View source for Australian Government

{{Short description|Federal executive government of Australia}}
{{About|the federal executive government of Australia|the political structure of Australia|Politics of Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{ Infobox executive government
 | border = federal
 | government_name = Commonwealth Government
 | image = [[File:Australian Government - Logo.svg|250px|class=skin-invert]]
 | image_size = 250px
 | date_established = {{Start date and age|1901|01|01|df=yes}}
 | country = [[Australia]]
 | leader_title = [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] ([[Anthony Albanese]])
 | appointed = [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor-General]] ([[Sam Mostyn]]) on the [[Advice (constitutional law)|advice]] of the prime minister
 | main_organ = [[Cabinet of Australia|Cabinet]]
 | ministries = 16 [[List of Australian Government entities|ministerial departments]]
 | responsible = [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]/[[Commonwealth Parliament]]{{efn|The precise responsibility of the government to House versus the Parliament as a whole is disputed. See [[1975 Australian Constitutional Crisis]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bach |first=Stanley |title=Platypus and Parliament: the Australian Senate in Theory and Practice |date=2003 |publisher=Department of the Senate |isbn=978-0-642-71291-2 |location=Canberra, ACT |language=en |chapter=The Crisis of 1974–75 |chapter-url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Practice_and_Procedure/platparl/c04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/Government_and_Parliament |title=House of Representatives Practice |date=10 May 2018 |publisher=[[Department of the House of Representatives (Australia)|Department of the House of Representatives]] |edition=7th |location=[[Canberra]], [[Australia]] |publication-date=10 May 2018 |language=en-au |chapter=Government and Parliament}}</ref>}}
 | budget = {{Increase}} $668.1 billion (2023–24)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chalmers |first=Jim |date=9 May 2023 |title=Budget Paper 1: Budget Strategy and Outlook |url=https://budget.gov.au/content/bp1/download/bp1_2023-24_230727.pdf |access-date=11 March 2024 |website=Australian Government Budget 2023–24 |page=90}}</ref>
 | address = Executive wing, [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House]], [[Canberra]]
 | url = {{URL|directory.gov.au/portfolios|Government Directory}}
 | background_color = #00843d
 }}
{{Politics of Australia sidebar}}

The '''Australian Government''', also known as the '''Commonwealth Government''' or simply as the '''federal government''', is the national [[Executive (government)|executive]] government of [[Australia]], a [[federalism|federal]] [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[constitutional monarchy]]. The executive consists of the [[Prime Minister of Australia|prime minister]], [[Cabinet of Australia|cabinet ministers]] and other ministers that currently have the support of a majority of the members of the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Infosheet 19 - The House, government and opposition |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/infosheets/19 |access-date=2 March 2024 |website=Australian Parliament House}}</ref> (the lower house) and also includes the [[Australian Government#Departments|departments]] and other [[List of Australian Government entities|executive bodies]] that ministers oversee.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=13 October 2023 |title=Government |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/parliament-and-its-people/government/government/ |website=Parliamentary Education Office |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=15 November 2023 |archive-date=15 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115011547/https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/parliament-and-its-people/government/government/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Albanese government|current executive government]] consists of [[Anthony Albanese]] and other ministers of the [[Australian Labor Party]] (ALP), in office since the [[2022 Australian federal election|2022 federal election]].{{Refn|Colloquially, all members of the parliamentary party that support the current government are described as ''members of the government'', however only ministers formally belong to the ''executive government''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 Dec 2023 |title=Which members of the government are considered a part of the Executive government and the Cabinet? |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/your-questions-on-notice/questions/which-members-of-the-government-are-considered-a-part-of-the-executive-government-and-the-cabinet |website=Parliamentary Education Office |publisher=Australian Government}}</ref>}}

The [[Prime Minister of Australia|prime minister]] is the [[Head of government|head of the federal government]] and is a role which exists by constitutional convention, rather than by law. They are appointed to the role by the [[Governor-General of Australia|governor-general]] (the federal representative of the [[Monarchy of Australia|monarch of Australia]]).<ref name=":9" /> The governor-general normally appoints the [[parliamentary leader]] who commands the confidence of a majority of the [[Member of parliament|members]] of the House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About the House of Representatives |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/About_the_House_of_Representatives |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227085821/http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/About_the_House_of_Representatives |archive-date=2012-02-27 |access-date=2023-06-03 |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]] |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=The role of the Governor-General |url=https://www.gg.gov.au/about-governor-general/role-governor-general |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701052339/https://www.gg.gov.au/about-governor-general/role-governor-general |archive-date=2019-07-01 |website=[[The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia]]}}</ref> Also by convention, the prime minister is a member of the lower house.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=31 October 2023 |title=Prime Minister |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/parliament-and-its-people/people-in-parliament/prime-minister/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026065221/https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/parliament-and-its-people/people-in-parliament/prime-minister/ |archive-date=26 October 2023 |access-date=26 November 2023 |website=Parliamentary Education Office}}</ref>

The prime minister and their sworn ministers form the [[Cabinet of Australia|cabinet]], the key decision-making organ of the government that makes policy and decides the agenda of the government.<ref name=":7" /> Members of the government can exercise both [[legislative power]] (through their control of the parliament) and executive power (as ministers on behalf of the governor-general and the monarch).<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 November 2023 |title=Ministers and shadow ministers |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/parliament-and-its-people/people-in-parliament/ministers-and-shadow-ministers/ |website=Parliamentary Education Office |access-date=26 November 2023 |archive-date=12 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212083041/https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/parliament-and-its-people/people-in-parliament/ministers-and-shadow-ministers/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, in accordance with [[responsible government]], and to ensure accountability, actions of the government in its executive capacity are subject to scrutiny from parliament.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=10 November 2023 |title=Cabinet |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/parliament-and-its-people/government/cabinet/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126130413/https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/parliament-and-its-people/government/cabinet/ |archive-date=26 November 2023 |access-date=26 November 2023 |website=Parliamentary Education Office}}</ref>

The Australian Government is headquartered in the executive wing of [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House]], located in the nation's capital, [[Canberra]], in the [[Australian Capital Territory]]. The head offices of all the federal departments are also located in Canberra.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australian Capital Territory |url=https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/Destinations/australian-capital-territory |url-status=live |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20200526201310/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/181094/20200527-0017/www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/Destinations/australian-capital-territory.html |archive-date=26 May 2020 |access-date= |website=Study Australia |publisher=[[Australian Trade and Investment Commission]] |via=}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

== Name ==
The name of the government in the [[Constitution of Australia]] is the "Government of the Commonwealth".<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Constitution of Australia}} s 4.</ref> This was the name used in many early federal government publications.<ref name=":0" /> 

However, in 1965 [[Robert Menzies]] indicated his preference for the name "Australian Government" in order to prevent confusion with the new [[Commonwealth of Nations]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=20 October 1965 |title=Question: Commonwealth of Australia |url=https://www.historichansard.net/hofreps/1965/19651020_reps_25_hor48/ |magazine=House of Representatives Official Hansard |page=1976 |volume=1965 |issue=42}}</ref> The [[Whitlam government]] legislated the use of "Government of Australia" in 1973 in line with its policy of promoting national goals and aspirations.{{Efn|Whitlam had previously argued in Parliament that the term ''Commonwealth'' "is thought to indicate that we are still dependent on Britain" and that the use of a variety of terms including "National", "Federal", "Commonwealth" and "Australian" was irrational and confusing.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://historichansard.net/hofreps/1966/19661020_reps_25_hor53/ |title=Parliamentary Debates: House of Representatives Official Hansard |date=20 October 1966 |page=2048}}</ref> Later Country Party Senator [[Tom Drake-Brockman|Drake-Brockman]] accused the Whitlam Government of favouring the term ''Australian'' due to the government's wish for a unitary, rather than federal, political structure. However, government Senator [[Lionel Murphy]] stated that the change occurred due to a "loss of identity of Australia" following the emergence of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] and that the new name "is paralleling the feelings of nationalism which are arising in Australia".<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://historichansard.net/senate/1973/19731018_senate_28_s57/#debate-3 |title=Parliamentary Debates: Senate Official Hansard |date=18 October 1973 |page=1318}}</ref>}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Curran |first=James |title=The Power of Speech, Australian Prime Ministers defining the national image |publisher=Melbourne University Press |year=2004 |isbn=0522850987 |pages=89–90}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |date=1974 |title=The term 'Australian Government' |url=https://anzlaw.thomsonreuters.com/Document/I75f19bd79c4b11ea89ea91c88091df40/View/FullText.html |journal=[[Australian Law Journal]] |volume=48 |issue=1 |pages=1–3 |url-access=subscription |via=Westlaw}}</ref> However, academic [[Anne Twomey (academic)|Anne Twomey]] argues that the government was also motivated by a desire to blur the differences between the Commonwealth and the states in an attempt to increase federal power.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Twomey |first=Anne |url=https://archive.org/details/chameleoncrownqu0000twom |title=The Chameleon Crown |publisher=Federation Press |year=2006 |location=Sydney |pages=113–14 |isbn=978-1-86287-629-3 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> The Parliament of Australia website also notes that the name "Australian Government" is preferable in order to avoid confusion with the Commonwealth of Nations and the [[US federal government]] by those not familiar with Australia's system of government.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Lundie |first1=Rob |last2=Horne |first2=Nicholas |date=22 July 2020 |title='What's the difference?': explaining parliamentary terms |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2021/ExplainingParliamentaryTerms#_Toc46233600 |access-date=28 February 2024 |website=Parliament of Australia}}</ref> This terminology remains preferred by the government.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 March 2023 |title=Government terms |url=https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/grammar-punctuation-and-conventions/names-and-terms/government-terms |website=Australian Style Guide}}</ref> However, the terms Commonwealth Government and federal government are also common.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1. Introduction to Australia and its system of government |url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/corporate/protocol-guidelines/1-introduction-to-australia-and-its-system-of-government |access-date=2024-03-02 |website=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade}}</ref>

In some contexts, the term "government" refers to [[Politics of Australia|all public agencies that exercise the power of the State]], whether legislative, executive or judicial.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Quick |first1=John |url=https://archive.org/details/annotatedconstit00quicuoft/page/699/mode/1up?view=theater |title=The Annotated Constitution of the Australian Commonwealth |last2=Garran |first2=Robert |publisher=Angus & Robertson |year=1901 |location=Sydney |page=699 |language=en |author-link=John Quick (politician) |author-link2=Robert Garran |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Pyke |first=John |url= |title=Government powers under a Federal Constitution: constitutional law in Australia |date=2020 |publisher=Lawbook Co |isbn=978-0-455-24415-0 |edition=2nd |location=Pyrmont, NSW |page=3 |language=en-AU |oclc=on1140000411}}</ref>

==Executive power==
{{Essay|date=October 2024}}
The government's primary role, in its executive capacity, is to implement the laws passed by the parliament. However, laws are frequently drafted according to the interests of the executive branch as the government often also controls the legislative branch.

Unlike the other two branches of government, however, membership of the executive is not clearly defined. One definition describes the executive as a pyramid, consisting of three layers. At the top stands the king, as the symbolic apex and formal repository of executive power. Below him lies a second layer made up of the prime minister, cabinet and other ministers who in practice lead the executive. Finally, the bottom layer includes [[public servants]], police, government departments and independent [[Statutory body#Australia|statutory bodies]] who directly implement policy and laws.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Separation of powers: Parliament, Executive and Judiciary |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/system-of-government/separation-of-powers-parliament-executive-and-judiciary/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031132705/https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/system-of-government/separation-of-powers-parliament-executive-and-judiciary/ |archive-date=31 October 2023 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Parliamentary Education Office |publisher= |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Appleby |first=Gabrielle |date=2023-09-14 |title=Explainer: what is executive government and what does it have to do with the Voice to Parliament? |url=https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/business-law/explainer-what-executive-government-and-what-does-it-have-do-voice-parliament |access-date=2023-11-14 |website=UNSW Newsroom |publisher=[[University of New South Wales]] |archive-date=14 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114042412/https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/business-law/explainer-what-executive-government-and-what-does-it-have-do-voice-parliament |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Executive power]] is also difficult to clearly define. In the British context, it was defined by [[John Locke]] as all government power not [[Legislative power|legislative]] or [[Judicial power|judicial]] in nature.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Moore |first=Cameroon |title=Crown and Sword: Executive Power and the Use of Force by the Australian Defence Force |publisher=ANU Press |year=2017 |isbn=9781760461553 |location=Canberra |page=10 |doi=10.22459/CS.11.2017 |jstor=j.ctt1zgwk12.6 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The key distinction is that while legislative power involves setting down rules of general application, executive power involves applying those rules to specific situations. In practice, however, this definition is difficult to apply as many actions by executive agencies are wide-ranging, binding and conducted independently of Parliament. The executive can also be delegated legislative power through provisions allowing for [[Delegated legislation|statutory instruments]] and [[Henry VIII clauses]].<ref>{{Cite book |url= |title=Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills |date=September 2008 |publisher= The Committee|isbn=978-0-642-71951-5 |publication-date=September 2008 |language=en |chapter=Inappropriate Delegation of Legislative Power |access-date= |chapter-url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Scrutiny_of_Bills/Completed_inquiries/work41/c05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129062252/https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Scrutiny_of_Bills/Completed_inquiries/work41/c05 |archive-date=29 November 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ultimately whether power is executive or legislative is determined on a case-by-case basis, and involves the weighing up of various factors, rather than the application of a strict test.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Greentree |first=Catherine Dale |date=2020 |title=The Commonwealth Executive Power: Historical Constitutional Origins and the Future of the Prerogative |url=https://www.unswlawjournal.unsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/06-GREENTREE.pdf |journal=University of New South Wales Law Journal |volume=43 |issue=3 |doi=10.53637/GJLF5868 |access-date=14 November 2023 |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118072054/https://www.unswlawjournal.unsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/06-GREENTREE.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

As most executive power is granted by statute, the executive power of the government is similarly limited to those areas in which the Commonwealth is granted the power to legislate under the constitution (primarily under [[Section 51 of the Constitution of Australia|section 51]]). They also retain certain powers traditionally part of the [[royal prerogative]], such as the power to declare war and enter into treaties. Finally, there exists certain "nationhood powers", implied from [[Section 61 of the Constitution of Australia|section 61 of the Constitution]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stephenson |first=Peta |date=2018 |title=Nationhood and Section 61 of the Constitution |url=http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/UWALawRw/2018/21.pdf |journal=University of Western Australia Law Review |volume=43 |issue=2 |via=[[Austlii]] |access-date=14 November 2023 |archive-date=14 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114101112/http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/UWALawRw/2018/21.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> These were defined by [[High Court of Australia|High Court]] Justice [[Anthony Mason (judge)|Anthony Mason]], as powers "peculiarly adapted to the government of a nation and which cannot otherwise be carried on for the benefit of the nation".<ref>{{Cite AustLII|litigants=Victoria v Commonwealth|source=HCA|num=52|year=1975|pinpoint=para 19 of Mason J's opinion|parallelcite=(1975) 134 CLR 338}}</ref> They have been found to include the power to provide financial stimulus payments to households [[Pape v Commissioner of Taxation|during a financial crisis]]<ref>{{cite AustLII|litigants=Pape v Commissioner of Taxation|link=Pape v Commissioner of Taxation |year=2009|court=HCA|num=23|parallelcite=(2009) 238 [[Commonwealth Law Reports|CLR]] 1}}</ref> and the power to prevent "unlawful non-citizens" [[Ruddock v Vadarlis|from entering the country]].<ref>{{Cite AustLII|FCA|1329|2001|litigants=Ruddock v Vadarlis|link=Ruddock v Vadarlis|date=18 September 2001|courtname=[[Federal Court of Australia|Federal Court (Full Court)]] (Australia)|parallelcite=(2001) 110 FCR 491}}</ref>

==Ministers==
Ministers drawn from the Australian parliament form the core of the Australian Government. A subset of these ministers form the cabinet, the de facto highest executive body of the government. Ministers not part of cabinet belong to the outer ministry. Additionally, there are also assistant ministers (formally ''parliamentary secretaries''<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|mosa1952217|Ministers of State Act 1952|4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=31 May 2023 |title=Appointments revoked, appointments made by the Governor-General |url=https://www.prod.legislation.gov.au/C2023G00600/asmade/text |website=Federal Register of Legislation |publisher=Australian Government |id=Gazette ID: C2023G00600}}</ref>), responsible for a specific policy area, reporting directly to a cabinet minister.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last= York |first=Barry  |date=2015-09-24 |title=The Cabinet |url=https://www.moadoph.gov.au/blog/the-cabinet |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230626063125/https://www.moadoph.gov.au/blog/the-cabinet/ |archive-date=26 June 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=[[Museum of Australian Democracy]] at Old Parliament House |language=en |url-status=deviated }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=31 May 2022 |title=Albanese Government full Ministry |url=https://www.pm.gov.au/media/albanese-government-full-ministry |access-date=2 March 2024 |website=Prime Minister of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=House of Representatives Practice |date=June 2018 |isbn=978-1-74366-656-2 |edition=7th |at=Parliamentary Secretaries |language=en |chapter=The Ministry |chapter-url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/The%20Ministry |last1=Elder |first1=David |last2=Wright |first2=B. C. |publisher=Department of the House of Representatives }}</ref>

===Cabinet===
{{main|Cabinet of Australia}}
The cabinet consists of the prime minister and senior ministers and makes most of the important policy decisions of the government. Members of the cabinet are selected by the prime minister and may be added or removed at any time, usually through a [[cabinet reshuffle]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Cabinet |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/Cabinet |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230312021339/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/Cabinet |archive-date=12 March 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |publisher=Parliament of Australia |work=House of Representatives Practice (7th edition) |date=June 2018  |language=en-AU |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Cabinet meetings are strictly private and occur once a week where vital issues are discussed and policy formulated.  The cabinet is not a legal entity; it exists solely by convention. Its decisions do not in and of themselves have legal force. However, it serves as the practical expression of the [[Federal Executive Council (Australia)|Federal Executive Council]], which is Australia's highest formal governmental body. In practice, the Federal Executive Council meets solely to endorse and give legal force to decisions already made by the cabinet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why is it that the Prime Minister and Cabinet are not mentioned in the Australian Constitution? |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/your-questions-on-notice/questions/why-is-it-that-the-prime-minister-and-cabinet-are-not-mentioned-in-the-australian-constitution/ |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230626070043/https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/your-questions-on-notice/questions/why-is-it-that-the-prime-minister-and-cabinet-are-not-mentioned-in-the-australian-constitution/ |archive-date=26 June 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=Parliamentary Education Office |language=en |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> All members of the cabinet are members of the Executive Council. A senior member of the cabinet holds the office of vice-president of the Executive Council and acts as presiding officer of the Executive Council in the absence of the governor-general.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Federal Executive Council |work=House of Representatives Practice (7th edition) |date=June 2018 |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/Federal_Executive_Council |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230627030548/http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/Federal_Executive_Council |archive-date=27 June 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |publisher=Parliament of Australia |language=en-AU |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The cabinet meets not only in Canberra but also in state capitals, most frequently Sydney and Melbourne. [[Kevin Rudd]] was in favour of the cabinet meeting in other places, such as major regional cities.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 November 2007 |title=Cutting bureaucracy won't hurt services: Rudd |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/21/2097424.htm |access-date=28 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123120653/http://www.abc.net.au:80/news/stories/2007/11/21/2097424.htm |archive-date=2007-11-23}}</ref> There are Commonwealth Parliament Offices in each state capital, including the original [[Commonwealth Offices Building, Melbourne|Commonwealth Offices Building]] at 4 Treasury Place Melbourne, and the [[Commonwealth Parliament Offices, Sydney]] located in [[1 Bligh Street]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-30 |title=Commonwealth Parliament Offices (CPOs) |url=https://maps.finance.gov.au/commonwealth-parliament-offices-cpos |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230626051933/https://maps.finance.gov.au/commonwealth-parliament-offices-cpos |archive-date=26 June 2023 |website=Ministerial and Parliamentary Services |access-date=5 August 2023 |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Until 1956 all members of the ministry were members of the cabinet. The growth of the ministry in the 1940s and 1950s made this increasingly impractical, and in 1956 [[Robert Menzies]] created a two-tier ministry, with only senior ministers holding cabinet rank, also known within parliament as the [[front bench]]. This practice has been continued by all governments except the [[Whitlam government]].<ref name=":4" />

===Ministerial selection===

The prime minister's power to select the ministry differs depending on their party. When the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] and its predecessors (the [[Nationalist Party of Australia|Nationalist Party]] and the [[United Australia Party]]) have been in coalition with the [[National Party of Australia|National Party]] or its predecessor the [[National Party of Australia|Country Party]], the leader of the junior Coalition party has had the right to nominate their party's members of the Coalition ministry, and to be consulted by the prime minister on the allocation of their portfolios.

When [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] first held office under [[Chris Watson]], Watson assumed the right to choose members of his cabinet. In 1907, however, the party decided that future Labor cabinets would be elected by the members of the Parliamentary Labor Party (the [[Australian Labor Party Caucus|Caucus]]), with the prime minister retaining the right to allocate portfolios. This practice was followed until 2007. Between 1907 and 2007, Labor prime ministers exercised a predominant influence over who was elected to Labor ministries, although the leaders of the party factions also exercised considerable influence.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=The Ministry |work=House of Representatives Practice (7th edition) |date=June 2018 |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/The_Ministry |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230428104209/http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter2/The_Ministry |archive-date=28 April 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |publisher=Parliament of Australia |language=en-AU |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> However, in 2007 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd assumed the power to choose the ministry alone.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Worsley |first=Ben |date=11 September 2007 |title=Rudd seizes power from factions |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/29/2046939.htm |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20071015011332/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/76826/20071014-2203/www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/29/2046939.html |archive-date=2007-10-15}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Later, the caucus regained this power in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grattan |first=Michelle |date=2013-07-08 |title=No more coups against Labor PMs under new Rudd rules |url=http://theconversation.com/no-more-coups-against-labor-pms-under-new-rudd-rules-15887 |access-date= |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}}</ref> According to reporting by the ''Sydney Morning Herald'', ministerial positions are allocated by the [[Labor Left|Left]] and [[Labor Right|Right]] factions proportionally according to their representation in the Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Massola |first=James |date=2021-02-14 |title=What are Labor's factions and who's who in the Left and Right? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/what-are-labor-s-factions-and-who-s-who-in-the-left-and-right-20210210-p5718j.html |access-date= |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>

==The role of the King and the governor-general==
{{main|Monarchy of Australia|Governor-General of Australia}}

The King is not involved with the day-to-day operations of the government,<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=Infosheet 20 - The Australian system of government |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/00_-_Infosheets/Infosheet_20_-_The_Australian_system_of_government |access-date=2023-11-26 |website=Parliament of Australia |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922111623/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/00_-_Infosheets/Infosheet_20_-_The_Australian_system_of_government |url-status=live }}</ref> belonging (according to the [[Walter Bagehot|Bagehot]] formulation) to the "dignified" rather than the "efficient" part of government.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bagehot |first=Walter |url=https://archive.org/details/englishconstitut00bage/page/72 |title=The English constitution: and Other Political Essays |publisher=Appleton & Company |year=1895 |location=New York |language=en |ol=24399357M |author-link=Walter Bagehot |ol-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Pyke |first=John |title=Government powers under a Federal Constitution: Constitutional Law in Australia |publisher=Lawbook Co (Thomas Reuters) |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-455-24415-0 |edition=2nd |location=Pyrmont, NSW |pages=283–6}}</ref> While the executive power of the Commonwealth is formally vested in the monarch, the Constitution requires those powers to be exercisable by a governor-general, appointed by the monarch as their representative<ref>{{cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Constitution|62}}</ref> (but since the appointing of [[Sir Isaac Isaacs]] in 1931, always appointed according to the advice of federal ministers, rather than British ministers).<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/-/media/05_About_Parliament/53_HoR/532_PPP/Practice7/combined.pdf?la=en&hash=17DE820A4B6D7F47EA296777BF6D2F2CBD609F7C |title=House of Representatives Practice |date=June 2018 |publisher=Department of the House of Representatives |isbn=978-1-74366-654-8 |editor-last=Wright |editor-first=B. C. |edition=7th |location=Canberra, Australia |page=2 |language=en |chapter=Governor-General |editor-last2=Fowler |editor-first2=P. E. |chapter-url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About%20Parliament/House%20of%20Representatives/Powers%20practice%20and%20procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter1/7chap01_2_3.html |access-date=29 November 2023 |archive-date=20 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120051505/https://www.aph.gov.au/-/media/05_About_Parliament/53_HoR/532_PPP/Practice7/combined.pdf?hash=17DE820A4B6D7F47EA296777BF6D2F2CBD609F7C&la=en |url-status=live }}</ref> Members of the government do not exercise executive power of their own accord but are instead appointed by the governor-general as ministers, formally as the "Queen's [or King's] Ministers of State".<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Constitution of Australia|64}}</ref>{{Refn|In a similar vein, the phrase ''His/Her Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia'' was historically used occasionally in formal legal contexts to refer to the federal government.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 January 1944 |title=Australian - New Zealand Agreement 1944 |url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/historical-documents/Pages/volume-07/26-australian-new-zealand-agreement-1944 |website=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |publisher=Australian Government}}</ref><ref>''Van Heyningen v Netherlands-Indies Government'' [1949] St R Qd 54.</ref><ref>''Trade Agreement between the Governments of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland'' [https://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/other/dfat/treaties/ATS/1955/10.html?context=1;query=%22Her%20majesty%27s%20government%22;mask_path=au/other/dfat/treaties {{bracket|1955}} ATS 5]</ref>}} As such, while government ministers make most major decisions in cabinet, if those decisions require the formal endorsement of the governor-general in council, those decisions do not have legal force until approved by the [[Federal Executive Council (Australia)|Federal Executive Council]], which is presided over by the governor-general.

Similarly, laws passed by both houses of parliament require [[royal assent]] before being enacted, as the monarch is a constituent part of the Parliament.<ref>{{cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Constitution}} s 1; {{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Constitution|58}}</ref>

However, in all these cases, except for certain reserve powers, the King and the governor-general must follow the advice of the prime minister or other ministers in the exercise of his powers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who has more power, the Governor-General or the Prime Minister? |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/your-questions-on-notice/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230325134058/https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/your-questions-on-notice/questions/who-has-more-power-the-governor-general-or-the-prime-minister/ |archive-date=25 March 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=The Parliamentary Education Office (PEO) |language=en}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Powers subject to the governor-general's discretion are known as ''reserve powers.'' While certain reserve powers, such as the ability to choose the prime minister most likely to command the confidence of the lower house, are uncontroversial, others are subject to much greater debate. The most notable example of their use occurring in [[the Dismissal]] of 1975. In that case, the Governor-General [[John Kerr (Governor-General)|Sir John Kerr]] dismissed the prime minister and government due to his conclusion that the government had failed to secure supply.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What are reserve powers? |url=https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/your-questions-on-notice/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230312065832/https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/your-questions-on-notice/questions/what-are-reserve-powers/ |archive-date=12 March 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=The Parliamentary Education Office (PEO) |language=en}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Reserve Powers and the Whitlam dismissal |url=https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/constitution/reserve-powers-and-the-whitlam-dismissal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20220318123154/https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/constitution/reserve-powers-and-the-whitlam-dismissal/ |archive-date=18 March 2022 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=Rule of Law Education Centre |language=en-AU}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The propriety of the use of the powers during that event remain highly contested.

== Federal Executive Council ==
{{main|Federal Executive Council (Australia)}}
The Federal Executive Council is the body that formally advises the governor-general in the exercise of executive power. Decisions of the body give legal effect to decisions already deliberated at cabinet. All current and formers ministers are members of the council, although only current ministers are summoned to meetings. The [[Governor-General of Australia|governor-general]] usually presides at council meetings, but in his or her absence another minister nominated as the [[Vice-President of the Executive Council |vice-president of the Executive Council]] presides at the meeting of the council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Federal Executive Council Handbook 2021 |url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/resource/download/executive-council-handbook-2021.pdf |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230303084148/https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/resource/download/executive-council-handbook-2021.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Australia |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Since 1 June 2022, the vice-president has been senator [[Katy Gallagher]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Senator Katy Gallagher, ACT  |url=https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senator/katy_gallagher/act |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20230311033920/http://www.openaustralia.org.au/senator/katy_gallagher/act |archive-date=11 March 2023 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=OpenAustralia.org |publisher=[[OpenAustralia Foundation]] |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Departments==
{{see also|List of Australian Government entities}}

{{As of|2025|5|13}}, there are 16 departments of the Australian Government.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2025|title=Administrative Arrangements Order |url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2025Q00003/asmade/text |access-date=19 May 2025 |website=Federal Register of Legislation |publisher=Australian Government}}</ref><ref name=portfolio>{{Cite web |title=Portfolios |url=https://www.directory.gov.au/portfolios |access-date=19 May 2025 |website=Australian Government Directory}}</ref>

* [[Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)|Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry]]
* [[Attorney-General's Department (Australia)|Attorney-General's Department]]
* [[Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water]]
* [[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]]
* [[Department of Education (Australia)|Department of Education]]
* [[Department of Employment and Workplace Relations]]
* [[Department of Finance (Australia)|Department of Finance]]
* [[Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)|Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade]]
* [[Department of Health, Disability and Ageing]]
* [[Department of Home Affairs (Australia)|Department of Home Affairs]]
* [[Department of Industry, Science and Resources]]
* [[Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts]]
* [[Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet]]
* [[Department of Social Services (Australia)|Department of Social Services]]
* [[Department of the Treasury (Australia)|Department of the Treasury]]
* [[Department of Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Department of Veterans' Affairs]]

Additionally, there are four departments which support the [[Parliament of Australia]]:<ref name="parldepts">{{cite web|title=Parliamentary Departments|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments|url-status=live|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20210605134005/http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments|archive-date=2021-06-05|access-date=17 July 2021|website=[[Parliament of Australia]]|publisher=Parliament of Australia|via=[[National Library of Australia]]}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name=portfolio/>
* [[Department of Parliamentary Services]]
* [[Clerk of the Australian House of Representatives|Department of the House of Representatives]]
* [[Department of the Senate]]
* [[Parliamentary Budget Office]]

==Publicly owned entities==

===Corporations prescribed by acts of parliament===
The following corporations are prescribed by acts of Parliament:

* [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|abca1983361|Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983}}</ref> 
* [[Clean Energy Finance Corporation]]<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|cefca2012297|Clean Energy Finance Corporation Act 2012}}</ref> 
* [[Special Broadcasting Service]]<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|sbsa1991254|Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991}}</ref>

===Government Business Enterprises===
{{As of|2024|3}}, the following Corporate Commonwealth entities are prescribed as Government Business Enterprises (GBEs):<ref name="gbe">{{Cite web |date=27 September 2023 |title=Government Business Enterprises |url=https://www.finance.gov.au/government/government-business-enterprises |website=Department of Finance |publisher=Australian Government}}</ref>

* [[Australia Post]]
* [[Defence Housing Australia]]

The following Commonwealth companies are prescribed as GBEs:<ref name="gbe"/>
* [[ASC Pty Ltd|Australian Submarine Corporation]]
* Australian Naval Infrastructure
* [[Australian Rail Track Corporation]] 
* National Intermodal Corporation
* [[NBN Co]]
* [[Snowy Hydro Limited|Snowy Hydro]]
* [[Western Sydney Airport]]
* [[CEA Technologies]]

===Other public non-financial corporations===
* [[Airservices Australia]]

==See also==
{{portal|Australia|Government}}
* [[Australian Public Service]]
* [[Referendums in Australia]]
* [[States and territories of Australia]]
* [[Timeline of the expansion of federal powers in Australia]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Library resources box|by=no|onlinebooks=no|about=yes|wikititle=government of Australia}}
* {{URL|directory.gov.au|Australian government directory}}
* {{URL|aph.gov.au|Parliament of Australia website}}

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