COUNTRY PERSPECTIVE
The shortest useful version of how power works here.
Government is formed by the party or coalition able to command support in the House of Representatives.
Government is formed by the party or coalition able to command support in the House of Representatives. Ministers sit in Parliament and are accountable to it under responsible-government conventions.
The Senate represents the states equally and is a powerful elected upper house.
The Senate represents the states equally and is a powerful elected upper house. Both chambers participate in legislation, while government is formed in and depends on the House of Representatives.
The Constitution divides legislative authority between the Commonwealth and the states.
The Constitution divides legislative authority between the Commonwealth and the states. The High Court interprets the Constitution and resolves federal disputes.
Some political words change meaning across countries. These are the distinctions worth knowing first.
Australia’s Liberal Party is a centre-right party; “Liberal” in its name therefore does not carry the usual US centre-left meaning.
Labor, liberal, conservative, agrarian, green and populist traditions interact with federal and state politics.
Labor, liberal, conservative, agrarian, green and populist traditions interact with federal and state politics. Preferential voting and compulsory voting also shape competition differently from many other democracies.
Enough structure to make the rest of the page intelligible.
Only the events that help explain how today’s system got here.
Six colonies federated under the Australian Constitution, creating the Commonwealth and a national Parliament.
Proportional representation was introduced for Senate elections, helping produce a more plural upper chamber.
Voters overwhelmingly approved constitutional changes concerning the federal government’s powers and population counting relating to Aboriginal Australians.
Legislation completed the removal of remaining constitutional links that allowed UK institutions to legislate for Australian states or hear specified appeals.
Current-data work still open: Current office holders · Current House and Senate composition and party profiles · Latest federal election and turnout · Indigenous constitutional and representation debates · Democracy, rights and civic-space dimensions