What are the three levels of government in Australia?

What are the three levels of government in Australia?

The three levels are the Australian Government (also called federal or Commonwealth), state and territory governments, and local government. Each one provides different services, though some jobs overlap.

Citizens vote at all three levels.

The Australian Government

The members of the Australian Parliament form this government, and Parliament has two Houses, called the House of Representatives and the Senate. Its leader has the title of Prime Minister.

The booklet lists these federal jobs: taxes, running the national economy, immigration and citizenship, help for people looking for work, post and communications, social security, defence, trade, airports and air safety, and foreign affairs.

State and territory governments

There are six states and two mainland territories. Each state has its own parliament and constitution, and each is based in its capital city. A state leader is the Premier. A territory leader is the Chief Minister.

In each state, a Governor represents the King. In the Northern Territory, an Administrator does a similar job and is appointed by the Governor-General.

The booklet lists their main jobs as hospitals and health, schools, roads and railways, forestry, police and ambulance, and public transport.

One difference matters. The Constitution recognises rights for states, and it does not do so for territories. A state can pass laws in its own right. The Australian Government can change or cancel the laws of a self-governing territory whenever it chooses.

Local government

Every state, and the Northern Territory, is split into local government areas. These may be called cities, shires, towns or municipalities, and each has a council. Voters in the area elect the councillors. The leader is a mayor or shire president.

Councils plan and deliver services close to home. The booklet names things like local roads and footpaths, parks and playgrounds, rubbish collection, libraries and community centres, animal and noise control, and building permits. In the Australian Capital Territory, the territory government covers these local jobs.

A way to remember who does what

Think big, middle, small.

• Big things for the whole country belong to the federal level: money, borders, defence.
• Middle things for a region belong to the state level: hospitals, schools, police.
• Small things on your street belong to the council: bins, parks, footpaths.

If a question asks who runs your local rubbish collection, you now know it is not the Prime Minister.

Leader titles in one place

Prime Minister for the Australian Government. Premier for a state. Chief Minister for a territory. Mayor or shire president for a council. Governor-General and state governors represent the King.

Read how the powers are divided inside government in the separation of powers, and how people choose their leaders in voting in Australia. The full text is in Part 3 of the booklet. Then use the free practice test.

Check yourself

• Can you match each level of government with its leader's title?
• Which level looks after hospitals, and which looks after rubbish collection?
• What is one difference between a state and a territory?