Australias Government

• 1.Australias Government Unit 10 Notes

2. Government Systems & Types A Brief Review 3. GovernmentSystems-- Whose Got the Power?

• Unitary --power is held by one central authority

• Confederation --association of independent states that agree to certain limitations on their freedoms by joining together

• Federal --power is divided between central authority & several regional authorities

• Which system does Australia have?

4. Government Types -- How Do Citizens Participate?

• Autocratic -- 1 person possesses unlimited power & citizens have limited role in government

• Oligarchic -- small group exercises control & citizens have limited role in government

• Democratic --supreme power is vested in the people & exercised by them directly or indirectly though a system of representation involving free elections

• Which type does Australia have?

5. Two Types of Democratic Governments

• Parliamentary -- a system of government having the real executive power vested in a cabinet composed of members of the legislature who elect the leader

• • Leader works with or through the legislature

• Presidential --system of government in which the leader is constitutionally independent of the legislature

• • Leader works separate from legislature

• • *Which type of democracy does Australia have?

6. Australias Government

• Federation (federal system)

• Parliamentary Democracy

• Constitutional Monarchy

7. Leadership

• 1.Head of State: Monarchof the United Kingdom (presently, Queen Elizabeth II); little political power

• 2.Governor General : stands in for the monarch

• 3.Prime Minister : holds the most political power; works closely with the legislature

8. Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth II 9. Her ExcellencyThe Right HonorableQuentin Bryce (Governor General) Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth II 10. The Right HonorableKevin Rudd (Prime Minister) 11. How the Leader is Chosen

• Governor General:appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister; serves a 5 year term

• Prime Minister : is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons; indirectly elected by the people

12. Legislature: Parliament

• Senate(76 seats): there are 12 members from each state and 2 from each territory.

• • State senators are elected every 6 years and territory senators every 3 years.

• • House of Representatives(152 seats): members are directly elected by the people

• • largest political party in the House elects the Prime Minister

13. Role of Citizen in Government

• Citizens must be 18 to vote

• If you do not vote you must pay a fine