7. Federal government

Constitutional Monarchy

Australia is a federal state , consisting of six states (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia) , two mainland territories (Australian Capital Territory: Canberra, Northern Territory), and eight external territories (Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Australian Antarctic Territory (6,1 million sq km), Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island).

The Australian Constitution provided a federal system with a strong central government. A federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent parts (states, territories), with some rights reserved to each. The system of the federal government in Australia was established in 1901. The official title of the country is Commonwealth of Australia. In fact, Australia is a parliamentary democracy with a parliamentary government.

Australia is a member-nation of the Commonwealth of Nations, an association of fifty-four states (formerly the British colonies and dependencies). The Queen of England is Head of this Commonwealth. Therefore, Australia is known also as a constitutional monarchy, where the Queen is represented by a Governor-General appointed by her on the advice of the Australian government and completely independent of the British government. The Governor-General embodies the executive power, however, he usually acts on the advice of the prime minister.

Parliament

The Australian Constitution grants all the legislative powers of the federal government to the federal Parliament, which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives comprises 148 members, representing their constituencies, into which the country is divided. The Senate, the smaller House, is composed of 12 members from each of the six states and 2 members each from the ACT and the Northern Territory. The total number of senators is 76. Senators represent specific interests of their states and territories.

Both houses must give their assent to a bill before it becomes law. But the power of the Senate is not as great as that of the House of Representatives. Financial bills, including taxation and expenditure, are always introduced in the House of Representatives, and the Senate may not reject such bills. Persistent obstruction may lead to dissolution of both houses.

The Australian Parliament, the supreme legislative body, is responsible for introducing and passing federal legislation. Either the House of Representatives or the Senate may introduce bills, and when passed in both houses they become Acts of Parliament.

When the bill has passed both Houses, it is sent to the Governor-General for assent. By tradition, the Governor-General accepts the bill and it becomes law.

The chief officer of the House of Representatives is the Speaker, who presides over the House when it is in full session. The Speaker is elected by members at the beginning of a session.

The chief officer, presiding over debates in the Senate is known as the President of the Senate.

Each parliamentary session is opened by the Governor-General with a speech announcing the government plans. This procedure takes place in the Senate, to which members of the House of Representatives are invited.

Government

The Australian Constitution has established federal parliamentary government based on the party system. At least four major political parties are represented today in the Parliament: the Liberal Party, the Australian Labour Party, the National Party of Australia and the Australian Democrats. The party which wins more seats at a general election usually forms the government. Formally, the Governor-General appoints the leader of the leader of the majority party, or coalition of parties, as Prime Minister, head of the government. All other federal ministers are also appointed by Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Ministers are always members of the House of Representatives or the Senate. Ministers play a leading role in parliamentary debates and in passing bills through the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The government plays a vital part in controlling and arranging the business of Parliament. As head of the government the Prime Minister not only must possess initiative, but be able to organize others and get his policies accepted and pushed through Parliament.

Australia is a federal state and the Constitution provides the division of power between the national, federal government, and the state, territory government. The federal and state governments operate to a large extent independently, without much direct contact with each other.

Local Government

The state government has the power to pass bills on almost any matter relevant to that state. However, the Australian Constitution provides, that if a state law comes into a conflict with a federal law, the federal legislation prevails.

Five of the six states parliaments consist of two houses: a Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly. Queensland has a one-house legislature, a Legislative Assembly.

The chief executive of a state is the governor, who represents the British monarch. Formally he is head of the state government, consisting of a Cabinet of ministers. The actual power is in the hands of the Cabinet.

The chief functions of Australian local government are street building and maintenance, public works, health services and others, though education and police are beyond the responsibility of local authorities.

NEW ZEALAND

Territory: 270,000 square kilometers

Population: 3,5 million people

Capital: Wellington

National Day: 6 February – Waitangi Day

National symbols:

The national anthem of New Zealand is God Defend New Zealand, written in the early 1870s by Thomas Bracken (words) and John Woods (music). It was first publicly performed in 1876, although it had remained unofficial until 1977. This year God Defend New Zealand was given equal status with the other, official anthem of the country, God Save the Queen, the national anthem of the United Kingdom.

The national flag of New Zealand was adopted in 1901. It includes the British national flag, symbolic of New Zealand’s historic link to Great Britain, which occupies the top left-hand corner. Against a blue field on the right half of the flag is the Southern Cross, a constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

Coat of arms of New Zealand was adopted in 1956. It depicts a white woman and a Maori man standing on leaves of fern and looking at each other over a shield with five badges. Five badges on the shield represent three sailing vessels, the Southern Cross, a wheat sheaf, two mining hammers, and fleece; the shield supports the Crown of St. Edward.