INTRODUCTION
This chapter was contributed by the Politics and Public Administration Section of Library of the Commonwealth Parliament (September 2005).
Australia has a federal system of government within which there are four divisions - Commonwealth, state, territory and local.
This chapter outlines the basic features of the Australian system of government, including:
- the constitutional basis of government
- the Commonwealth Parliament
- the Australian Government
- the Australian Public Service
- territory government - self-governing
- territory government - non-self governing
It also provides details of the Commonwealth ministry, and of the state and territory government leaders.