The form of the Government of Victoria is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1855, although it has been amended many times since then. Since 1901 Victoria has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Australian Constitution regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth.
Under the Australian Constitution, Victoria ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas. The Victorian Constitution says: "the Legislature of Victoria has full power and authority." In practice, however, the independence of the Australian states has been greatly eroded by the increasing financial domination of the Commonwealth.
Executive power rests formally with the Executive Council, which consists of the Governor and senior ministers. In practice executive power is exercised by the Premier of Victoria and the Cabinet, who are appointed by the Governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the Legislative Assembly.
Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Victoria and a system of subordinate courts, but the High Court of Australia and other federal courts have overriding jurisdiction on matters which fall under the ambit of the Australian Constitution.
External links
Government of Victoria website (http://www.vic.gov.au/index.jsp)
The Constitution of Victoria (http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/constitutions/vicconstindex.shtml)
Victoria is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom.
In practice executive power is exercised by the Premier of Victoria and the Cabinet, who are appointed by the Governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the Legislative Assembly.
The Department formulates and implements the Government’s longer-term economic and budgetary objectives, which are to achieve economic growth for all regions of the State and increase the living standards of all Victorians.
Government House is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of the Province of British Columbia.
It was rebuilt as Cary Castle, the residence of George Hunter Cary, Attorney General of British Columbia and Vancouver Island, in 1860, and purchased by the Province in 1865 as the official residence of the Governor of Vancouver Island.
Government House rests on 36 acres of gardens and grounds designed by Robert Savery, born and educated in England where British landscape tradition asserted much influence upon his stylistic tendencies and general outlook.
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