Senators serve for six years, except following a dissolution of the Senate (brought about by disagreement between the two Houses) when half the newly elected Senators serve only three years. Elections for half the Senate take place every three years. The Parliament may make laws setting out how Senators are elected and also to change the number of Senators (there are now 12 from each state). Each state is represented equally and there must be at least six Senators from each state. The appointment of the Governor-General and the Governor-General’s powers to summon and dissolve Parliament.This is held by the federal Parliament, consisting of two Houses-the Senate and the House of Representatives-and the Queen (represented by the Governor-General). The legislative or law-making power of the Commonwealth.This chapter, the longest, covers the structure and powers of the federal Parliament, including the following: In brief, the Constitution establishes the form of the federal government (that is, the Commonwealth, national or central government) and sets out the basis for relations between the Commonwealth and the states. The Australian Constitution originated as an agreement under which the former colonies came together as states in a federation. What does the Australian Constitution do?Īustralia is a federation of states which each have their own constitution, government and laws. The Constitution drawn up at the conventions was included as part of this Act, which declared that ‘The Constitution of the Commonwealth shall be as follows:-…’. The purpose of the Act was ‘to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia’. The new Australian nation was established on 1 January 1901 following the passing of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act by the United Kingdom Parliament. The draft constitution was later approved by a vote of the people in referendums held in each colony.
When the colonies decided to join together in a federation, representatives from each colony were elected to attend meetings (called constitutional conventions) to draw up a constitution for the new nation. How was the Australian Constitution created?īefore 1901 the present Australian States were separate colonies of the then British Empire. The Constitution of Australia has a special status-it cannot be changed in the same way as other laws can be changed and it is a supreme law, that is, it overrides other laws.
In some countries laws forming the constitution are ordinary laws which can be changed just like any other law, but in most countries the laws forming the constitution have a special status. Such rules may be based on tradition or may be written down in the form of a law or a number of laws. A national constitution is a set of rules for governing a country.
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