©2011 Clairmont Press

Australia’s Federation Australia distributes

power through different divisions or levels of government. National Government

(Capital: Canberra) The Provincial or

Territorial Governments: New South Wales South Australia Victoria Western Australia Queensland Tasmania Northern Territory &

Australian Capital Territory

Australia’s Parliamentary Democracy

Executive Branch Head of Government (Chief

Executive) Prime Minister

Appointed member of the legislative branch (House of Representatives)

Chief of State (Head of State) Constitutional Monarch

Currently: Her Majesty Queen of Australia Elizabeth II She is also the Queen of Great

Britain, Canada, and Jamaica Her power is largely symbolic,

she is limited in power by the constitution of Australia.

Governor General Appointed by the constitutional

monarch at the request of the prime minister

Legislative Branch Upper House:

Senate 76 seats

12 members from each state and 2 from each territory

House of Representatives 150 seats

Representation determined by population totals

Prime Minister is the leading member of the majority party in the House of Representatives.

He or she chooses cabinet members from the House of Representatives

Australia Government