How and why is power divided in Australia? Is a good and commonly asked question by looking at the Australian Constitution, and federalization it is possible to understand how power is divided within Australia. Through the ideas of the three arms of government following the Montesquieu view, the Washminster hybrid, Westminster and Washington systems of government which all influence Australia’s political system to shape it to what we know it as today. One demonstrates why power is divided in Australia. By doing this it will be easy to see and understand why it is necessary for power to be divided in Australia and how it is done to form a responsible and representative government.
Australia became an independent nation on 1st of January 1901 when the British parliament passed legislation allowing the six Australian colonies to govern their own rights as part of the commonwealth. The commonwealth was established as a Constitutional Monarchy, constitutional in that it was established with a written constitution and monarchy because the head of state is the Queen. Australia’s constitution was approved on the 9th of July 1900 and was in effect on the 1st of January 1901. Some aspects of the constitution are model on the U.S. constitution but it doesn’t include a bill of rights like …show more content…
Under a federal system of government powers are divided through a bicameral parliament which consists of a monarch and two houses the senate and the House of Representatives. Further more it is split between different levels of government, commonwealth, state and local. The constitution allocates certain powers and responsibilities to the Commonwealth government. All remaining responsibilities are handled by the States. Further, each state has its own constitution so that Australia has seven separate Parliaments, none of which can effects the functions of any