# Government & Constitution of Australia

**Parent:** [Australia.md](../Australia.md)  
**Authoritative source:** [Parliament of Australia](https://www.aph.gov.au) · [Constitution](https://www.aph.gov.au/constitution)

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## System of Government

Australia is a **constitutional monarchy** and a **federal parliamentary democracy**. Power is divided between the Commonwealth (federal) government and six state governments.

| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Head of State | The Monarch of Australia (King Charles III), represented by the Governor-General |
| Head of Government | Prime Minister |
| Legislature | Bicameral Parliament of Australia |
| Upper House | Senate — 76 senators (12 per state, 2 per territory) |
| Lower House | House of Representatives — 151 members |
| Judiciary | High Court of Australia (final court of appeal) |
| System | Westminster-derived parliamentary system |
| Electoral system | Preferential voting (lower house); Proportional representation (senate) |

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## The Constitution

- **Full title:** Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (UK)
- **Effective date:** 1 January 1901
- **Amendment process:** Section 128 — requires a national referendum with a double majority (national majority + majority in at least four of six states)
- **Chapters:** 8 chapters covering Parliament, Executive, Judicature, Finance, States, New States, Miscellaneous, Alteration
- **Read online:** [aph.gov.au/constitution](https://www.aph.gov.au/constitution)

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## Federal Executive

| Role | Authority |
|---|---|
| Governor-General | Appointed by the Monarch on PM's advice; exercises reserve powers |
| Prime Minister | Leader of the party/coalition commanding lower house confidence |
| Federal Executive Council | Formal body that advises the Governor-General |
| Cabinet | Senior ministers; not mentioned in the Constitution but central to governance |

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## Key Federal Bodies

| Body | Function | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Parliament of Australia | Legislative branch | [aph.gov.au](https://www.aph.gov.au) |
| High Court of Australia | Apex court | [hcourt.gov.au](https://www.hcourt.gov.au) |
| Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) | Administers federal elections | [aec.gov.au](https://www.aec.gov.au) |
| Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) | Public service oversight | [apsc.gov.au](https://www.apsc.gov.au) |
| National Archives of Australia | Government records | [naa.gov.au](https://www.naa.gov.au) |

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## Political Parties (major)

| Party | Ideology | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Labor Party (ALP) | Centre-left, social democracy | [alp.org.au](https://www.alp.org.au) |
| Liberal Party of Australia | Centre-right, economic liberalism | [liberal.org.au](https://www.liberal.org.au) |
| National Party of Australia | Agrarian conservatism | [nationals.org.au](https://www.nationals.org.au) |
| Australian Greens | Green politics, progressivism | [greens.org.au](https://greens.org.au) |

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## Authoritative Sources

| Resource | URL |
|---|---|
| Parliament of Australia | <https://www.aph.gov.au> |
| Full text of the Constitution | <https://www.aph.gov.au/constitution> |
| High Court of Australia | <https://www.hcourt.gov.au> |
| Federal Register of Legislation | <https://www.legislation.gov.au> |
| Australian Electoral Commission | <https://www.aec.gov.au> |