Federal Executive Council of Australia Handbook (http://www.dpmc.gov.au/guidelines/executive_handbook/index.cfm), from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
The Commonwealth of Australia is a constitutional monarchy, a federation and a parliamentary democracy.
The federal nature of the Commonwealth and the structure of the Parliament of Australia was the subject of protracted negotiations among the colonies during the drafting of the Constitution.
Until the passage of the Australia Act 1986, and associated legislation in the parliament of the United Kingdom, some Australian cases could be referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for final appeal.
Australia's neighbouring countries are Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the north-east, and New Zealand to the south-east.
The executive: the Federal ExecutiveCouncil (the Governor-General as advised by the executive councillors); in practice, the councillors are the prime minister and ministers of state, whose advice the Governor-General accepts, with rare exceptions.
Australia led the formation of the Cairns Group and APEC, and is a member of the OECD and the WTO.
Feeds |
Contact