NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Government of the Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly (or, more formally and fully, the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory) is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory. It sits in premises located on Civic Square, close to the centre of the city of Canberra. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1460x1001, 687 KB)Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1460x1001, 687 KB)Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... Emblems: The floral emblem of the ACT is the Royal Bluebell and the faunal emblem is the Gang-gang cockatoo Motto: For the Queen, the Law and the People Slogan or Nickname: (none) Other Australian states and territories Capital Canberra Government Const. ... City Walk, a pedestrian mall in Civic is a focus of retail activity and outdoor dining. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ...

It was created by four acts of the Commonwealth Parliament in 1988, including the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988. The first election was held in March 1989 and it first sat on 11 May that year. Until this point, the ACT had been directly administered by the Commonwealth Government. An elected body of the same name had existed for some years prior to 1988, however it had no executive power and its principal function was to advise the Commonwealth on matters relating to the Territory. 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia enacted on 6 December 1988, that establishes â€˜a body politic under the Crown by the name of the Australian Capital Territoryâ€™ and is the Territoryâ€™s constitutional foundation. ... The first election for the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly was held on 4 March 1989. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ...

The Legislative Assembly has 17 members, elected for three-year terms by the Hare-Clark system, a variation of the Single Transferable Vote form of proportional representation. The 17 members come from three constituencies - Brindabella and Ginninderra, which have five members, and Molonglo, which as seven members. The Assembly was originally elected by a modified d'Hondt system, but a 1992 referendum supported the Hare-Clark method, and this was introduced in 1993. This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ... Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is an electoral system delivering a close match between the percentage of votes that the political parties obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive in legislative assemblies. ... The DHondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

Members of the Legislative Assembly vote to elect a Chief Minister - in practice, the leader of whichever party can form government. The Chief Minister, in turn, selects up to five ministers to form a cabinet. The leader of the second-largest party in the assembly usually becomes the Leader of the Opposition. The Chief Minister for the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. ... The Leader of the Opposition of the Australian Capital Territory is an official role usually occupied by the leader of the second largest party or coalition in the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. ...

The Assembly is unique in terms of Australian states and territories, as the Australian Capital Territory has neither a Governor nor an Administrator. Emblems: The floral emblem of the ACT is the Royal Bluebell and the faunal emblem is the Gang-gang cockatoo Motto: For the Queen, the Law and the People Slogan or Nickname: (none) Other Australian states and territories Capital Canberra Government Const. ... The Governors of the Australian states are the representatives in the six states of Australia of Australias head of state, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governors perform the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level. ... The political office of the Administrator of the Northern Territory of Australia has been held by the following people. ...

Election dates for the Assembly are fixed in legislation, with elections held in October every four years. Elections are always held on Saturdays. Until 1997, elections were held in February. They are now held in October. The term of the Assembly was increased in 2004 from three to four years. 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

As with the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, the ACT Assembly lacks the full powers of a state legislature. As a result, legislation passed by the Assembly can be overruled by a Commonwealth act of Parliament or by the Governor-General acting on the advice of the Commonwealth government. Although this is rare in practice, the Civil Unions Act, which allowed same-sex couples to enter into "civil unions," was overruled following concerns that the civil unions mimicked marriage. In July 2006, the federal Government again threatened the ACT Stanhope Government to overrule their anti-terror legislation, which was not consistent with other state laws. The Commonwealth also retained control of the Territory's justice system until handing it over to the Assembly in 1992. The Assembly assumes many of the functions of a local council, as it covers such a small area, and the city of Canberra has no other local government. The Legislative Assembly is the only chamber of parliament in the Northern Territory in Australia. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ...

Current distribution of seats

The Australian Labor Party or ALP is Australias oldest political party. ... The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian liberal conservative political party. ... The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is the dominant Green political party in Australia. ...

See also

The Parliaments of the Australian states and territories are legislative bodies within the federal framework of the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Following are lists of members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly: Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 1989-1991 Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 1992-1995 Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 1995-1998 Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly...

External links

Politics of Australia

Government: Parliament (House of Representatives, Senate) – Monarchy – Governor-General John Howard MP, Prime Minister of Australia and leader of the Liberal Party Kim Beazley MP, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Australian Labor Party The politics of Australia take place within the framework of parliamentary democracy. ... Parliament House Canberra: The main entrance and the flag The Parliament of Australia is the legislative branch of Australia. ... Australian House of Representatives chamber Entrance to the House of Representatives The Australian House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Australia. ... Australian Senate chamber Entrance to the Senate The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. ... Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, in 1952 and 2002 The title Queen of Australia has existed since 1973, when the Parliament of Australia passed the Royal Style and Titles Act (1973). ... Michael Jeffery, the current Governor-General of Australia The Governor-General of Australia is the representative in Australia of Australias head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, who lives in the United Kingdom. ...

Federal electoral system: Electoral divisions | State electoral systems A how-to-vote card from the Australian federal election of 2004, showing voters how to fill in the squares on the ballot paper if they wish to vote for the Liberal Party of Australia. ... The Australian House of Representatives is elected from 150 single-member districts called Divisions. ... Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ...

Federal legislative elections: 1993 – 1996 – 1998 – 2001 – 2004 – 2007 Elections in Australia gives information on elections and election results in Australia. ... Legislative elections were held in Australia on March 13, 1993. ... Legislative elections were held in Australia on 2 March 1996. ... Legislative elections were held in Australia on 3 October 1998. ... Legislative elections were held in Australia on 10 November 2001. ... Legislative elections were held in Australia on 9 October 2004. ... The next Australian legislative election is expected to take place in 2007, although it can be held as late as 19 January 2008. ...

State and Territory governments: ACT ('04 election) – NSW ('07 election) – NT ('05 election) – Qld ('06 election) – SA ('06 election) – Tas. ('06 election) – Vic. ('06 election) – WA ('05 election) The Australian States and Territories make up the Commonwealth of Australia under a federal system of government. ... Emblems: The floral emblem of the ACT is the Royal Bluebell and the faunal emblem is the Gang-gang cockatoo Motto: For the Queen, the Law and the People Slogan or Nickname: (none) Other Australian states and territories Capital Canberra Government Const. ... The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then. ... The next legislative election for the New South Wales Parliament will be held on Saturday, 24 March 2007. ... Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... Legislative elections will be held in the Northern Territory of Australia on June 18, 2005. ... Queensland Government Logo The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the Queensland Government. ... An election for the Queensland Legislative Assembly will be held on September 9, 2006, after being announced by Premier Peter Beattie on 15 August 2006. ... The form of the Government of South Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then. ... Legislative elections for State Parliament were held in South Australia on March 18, 2006. ... The coat of arms of Tasmania. ... Legislative elections for the House of Assembly were held in the Australian state of Tasmania on 18 March 2006. ... 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. ... The state election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria is scheduled for 25 November 2006. ... The form of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then. ... The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. ...

Local government in Australia Australia has two tiers of subnational government: state (or territory) government and local government. ...

Political parties: Democrats – Greens – Labor Party – Country Liberal Party – Family First Party – Liberal Party – National Party Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... The Australian Democrats (in regular parlance, just the Democrats), is an Australian social liberal party formed in 1977 from the earlier Australia Party by Don Chipp, who left the Liberal Party of Australia to do so. ... The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is the dominant Green political party in Australia. ... The Australian Labor Party or ALP is Australias oldest political party. ... In Australian politics, the Country Liberal Party (CLP) is the Northern Territory equivalent to the Liberal and National parties - the Country part of the partys name is a relic of when the National Party was called the Country Party. ... The Family First Party is a political party in Australia. ... The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian liberal conservative political party. ... The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party. ...