) and disclosure for election campaigns has been in place. Parties must receive at least 4 per cent of the valid vote in the elections they contest to receive this public funding. Parties must disclose campaign expenditures and sources of donations above a specified threshold. Individual candidates must also disclose sources of donations above a certain threshold. Parties and individuals contesting non-consecutive elections must disclose gifts and donations received between the campaigns. Relations between levels of government State parliaments are subject to the national Constitution as well as their state constitutions. A federal law overrides any state law not consistent with it.In practice, the two levels of government cooperate in many areas where states and territories are formally responsible, such as education, transport, health and law enforcement. Income tax is levied federally, and debate between the levels of governments about access to revenue and duplication of expenditure functions is a perennial feature of Australian politics. Local government bodies are created by legislation at the state and territory level. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is a forum to initiate, develop and implement national policy reforms requiring cooperative action between the three levels of government: national, state or territory, and local. Its objectives include dealing with major issues by cooperating on structural reform of government and on reforms to achieve an integrated, efficient national economy and a single national market. COAG comprises the prime minister, state premiers, chief ministers of the territories, and the president of the Australian Local Government Association. In addition, ministerial councils (comprising national, state and territory ministers, and, where relevant, representatives of local government and of the governments of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea) meet regularly to develop and implement inter-governmental action in specific policy areas. Key facts - 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. - All citizens over the age of 18 must vote in both federal and state government elections.
2.The Federal Government and Parliament. Australia has a federal system of government with a national parliament and legislative assemblies and councils (parliaments) in each state and territory (there is no Legislative Council in Queensland, the Northern Territory, the ACT or Norfolk Island). Under the Constitution the federal government has responsibility for foreign relations, trade, defence and immigration. State government responsibilities include justice, consumer affairs, health, education, forestry, public transport and main roads. A variety of electoral systems are used for these parliaments. The form of government at the national level corresponds largely with the British democratic tradition. The federal legislature consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The House of Representatives has 150 members, each representing a different area of the country ('electorate'). Each electorate has roughly the same number of registered voters within its boundary, meaning that states with larger populations have more electorates and therefore more representatives in the House. The Senate is composed of 76 members. Unlike the House of Representatives, membership of the Senate is divided evenly between the states. Each state has 12 senators, and the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory have 2 senators each. The Senate was established this way to ensure that the larger states could not use their majority in the House of Representatives to pass laws that disadvantaged the smaller states. The party with the majority in the House of Representatives provides a ministry from its members in the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the Prime Minister traditionally coming from the House of Representatives. Membership in the House of Representatives is divided between two major groupings, the Australian Labor Party and a coalition of the Liberal Party and therural-based National Party. Elections must be held every three years, but may be held more frequently with the consent of the Governor-General. The Senate is more diverse in its membership. The two major groupings provide the majority of members. However, the Australian Democrats, and recently other minor parties, have held the balance of power for most of the past 20 years. If the Government fails to command a majority in the House of Representatives it must ask the Governor-General to authorize an election or resign. It need not, however, command a majority in the Senate. Senators are generally elected for six-year terms. Each Minister of State is responsible to Parliament for the operation of a department, in some cases jointly with other ministers. The amalgamation of departments in the past decade has resulted in the assignment of responsibilities in the larger departments to a portfolio minister, assisted by one or more ministers within the same portfolio. There are many statutory agencies, corporations, tribunals and commissions in the federal public sector, all responsible to particular ministers. Australia is one of the few countries to adopt compulsory voting at the national and state level and to have a permanent electoral commission charged with overseeing fair elections and regular redistribution of the boundaries of electorates for the House of Representatives. This ensures, as nearly as practicable, the same number of electors in each electorate. The Australian Electoral Commission also administers public funding provisions for registered political parties and eligible independents. Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1379
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