Australia is a federation, which means the country is made up of one national government and several state and territory governments that share power. Altogether, there are three levels of government, and each one is elected by the people and is responsible for different jobs.
The federal government, led by the Prime Minister, makes decisions and laws for the whole country from Parliament House in Canberra. It looks after things that affect all Australians equally, such as defence, immigration, the currency (our money), and the postal service.
Each state or territory has its own government, led by a Premier (in a state) or a Chief Minister (in a territory). State and territory governments look after services within their own borders, such as public schools, hospitals, police and the main roads that connect towns and cities.
Local government is the level closest to home. Each area has a council, usually led by a Mayor, that looks after everyday local services such as rubbish collection, libraries, local parks and roads, and registering pets.
Read each responsibility below. Write which level of government is mainly responsible for it: Federal, State or territory, or Local.
| Responsibility | Level of government |
|---|---|
| Defence | |
| Money (the currency) | |
| Schools | |
| Hospitals | |
| Police | |
| Rubbish collection | |
| Libraries | |
| Registering pets |
Australia's system of government is based on the Westminster system, a model that began in the United Kingdom (named after Westminster, the part of London where the UK Parliament meets). At its heart is the idea of representative democracy: citizens elect Members of Parliament to make decisions on their behalf, instead of every person voting on every law. Voting is compulsory for enrolled Australian citizens aged 18 and over.
Australia's federal Parliament has two houses. The House of Representatives has members elected from electorates all over the country. The Senate is the other house, with members elected from each state and territory, and is sometimes called the house of review because it checks laws made in the House of Representatives.
After a federal election, the group of elected representatives with enough support in the House of Representatives forms the government and puts its policies into action. Its leader becomes the Prime Minister. The next largest group becomes the Opposition, whose job is to question the government and offer alternative ideas.
Match each term to its correct definition. Write the matching letter next to each term.
Complete the table using what you have learnt about the three levels of government.
| Level of government | Leader's title | One example responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | ||
| State or territory | ||
| Local |
These questions go further. Read carefully and answer in full sentences.
Which of the options above is the best example of a responsibility shared between more than one level of government?
Why do you think Australia's responsibilities are split between three levels of government, instead of one government looking after everything?
Explain why it can help to have more than one level of government working together on something like funding for a major road.
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