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To understand
what a State or Federal Election means, it is important to cover the basic
principles of government hierarchy in Australia.
The Federation was the name
given to the process when the then six separate British colonies of NSW, QLD,
SA, TAS, VIC and WA came under the new term the Commonwealth of Australia
and thus the former colonies became States of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Keep in mind that there is a Federal Parliament in Canberra and a State
parliament in each of the 6 States.
Several failed attempts were made during the
second half of the 1800's to consolidate the colonies and during the 1890's,
Constitutional conventions were held which drafted the Australian Constitution.
The Australian Constitution was an important document which mixed the best of the British
Westminister system of government and the American model of US Congress. With
the Constitution decided and by referendum of the citizens of the colonies,
Australia became a Federation on 1st January 1901.
Over 106 years later, Australia, as a nation,
remains true to many principles of the Federation. [Though many new
good and bad laws at every level and State have been developed since. Ed.]
Australia is divided into zonal
entities of:-
- 6 States - NSW, QLD,
SA, TAS, VIC & WA and
- 10 Territories, composed
of:-
- 3 mainland Territories - ACT, Jervis Bay & NT and
- 7 offshore Territories (Ashmore & Cartier Islands,
Australian Antarctic Territory, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Coco
(Keeling) Islands, Coral Seas Islands and Heard & McDonald Islands).
See
here.
Within each of these States or Territories are
further zones of division called electorates. A single electorate is
headed by a single member of Parliament. Electorates are also called "seats".
Each State or Territory has a body of authority and associated sub-authorities
in accordance with the various acts and regulations that define their powers
and existence. The Australian Constitution is the overriding document that lays
down these powers and their order of authority with respect to the citizen.
National level government is divided into 2 entities - the Senate and the
House of Representatives. At the State level, within
each State Parliament is the same 2 tier system generally broken down as the
Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly, although in some states such
as SA and TAS, the Legislative Assembly is called the House of Assembly.
3rd level State authority is your local or municipal council offices. See Table below.
| State or Territory |
Electorate/
Divisions/Seats |
Leadership |
Parliament |
Powers of Conference |
|
Her Royal Majesty, the
Queen |
|
National
/Commonwealth |
Total: 150 (2004)
Map of the 150 Divisions
|
1. Head of State and Commonwealth:
Governor-General
2. Head of Government:
Prime Minister
|
1. Upper House: Senate
6 states
x 12 senators
(Term: 6 years) plus
2 x (from each self-governing territories - ACT & NT)
76
2. Lower House: House of Representatives
150
(Term: 3 years) |
1. Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 Referendum (Machinery
Provisions) Act 1984.
2. 150 elected from single member Electorates or Divisions |
|
NSW |
Total: 50 (2004)
Banks, Barton, Bennelong, Berowra, Blaxland, Bradfield, Calare,
Charlton, Chifley, Cook, Cowper, Cunningham, Dobell, Eden-Monaro, Farrer,
Fowler, Gilmore, Grayndler, Greenway, Gwydir, Hughes, Hume, Hunter,
Kingsford-Smith, Lindsay, Lowe, Lyne, Macarthur, Mackellar, Macquarie,
Mitchell, New England, Newcastle, North Sydney, Page, Parkes, Parramatta,
Paterson, Prospect, Reid, Richmond, Riverina, Robertson, Shortland,
Sydney, Throsby, Warringah, Watson, Wentworth, Werriwa |
1. Head of State:
Governor
2. Leader of Government:
Premier |
Bicameral - 4 year Fixed Term
1. Legislative Council
2. Legislative Assembly
----------------------------3. Local Councils |
1 & 2. Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912.
Constitution Act 1902
3. Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) |
|
VIC |
Total: 37 (2004)
Aston, Ballarat, Batman, Bendigo, Bruce, Calwell, Casey, Chisholm,
Corangamite, Corio, Deakin, Dunkley, Flinders, Gellibrand, Gippsland,
Goldstein, Gorton, Higgins, Holt, Hotham, Indi, Isaacs, Jagajaga,
Kooyong, Lalor, La Trobe, McEwen, McMillan, Mallee, Maribyrnong,
Melbourne, Melbourne Ports, Menzies, Murray, Scullin, Wannon, Wills |
1. Head of State:
Governor
2. Leader of Government:
Premier
|
Bicameral - 4 year Fixed Term
1. Legislative Council
2. Legislative Assembly
----------------------------3. Local Councils
|
1. The Constitution Act Amendment Act 1958. Constitution Act 1975.
2. Same as Legislative Council
3. Local Government Act 1989 |
| QLD |
Total: 28 (2004)
Blair, Bonner, Bowman, Brisbane, Capricornia, Dawson, Dickson, Fadden,
Fairfax, Fisher, Forde,
Griffith, Groom, Herbert, Hinkler, Kennedy, Leichhardt, Lilley, Longman,
Maranoa, McPherson,
Moncrieff, Moreton, Oxley, Petrie, Rankin, Ryan, Wide Bay |
1. Head of State:
Governor
2. Leader of Government:
Premier
|
Unicameral - 3 year term
1. Legislative Assembly
----------------------------
2. Local Councils
[Note: The Legislative Council was abolished in QLD in 1922]
|
1. Electoral Act 1992.
Referendums Act 1997.
2. Local Government Act 1989. City of Brisbane Act 1924. |
|
WA
|
Total: 15 (2004)
Brand, Canning, Cowan, Curtin, Forrest, Fremantle, Hasluck, Kalgoorlie,
Moore, O'Connor, Pearce, Perth, Stirling, Swan, Tangney |
1. Head of State:
Governor
2. Leader of Government:
Premier |
Bicameral - 4 year Term
1. Legislative Council
2. Legislative Assembly
----------------------------3. Local Councils |
1 & 2. Electoral Act 1907 and some aspects of the
Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1899.
3. Local Government Act 1995 |
SA |
Total: 11 (2004)
Adelaide, Barker, Boothby, Grey, Hindmarsh, Kingston, Makin, Mayo, Port
Adelaide, Sturt, Wakefield |
1. Head of State:
Governor
2. Leader of Government:
Premier |
Bicameral - 4 year Term
1. Legislative Council
2. House of Assembly
----------------------------3. Local Councils |
1 & 2. Electoral Act 1985.
3. Local Government Act 1999.
Local Government (Elections) Act 1999 & Regulations.
Local Government (Implementations) Act 1999.
City of Adelaide Act 1998. |
| TAS |
Total: 5 (2004)
Bass, Braddon, Denison, Franklin, Lyons |
1. Head of State:
Governor
2. Leader of Government:
Premier
|
Bicameral - 4 year Term
1. Legislative Council
2. Legislative Assembly
----------------------------3. Local Councils |
1. Constitution Act 1985.
Electoral Act 1985.
2. Constitution Act 1985.
Electoral Act 1985.
3. Local Government Act 1993. |
|
NT |
Total: 2 (2004)
Lingiari [Note Lingiari covers Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling)
Islands]
Solomon
|
1. Head of State:
Administrator
2. Leader of Government:
Chief Minister |
Bicameral - 4 year Term
1. Legislative Council
2. Legislative Assembly
----------------------------3. Local Councils |
1. Northern Territory Self Government Act 1978.
2. Northern Territory Electoral Act 1995.
3. Municipal Councils
Local Government Act, Local Government (Electoral ) Regulations 1996,
Local Government Act, Respective Community Government Scheme. |
|
ACT |
Total: 2 (2004)
Canberra and Fraser [Note Fraser covers Jervis Bay]
|
1. Head of State:
Governor-General
2. Leader of Government:
Chief Minister |
Unicameral - 3 year term
Legislative Assembly only |
1. Electoral Act 1992
Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1994.
2. Australian Capital Territory (Self Government) Act 1988
[Self Government Act? I'm going to have to have a look at this one! Ed.] |
Table 1. Australian Government
hierarchy.
Federal Elections
A number of processes take place prior to the decision of when
a Federal Election is to take place. See
here.
When a Federal Election is held, its scope is easy to remember as its relates to
the powers created and defined at the Federation by our Constitution.
A Federal election is held in Australia every 3 years and is thus one which
citizens are asked to cast their votes for both the Upper House and the Lower
House, namely the Senate and the House of Representatives.
- Senate. An Australian Senators holds their
position for 6 years. At every Federal Election half of the Senate is
re-voted for. Thus 36 senatorial positions will be voted on.
- House of Representatives. All 150 Members of
Parliament in all Divisions are re-voted for every 3 years.
As government itself is a dynamic entity,
"seats" are either vied to be kept or vying to be taken. Thus you can imagine
the amount of pre and post electoral flak that flies around as it is a very
personal adventure for all those concerned. Some "seats" are more secure than
others.
State Elections. (coming soon)
Types of Voting.
(coming soon)
Australia has used a preferential system of voting introduced
since 1918.
The Election Microscope Resources.
- The Australian Electoral Commission
-
Adam Carrs Guide to the 2007 Australian Federal Election
-
Australian Politics - History & Features of the Australian Electoral System
[Note: Australia employs the more
complicated
Preferential voting system which is more prone to informal voting counts.
The rest of the world opts for the
Simple Majority (First Past the Post) voting method which minimizes the
votes lost by informal voting. Ed.]
-
Wikipedia - The 2007 Australian General Election
-
Wikipedia - Elections in Australia
- OZ Election 2007
NewsVines
-
OZ Election
2007 Forums |
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