The Museum of Australian Democracy acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

The museum respectfully acknowledges the role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to play in shaping Australia’s democracy.

xClose
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
  • About
  • Blog
  • Prime Ministers
  • Websites
  • Venue hire
  • Visiting
  • What's On
  • Collection
  • Learning
  • Democracy
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
  • Visiting
    • Planning your visit
    • Families at MoAD
    • Access
    • Group bookings
    • Cafe
    • MoAD Shop
    • UNSW Canberra Howard Library
  • What’s On
    • Exhibitions
    • Events
  • Collection
    • The Building
    • Objects and rooms
    • Oral Histories
  • Learning
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Parents
  • Democracy
    • Democracy 2025
    • Defining democracy
    • Australian democracy: an overview
    • The democratic audit of Australia
    • One thing I like about democracy
    • Links
    • Quotes
    • Notes
    • About
    • Blog
    • Prime Ministers
    • Websites
    • Venue hire

    Australian democracy: an overview

    Democracy

    • Our democracy
      • Democracy 2025
      • Defining democracy
      • Australian democracy
      • Democratic audit
      • One thing I like about democracy
      • Links
      • Quotes
      • Notes
    • Exploring Democracy
    • Documenting a democracy

    Australia is a representative democracy. In this political system, eligible people vote for candidates to carry out the business of governing on their behalf. Australia’s system of government—its institutions and practices—reflect British and North American traditions combined in a way that is uniquely Australian.

    For further reading, see Australia’s System of Government fact sheet.

    The Australian democracy has at its heart, the following core defining values:

    • freedom of election and being elected;
    • freedom of assembly and political participation;
    • freedom of speech, expression and religious belief;
    • rule of law; and
    • other basic human rights.

    Principles

    Australian democracy has at its heart, the following core defining principles:

    • Responsible Government since the government is answerable to the parliament for its actions and for those of its departments—as administered by the Public Service.
    • Ministerial Responsibility since a minister is expected to accept full responsibility for decisions made by his or her department.
    • Rule of Law since all Australian people (including Australian authorities) are equally required to uphold the law and are subject to legal and judicial processes. (See Rule of Law timeline).
    • Parliamentary Sovereignty since the government is required to seek the approval of the parliament for many decisions including to create new or to amend existing law.
    • Separation of Powers since power is distributed between the Ministry, the courts and the Parliament so as to define discrete and distinct roles and functions and such that a monopoly of power is avoided. The separation, however, is imperfect since ministers are derived from the parliament and belong to both the parliament and the Cabinet at once (this is not the case in some other democracies e.g. the USA). In addition, the prime minister chooses High Court judges. (See the Playing Fair interactive).

    Features

    Australian democracy has at its heart, the following core defining features:

    The Australian Constitution

    • The Australian Constitution is a written federal constitution that provides the basic rules for the operation of the nation laid out under three separate titles: the Legislature (the Parliament), the Executive (Governor-General and ministers) and the Judiciary (the High Court and other courts).
    • The Australian Constitution contains eight chapters and 128 sections and may be changed by referendum according to the rules set out in section 128 of the Constitution.

    The Australian Federation

    • Australia is a federation whereby power and authority are shared between federal and state parliaments, governments and courts. In Australia, three levels of government cooperate across many areas e.g. education, health and law enforcement and local government are involved in many others e.g. roads.
    • The Australian electoral process provides for each Australian to be represented by one member and up to 12 senators in the federal Parliament. Each Australian is also represented at the state or territory level and at the local level of governance.
    • Other federations include Germany, Canada and the United States of America.

    Australian parliaments

    There is a total of 9 parliaments across Australia. One federal (or national) parliament, located in Canberra and six state parliaments and two territory legislative assemblies, located in the capital cities of each state or territory. Representatives at each level are selected through regular and frequent popular elections. Most Australian parliaments are bicameral.

    Composition of the Federal parliament

    The federal House of Representatives has single-member representation—a system designed to elect major parties and support efficient government; while the Senate has multi-member representation. This system elects 12 senators to each state and two to each self-governing territory. It is designed to protect the interests of the states.

    Members and senators divide their time between electorate duties and parliamentary duties.

    • see Parliament NOW for up-to-date information about the 43rd (current) federal Parliament including composition, role and seating plans.

    The Judicature

    • The judicature refers to those employed in the administration and dispensation of justice. The High Court of Australia is at the very top of the Australian judicature. It is the final court of appeal. The functions of the High Court of Australia are to interpret and apply the law of Australia; to interpret the Australian Constitution; to resolve legal disputes between Australian parliaments, Australian governments and/or the states; to decide cases of special federal significance including challenges to the constitutional validity of laws; and to hear appeals, by special leave, from state and territory courts.
    • Common law may not override an Act of Parliament; however, an Act of Parliament may override existing common law.

    Facts

    Australian democracy has at its heart, the following key defining facts:

    • The Australian nation (also known as the Commonwealth of Australia) was created in 1901 when six former British colonies—now Australia’s six states—agreed to join together (federate).
    • Australia operates under a Cabinet system of government, even though the Cabinet is not mentioned in the Constitution.
    • HM Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of Australia and formally the Australian head of state. The Governor-General represents her in Australia and is in effect the Australian head of state.
    • All citizens over the age of 18 must vote in both federal and state government elections.

    Further reading

    • Australia’s System of Government
    • Australia.gov.au
    • Australasian Legal Information Institute
    • National Library of Australia
    • The Australian System of Government
    • PEO Quick Answers
    • Governing Australia: three levels of law-making
    • Text of the Australian Constitution

    Notes

    Luke Gittos on how the UK courts are betraying Magna Carta [article]

    Watch Spiked’s sold-out Magna Carta debate, featuring Frank Furedi, Gene Policinski and Jon Holbrook. [video]

    The Hon Christian Porter MP on Magna Carta, appropriation and Jay-Z. [video]

    Damien Carrick tours the British Library’s exhibition Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy. [audio]

    The ABC looks at 8 ways Magna Carta still affects life in 2015. [infographic]

    View all notes

    Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

    18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600, Australia

    PO Box 3934
    Manuka ACT 2603

    9am to 5pm daily 
    Closed Christmas Day

    ABN: 30 620 774 963

    Telephone: 02 6270 8222

    Enquiries:
    info@moadoph.gov.au

    Please note: video surveillance is used 24 hours a day around and throughout the building and may be used for research purposes

    Visiting

    • Planning your visit
    • Families at MoAD
    • Access
    • Group bookings
    • Cafe
    • MoAD Shop
    • UNSW Canberra Howard Library

    What's On

    • Events
    • Exhibitions

    Collection

    • The building
    • Objects and rooms
    • Highlights
    • Oral histories

    Learning

    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Parents

    Democracy

    • Exploring democracy
    • Documenting a democracy
    • Australian democracy
    • Defining democracy
    • Democracy 2025

    About

    • OPH Board
    • Annual Reports
    • Budget
    • Corporate documents
    • Disability Inclusion Action Plan
    • Employment
    • Freedom of information
    • Public Interest Disclosure
    • Media
    • Newsletter
    • Support us
    • Partnerships
    • Our prime minister patrons
    • Donate to our collection
    • eCommerce terms and conditions
    • Online house rules

    Blog

    Prime Ministers

    Websites

    Further information

    View our recruitment opportunities.

    View our copyright policy.

    View our privacy statement.

    View our ticketing terms and conditions.

    Questions about the website:
    website@moadoph.gov.au

    The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House is a Corporate Commonwealth Entity within the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts